Chapter: 01

The sun filtered lazily through the tall glass windows of Lennox University, painting golden streaks across the bustling campus lawns. The courtyard was alive with laughter, sneakers squeaking across tiles, and the ever-familiar chime of class bells echoing in the air. Amongst this chaos walked three friends Zayna, Fenris, and Harv.

Zayna was the kind of girl people turned to look at twice once for her beauty, and again for her effortless presence. She had waist-length, shiny black hair that swayed like silk with every step. Her skin was porcelain fair, smooth, and radiant even under fluorescent lighting. Sharp, almond-shaped eyes framed by thick lashes made her look like she always knew more than she said. She wore a ribbed top tucked into high-waisted jeans, paired with boots that echoed confidence.

Beside her was Harv, the younger of the Adoni brothers. Harv was a ball of laughter wrapped in chaos. His tousled light-brown hair always looked like he’d just run his hand through it a hundred times, and his warm hazel eyes had a way of making people feel seen. Dressed in a casual grey hoodie and joggers, he didn’t care much for appearances. He was charming, witty, and the master of making every lecture sound like a stand-up show.

Trailing just a few steps behind them quiet but observant was Fenris.

Fenris was every bit the mystery he appeared to be. Twenty-five, calm, composed, and the complete opposite of his brother. His skin had a soft tan that hinted at his mixed heritage, his sharp jawline clean-shaven and precise. He wore a fitted black turtleneck and a long beige coat over dark jeans stylish without being loud. His silky, jet-black hair was neatly combed back, and his eyes deep-set and intense often lingered on Zayna when she wasn’t looking. Though he walked like a man used to silence, his aura spoke volumes.

People called them the Adoni Brothers, a nickname that began as a casual joke in freshman year and turned into a full-blown identity. It had a ring to it mysterious, classy, a little dangerous. Adoni wasn’t even their last name; it came from a blend of "Adonis," the Greek god of beauty and desire because, well... they looked like they walked out of a myth themselves and "Don," for the quiet power Fenris especially held.

The trio reached their usual bench near the fountain where Isaac and Alyssa were already seated. Alyssa and Isaac were the stable, loving couple in the group. Isaac tall, lean, and the kind of guy who wore denim like it was stitched to him greeted them with a nod. Alyssa, with her honey blonde curls and sun-kissed freckles, squealed when she saw Zayna.

“There you are, girl! I’ve been texting you all morning!”

“I left my phone at home!” Zayna grinned, sitting beside her.

“Left your phone?!” Alyssa raised an eyebrow. “Are you finally trying to break free from the Matrix?”

“Hey, I’m just giving the world a break from my genius.” Zayna laughed, plopping down beside her.

“More like giving us a break from your 15,000 unread messages,” Isaac teased, leaning back against the bench with his arms folded.

“Okay, okay, I admit, I’ve been a little... behind,” Zayna said, giving Isaac a playful shove.

“Let’s be honest, Zayna,” Fenris said, appearing out of nowhere with his signature smirk. “You’re probably just overwhelmed by the number of people who need your undivided attention. I mean, you are the queen of our group.”

“I’m the queen of chaos, maybe,” Zayna shot back with a grin.

Fenris chuckled and sat down next to Harv. “Same thing. Anyway, what’s the gossip today?”

The group quickly fell into easy conversation. They joked about their professors.

“Professor Malik’s lecture on quantum physics was like watching paint dry,” Harv sighed dramatically, slumping down beside them. “If I hear ‘theoretical concepts’ one more time, I might just faint.”

Zayna snorted. “Oh please, you just wanted to sleep through it. You probably dreamt you were on a beach somewhere while he was talking.”

Harv’s face lit up. “Honestly, the beach sounds pretty nice right now. Maybe I’ll just skip the next class and go work on my tan.”

“Just don’t get too sunburned, Harv,” Alyssa warned. “We all know you’re the type to look like a lobster after five minutes in the sun.”

Harv groaned. “That’s not fair! My skin’s not that bad—”

Zayna cut him off, smirking. “Yeah, it’s like a human warning sign for sunburn. People see you and think, ‘Oh, I should wear SPF 50!’”

Everyone burst into laughter, and Isaac, who had been quietly enjoying the chaos, added, “Harv, you should just embrace it. You could start a new trend—lobster chic.”

“I’m not sure that’s going to take off, Isaac,” Harv shot back, grinning. “But if it does, you’ll owe me royalties.”

Fenris leaned in. “Actually, I’m all for it. Maybe I’ll pitch it to a fashion magazine. ‘How to Look Redder Than a Tomato and Still Be Fabulous.’”

Harv dramatically gasped. “Don’t you dare. I swear if I see that headline in Vogue, you’ll owe me your entire wardrobe.”

Isaac snorted, “Which, by the way, would not be a loss for Fenris. His fashion sense is basically '90s grunge meets ‘I just rolled out of bed’.”

Fenris threw up his hands in mock offense. “Hey! I’ve got layers of depth, alright? It’s called ‘effortless style,’ Isaac.”

Alyssa raised an eyebrow. “More like ‘I forgot to do laundry for a week’ style.”

Fenris shrugged, unfazed. “Takes talent to make it look this good.”

As the laughter died down, they shifted the topic to Aveline.

“I can’t believe how weird Aveline’s been lately,” Zayna sighed, shaking her head. “She’s been so distant, like... she’s got a secret or something.”

“I know, right?” Alyssa said. “The other day, I caught her at the library actually reading—no phone, no distractions. She’s either up to something shady or she’s secretly trying to get into grad school.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Well, if she’s trying to study, it’s not working. Last time I saw her, she was flipping through a book and then Googling ‘how to look smart in public’.”

Harv chuckled. “Maybe she’s just trying to reinvent herself. You know, a whole ‘mysterious new Aveline’ vibe.”

“Well, she’s not fooling me,” Zayna said, crossing her arms. “I’ll find out what’s going on... eventually.”

“I think we’re all just waiting for her to spill the tea,” Alyssa said with a wink. “But you know Aveline—she’ll act like she’s got it all figured out, until the whole thing unravels on her.”

Fenris leaned back with a smirk. “Honestly, I’m betting she’s just secretly planning a dramatic reappearance, like ‘Aveline, now with 100% more mysterious aura.’”

The group burst into laughter again, their voices blending with the soft sound of the fountain nearby. It was a moment of pure, carefree fun, the kind of day they all needed.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***