Felicity's POV.
Week one. That was it. The beginning of the so-called Two Weeks Challenge. The first name on the list? Noah. I stood in front of my mirror that morning, staring at my reflection, which had personally betrayed me. My hair fell softly around my shoulders, a little messy but still neat. I kept my makeup light, just enough to brighten my face. A soft touch on my lips, nothing too bold. I wore a simple outfit.
A fitted top and a skirt that moved gently when I walked. Nothing too much. Just enough to look nice without trying too hard. I looked at myself again.
Normal. Calm. Like my life was not about to turn into complete madness. Why does my heart always act on its own whenever I think about Chris? I try to stay calm, but it never listens. It beats faster every single time. And no matter how much I try to ignore it, it still goes back to him.
"Just be yourself," I muttered, repeating his message from yesterday.
Simple. Too simple. Behind me, Penelope was sprawled across my bed like she had no responsibilities in life except to watch mine fall apart.
"So," she said, dragging the word out dramatically, "Day one with Mr Quiet-and-Patient. How do we feel?"
"Normal," I said quickly.
She snorted. "You're lying."
"I'm not lying."
"You're fixing your hair for the fifth time."
I froze. Then slowly dropped my hand. "I hate you."
She grinned. "No, you don't. Now go. Your gentleman is probably waiting."
My heart did that annoying little flip again. I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.
"Felicity," Penelope called out.
I paused.
She smiled, softer this time. "Just… don't overthink it."
I let out a breath. "That's literally all I do."
"Try not to," she said. "Just feel."
That somehow made it worse. I stepped outside and there he was. Noah. Leaning casually against the wall, hands in his pockets, looking like he had been there for a while but didn't mind at all. The moment he saw me, his expression softened. He was dressed simply, but it suited him.
A clean shirt, sleeves slightly rolled up, and dark trousers that fit just right. Nothing too loud, nothing flashy. Just neat and calm, like him. His shoes were simple, but polished. Everything about him looked effortless, like he didn't try too hard, but still got it right. And somehow, that made it even harder to breathe.
"Good morning," he said.
"Morning," I replied, trying to act normal.
He straightened slightly. "Ready?"
"For what?"
He smiled a little. "A normal day."
Right. I nodded. "Yeah. Normal sounds good."
We started walking. There was no crowd and no drama. Chris was not there glaring from the corner, and Alex didn't appear out of nowhere. It was just the two of us. For the first time in a long while, everything felt quiet and peaceful. I didn't realise how much I needed that until now.
"You seem… calmer," Noah said after a while.
I glanced at him. "Do I?"
"A little," he replied. "Less like you're about to run away."
"That obvious, huh?"
He smiled. "A little."
I sighed. "This whole thing is just a lot."
"I know."
I looked at him again. "You're not bothered by it?"
He shrugged lightly. "It's unusual. But I'm not here because of the competition."
"Then why are you here?"
He met my eyes, steady and honest. "Because I like you."
My heart skipped a beat. No dramatic music. No grand speech. Just a simple truth and somehow, that hit harder.
I looked away quickly. "You make it sound easy."
"It doesn't have to be complicated," he said.
I let that sink in. Maybe he was right. We reached the campus garden, the quiet one tucked away from the main paths. I had passed it a hundred times but never really stopped.
"Sit?" he asked.
I nodded. We sat on a wooden bench under a tree, the morning sun coming through the leaves. It was nice. Almost too good.
"So," he said, "tell me something about you."
I blinked. "Something?"
"Anything," he said. "Not the surface-level stuff. Something real."
I hesitated. Then sighed. "I overthink everything."
He chuckled softly. "I noticed."
"I get nervous easily."
"I noticed that too."
I narrowed my eyes. "Wow. Thanks."
He smiled. "You're also strong."
That caught me off guard. "I don't feel strong," I admitted.
"You are," he said simply. "You just don't see it."
Something in my chest tightened. No one had ever said it like that before. There was no teasing and no challenge, just belief. We talked for a while after that. About small things, big things, and random things. He really listened. He did not interrupt or rush. He was just there. And for once, I did not feel like I had to impress anyone. I could just exist.
Time passed quickly. By the time we stood to leave, I felt lighter, calmer, and a little confused. Most of the time, my mind went back to Chris. I wondered if he was thinking about me too. As we walked back, I noticed people staring and whispering. Of course they were. My life felt like a rom-com drama. But this time, it did not feel too much. Because Noah was beside me, steady and calm.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," I said. "I think so."
He nodded. "Good."
We reached my dorm. He stopped a few steps away, giving me space.
"I had a good time," he said.
"Me too," I admitted.
There was a small pause. Then he smiled. "Same time tomorrow?"
My heart did that thing again. "Yeah," I said softly. "Same time tomorrow."
He nodded once and turned to leave. There was no hand kiss and no dramatic move, just calm. Somehow, that stayed with me longer. I stepped inside. Penelope was already waiting, of course, she was.
She sat up instantly. "Well?!"
I dropped my bag and fell onto my bed. "That was… nice."
She blinked. "Nice?"
"Nice."
She stared at me as I had just said something illegal.
"Felicity," she said slowly, "we are not doing 'nice' in this story."
I laughed despite myself. "Well, we are now."
She leaned forward, suspicious. "What happened?"
"He listened," I said simply.
She paused. "Oh," she said softly.
"Yeah."
Silence. Then her grin came back. "Okay, okay. Calm and steady is making moves. I see it."
"Penelope…"
"I'm just saying," she shrugged. "One down. Two disasters to go."
I groaned and threw a pillow at her. Later, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Noah. About how easy it felt. About how safe it felt.
My phone buzzed.
Chris: > How was your day?
My heart skipped. Another message came in.
Alex: > Hope he didn't bore you too much.
I stared at the screen. Week one had just started, and it was already complicated.
>>>>>>>>>>
Christopher's POV.
I shouldn't care this much. It's just day one. Just one day with Noah. But the way she looked this morning was calm and smiling. That stuck with me. I leaned against the wall outside the lecture hall, jaw tight. Alex stood a few feet away, scrolling through his phone like he wasn't thinking the same thing.
"Relax," he said without looking up. "It's just Noah."
I scoffed. "I am relaxed."
He glanced at me. "You look like you're planning a murder."
"Maybe I am."
He smirked. "Get in line."
I shook my head. "This isn't a game to me."
His expression changed a little. "Yeah. I figured. It isn't a game for me either, but I have to do this for her."
Silence fell between us. Then I heard footsteps. We both looked up. Felicity was walking toward us, and beside her was Noah, laughing softly at something she said. My chest tightened. Alex went still. Neither of us said anything, but we both saw the look on her face. She was calm, happy, and real. For the first time since this started, it did not feel like we were ahead. It felt like we were already losing. I pushed off the wall, my eyes fixed on her.
"Two weeks," I muttered under my breath.
Fine. Let him have his calm and smooth start. When it's my turn, I won't hold back or lose. I fixed my shirt, ran my hand through my hair, and took a deep breath. Two weeks was nothing. I didn't need a warm-up. I was ready. I knocked on the door, my hand tapping a steady rhythm.
When it opened, there she was. Felicity, standing there like she didn't know what was coming next. I forced myself to focus, to keep my cool, but my heart betrayed me anyway. Two weeks with her. Two weeks to prove this wasn't just a game. Two weeks to show her I wasn't just another option, not just a name on a list.
She tilted her head, her eyes wide and a little nervous. I couldn't show her how I felt yet. I gave a small smile. "Morning," I said.
She blinked. "Morning," she whispered.
That one word was enough to make my heart beat fast and my stomach twist in ways I didn't know. I stepped inside slowly and carefully. Every step reminded me how much this mattered. Two weeks where I had to fight, not just to win, but for her. And every second, I wanted more than just to win the challenge.
I took a deep breath, letting the words tumble out before I could second-guess them. "This game is so stupid," I said, my voice low but firm. "The Two-Week Challenge is dumb because I want you. All of you."
Felicity stiffened. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, the world outside the door didn't exist. I could see her heart racing, feel her trying to catch her breath.
"You… what?" she whispered, a blush rising on her cheeks.
I stepped closer, careful not to rush her, letting my gaze hold hers. "I don't care about the rules, or the two weeks, or Alex or Noah. I just want you, Felicity. Every single part of you."
Her lips parted a little, and her eyes looked away for a moment before meeting mine again. She laughed nervously, almost in disbelief. "You're crazy."
"Maybe," I admitted, a small smile curved on my lips. "But at least I'm honest."
She shook her head, smiling despite herself. "You're impossible."
"And yet," I said, softening my tone. "I'm still here."
Her smile faltered for a heartbeat before returning, warm and real. She whispered, "You'll get your turn, but for now, just wait for me, please."
And somehow, I knew this was no longer about two weeks. This was about us.
>>>>>>>>>>
Felicity's POV.
I watched him stand there, calm, but there was something in his eyes that made my chest tighten. Part of me wanted to laugh at how ridiculous this whole challenge was, and part of me just wanted to run and hide. My thoughts raced. Does he really mean it? Can I trust him? Or am I just imagining things again?
A flutter of nerves and excitement ran through me. I couldn't help it. He wasn't like the others. Calm, patient, steady… yet everything inside me was anything but steady. My heart was a mess of hope and fear.
I swallowed, trying to steady myself. "Okay," I whispered to no one but myself. "Let's see how this goes."
Week one begins. The calm before the storm. And somehow, I already knew nothing would ever be the same again.