Aria sat cross-legged on the floor of the library, her law books sprawled out in front of her like an intimidating army waiting to be conquered. The pages were filled with legal jargon, case precedents, and enough legalese to make her head spin. She had always loved the idea of being a lawyer, but today, the sheer weight of the material was overwhelming.
"Need some help?" Leo's voice broke through her thoughts, and she glanced up to find him standing in front of her with his signature mischievous smile.
He had been her study partner for the past few weeks, ever since they'd been paired together for a final group project. Despite their different approaches to studying—Aria preferring quiet concentration and Leo thriving in the chaos of discussions—they had formed an unexpectedly strong bond.
"I think I'm going to need more than help," Aria said with a sigh, rubbing her temples.
Leo sat down beside her, pulling a chair from a nearby table and placing it next to her on the floor. He reached for one of the books and started flipping through it, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"You've been at this for hours," Leo said softly, his tone gentle, as if he knew how much pressure she was under. "Maybe it's time to take a break. We’ve got all night."
Aria didn’t argue. She leaned back against the bookshelf behind her, letting out a long breath. "I don’t know why this is so hard," she admitted. "I can normally get through this stuff, but today... it's like everything is just too much."
Leo turned to face her, his blue eyes warm with understanding. He placed the book down and shifted closer, sitting down on the floor beside her. His arm brushed hers, and for a moment, the world outside the library faded away.
Aria smiled, her heart doing a little flip at the way he looked at her. They'd spent so many hours together over the past few weeks, studying late into the night, sometimes teasing each other, sometimes deep in conversation about their future careers. There was something about him—his charm, his intelligence, the way he genuinely cared—that made her feel at ease even when everything around her seemed chaotic.
"Thanks, Leo," she said softly. "You always know how to make things seem easier."
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