Leo chuckled softly, nudging her with his shoulder. "That's because you're not alone in this, Aria. We’re in this together, and we’ll get through it. You’ve got this."
Aria smiled, grateful for his reassuring words. There was something about Leo that made everything feel more manageable. Even though their study styles were different—her with her focus on the details, him with his natural ability to see the bigger picture—they balanced each other out perfectly. And, over the weeks of late-night study sessions and shared cups of coffee, their bond had grown in ways she hadn’t anticipated.
She leaned back against the bookshelf behind her, stretching out her legs. "I’m glad we were paired together. I don’t think I could have gotten through all this without you."
Leo smiled at her, his eyes soft with understanding. He seemed to know just when to push her and when to give her space. The way he listened, truly listened, made her feel heard and seen in a way that was rare.
He shifted closer, the space between them narrowing as he reached for another one of their law books. “We’ve still got time. We’ll break it down, piece by piece.” His voice dropped lower, a playful glint in his eyes. “Besides, who else could pull off studying legal jargon and making it look easy?”
Aria laughed, the sound light and airy. “I don’t know, but I’m starting to think you’re some sort of genius. How do you do that?”The quiet between them felt natural, comfortable. They’d been spending so much time together, and each passing day seemed to make their connection stronger. Aria couldn’t help but notice the little things—the way Leo’s eyes brightened when he laughed, the small, knowing smile he gave her when they finished a particularly difficult section of their study material.
And as the hours stretched on and their study session continued, Aria felt herself drawn to him more than she’d intended. There was something magnetic about Leo, something that went beyond his intelligence or the way he made her laugh. It was the way he made her feel understood, the way he seemed to truly care about her.
Just as she was about to lose herself in that thought, Leo leaned closer, his voice now a low whisper. “You know, you don’t always have to be so serious about everything. You’ve got to let go every once in a while.”
Aria looked at him, her heart fluttering at the sudden change in his tone. "What do you mean?"
Leo leaned even closer, his gaze softening. "I mean, maybe it’s time we take a break. It doesn’t all have to be about the books." His voice was quieter now, but the underlying implication was clear.
Leo shrugged, looking nonchalant, but there was a warmth in his smile. “Just the magic of persistence. Plus, having someone like you to bounce ideas off of makes it all better.”
The quiet between them felt natural, comfortable. They’d been spending so much time together, and each passing day seemed to make their connection stronger. Aria couldn’t help but notice the little things—the way Leo’s eyes brightened when he laughed, the small, knowing smile he gave her when they finished a particularly difficult section of their study material.
And as the hours stretched on and their study session continued, Aria felt herself drawn to him more than she’d intended. There was something magnetic about Leo, something that went beyond his intelligence or the way he made her laugh. It was the way he made her feel understood, the way he seemed to truly care about her.
Just as she was about to lose herself in that thought, Leo leaned closer, his voice now a low whisper. “You know, you don’t always have to be so serious about everything. You’ve got to let go every once in a while.”
And as the hours stretched on and their study session continued, Aria felt herself drawn to him more than she’d intended. There was something magnetic about Leo, something that went beyond his intelligence or the way he made her laugh. It was the way he made her feel understood, the way he seemed to truly care about her.
Just as she was about to lose herself in that thought, Leo leaned closer, his voice now a low whisper. “You know, you don’t always have to be so serious about everything. You’ve got to let go every once in a while.”
Aria looked at him, her heart fluttering at the sudden change in his tone. "What do you mean?"
Leo leaned even closer, his gaze softening. "I mean, maybe it’s time we take a break. It doesn’t all have to be about the books." His voice was quieter now, but the underlying implication was clear.
Aria felt her pulse quicken. There was something undeniably intense in the way Leo looked at her. It was as if everything around them had disappeared, leaving just the two of them in that small corner of the library.
The air between them shifted, and Aria felt her breath catch in her throat. Leo’s gaze dropped to her lips, and before she could think about it, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers in a soft, tentative kiss.
For a moment, Aria was frozen, her mind racing. Was this real? Was this happening? But as Leo deepened the kiss, his hand gently cupping the side of her face, she gave in to the moment. The warmth of his touch, the softness of his lips, everything about it felt right.
When they pulled away, their faces close, Leo gave her a soft smile, his forehead resting against hers. "I’m glad I didn’t make things too complicated."
Aria could barely find the words. She felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. “I—I didn’t expect that,” she admitted, her voice a little shaky.
Leo grinned, his fingers lightly brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “Me neither. But I’m glad it happened.”
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