Lorelei Adams was the kind of girl who turned heads without meaning to. Fairly tall, with a graceful figure, soft pink lips, and deep brown eyes that always seemed to hold a quiet sadness, she carried both beauty and mystery wherever she went. At twenty-two, she was in her first year at Ridgeview College, pursuing a degree in Linguistics — a field that perfectly matched her love for words, even though she often struggled to find the right ones in real life.
Ever since her painful breakup with Matt, Lorelei had promised herself never to fall in love again. She had built invisible walls around her heart, convinced that love was only another word for heartbreak. Even when Matt tried calling her one night, asking her to come over, she'd refused — coldly reminding him he had a new girlfriend. That night, she realized she wasn't just done with Matt. She was done with love.
When exams ended and the short two-week holiday began, Lorelei went home to her family. Her father worried about how exhausted she looked, but she reassured him that it was just the semester's workload. Before long, the break was over — far too soon for her liking — and she was back at Ridgeview.
This time, things felt different. Her roommate, Amelia, had decided to get a single room, leaving Lorelei with a space all to herself. At first, she enjoyed the solitude — the quiet mornings, the soft hum of her study music, the privacy she had always craved. But as the days passed, she realized silence could be both comforting and lonely.
Almost a month into the new semester, Lorelei found herself missing something she hadn't expected — company. Not Amelia's chatter or her classmates' jokes, but something deeper. Someone new. Someone who could make her heart feel alive again, even if she was afraid to admit it.
And that's when she thought of him — Ledger Powers.
Ledger was a law student, a year younger than her, known for his calm confidence and a smile that seemed to light up every room. Fair-skinned, tall, and effortlessly charming, he carried himself with quiet grace. Lorelei had admired him from a distance for months but never dared to speak to him. She had watched him in the cafeteria, in the courtyard, and even once in the library when he'd smiled politely as he passed her table.
But that evening, alone in her room, her heart made a bold decision her mind never would have.
She opened her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she typed:
@Hey@
Her stomach tightened as she stared at the message, debating whether to delete it. But before she could overthink, her phone buzzed.
@Hello@
Lorelei's breath caught. He replied.
Trying to calm her excitement, she quickly typed back.
@How you doing@
@Am good and you@
@Am good, well am Lorelei@
@Wow, what a wonderful name. Am Ledger Powers@
She smiled to herself, her heart racing.
@You have a lovely name though... thought it was a babe's name@
@Powers is a family name@
@Hahaha, I meant Ledger@
@Well, I had a friend by that name@
Before she could respond, the lunch bell rang, and she had to head out.
After lunch, she picked up her phone again, courage surging through her veins.
@So I've been seeing you around and I was wondering if I could be your friend?@
She stared at the screen, terrified of rejection. Then the reply came.
@Oh dear... Of course you can, you shouldn't even ask@
Lorelei's cheeks warmed. She blushed, biting her lip to hide the smile spreading across her face.
@Thank you@
@So, Lorelei, which course are you doing?@
@Linguistics@
@Oh really? Which languages?@
@French, Spanish, and German@
@Am doing Law@
@I know@
@How?@
@Hahaha, I have friends doing Law@
@Oh, okay@
Her fingers hovered for a moment before typing again.
@So, would you like to hang out with me this evening?@
The message sent, and her heart pounded. A minute passed. Then another.
Finally, his reply appeared.
@What would you like us to do?@
@I can take you to my fav spot or we could have a movie night@
Lorelei's lips curved into a grin.
@Sure, I'd like to come with you to your fav spot... and maybe the movie this Friday night@
A pause. Then:
@So it's a date@
Lorelei dropped her phone onto her bed, covering her face with both hands as she laughed — nervous, excited, and terrified all at once.
For the first time in a long while, her heart didn't ache.
It fluttered.