Shield of Destiny

The air was thick with the scent of old books and coffee beans as Elara wiped down the counter of the small bookstore café where she worked. The repetitive hum of chatter in the background was a comfort to her, the constant rhythm of life that gave her a sense of normalcy in her chaotic world. She was used to the sound of people around her, but it always felt as though she were just watching life pass by. Alone.

Her hands were steady as she rearranged the neatly stacked piles of books, smiling at the old lady who had just left after purchasing her morning tea. Life had its struggles, but Elara had learned to adapt. She had no choice.

"Here, one latte for the princess herself," a voice broke her concentration.

Elara looked up, startled, and blinked. Lysander. He was standing there, casually leaning against the counter with that confident smirk of his, his dazzlingly blue eyes meeting hers. It was the first time they'd exchanged words directly since their brief, awkward interaction on the university campus.

"Oh, um... thank you," she stammered, taking the coffee cup from his outstretched hand. She glanced at the steaming drink before looking back at him, feeling a strange sense of warmth creep into her chest. His gaze was intense, almost unnerving. She couldn't understand it. Why did he make her feel so... nervous?

Lysander raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" He didn't press the matter, though. There was a noticeable flicker of amusement in his voice. "You're always so serious. A bit of a smile wouldn't hurt."

Elara's lips quirked into a small smile, trying her best to seem like everything was fine, even though her heart seemed to skip a beat. "I'm not always serious," she replied, her voice soft. "Just... busy, that's all."

The conversation should've ended there, but something felt different in the air between them. Elara couldn't pinpoint what it was, but there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere—a static charge that hummed softly as Lysander's presence seemed to grow heavier, more significant.

Lysander's lips twisted into a small grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He was silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on her, making her wonder if she had said something wrong.

"Have you ever felt like..." Lysander began, but then stopped, seemingly unsure of how to finish the thought. He fidgeted slightly, his fingers brushing the coffee cup he had just set on the counter. "Never mind. You probably wouldn't understand."

Elara tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Lysander hesitated, clearly battling some inner conflict, but in the end, he shrugged, his usual cocky demeanor returning. "Nothing important. Just... I get this feeling sometimes when I'm around you. Like something is... different. Don't take it the wrong way," he added quickly, noticing the way her eyebrows furrowed. "Just a weird feeling, that's all."

Elara's heart thudded in her chest. "I... I don't feel anything," she said, but there was a strange twist in her gut, like an instinct she couldn't quite explain. Her gaze wandered briefly to the cup of coffee in her hand, trying to distract herself from the inexplicable tension in the air.

Lysander's eyes softened for a split second, as if he were about to say something more, but instead, he pulled away. "Well, if you ever figure it out, let me know," he said with a wink, turning to leave.

As he walked away, Elara couldn't shake the feeling that something in the air had shifted. The way his eyes lingered on her, how his voice had lowered slightly as he spoke—it was as if he had seen something in her, something he couldn't yet understand. Something she herself didn't understand.

---

Lysander walked out of the bookstore café, his fingers tracing the edges of the door as he stepped into the cool, crisp air of the university campus. His mind was clouded. That feeling. The pull he felt when he was near her. It was subtle, but it was undeniable. Like a magnet tugging at him, drawing him closer to her without his permission. It unsettled him in a way he couldn't explain.

He had felt it before. That strange pull to things beyond his comprehension, but never so strongly. Never so... personal.

The silence of the university courtyard seemed louder now, as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Lysander couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the edge of something monumental. That Elara—despite her normal, average appearance—wasn't just some girl.

She was tied to something far greater. But how?

---

Elara watched Lysander walk away through the glass window, his figure retreating into the distance. She blinked several times, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. It was silly, she told herself. Just a weird moment, nothing more. He was just some guy from university. No need to overthink it.

But deep inside, a small voice whispered that she wasn't entirely sure that was true. There was something about Lysander—something that made her heart race and her mind spin. Something she couldn't explain.

She took a deep breath, trying to focus. **Nothing is wrong,** she reminded herself. **Everything is fine.**

But the strange feeling in her chest lingered, growing stronger with every passing moment.