The weeks after the opening of the Hillwood Student Innovation Pavilion passed in a blur. As the project continued to gain recognition from investors, professors, and students alike, life on campus returned to a semi-normal rhythm. But for Selene, things had quietly changed.
It started with the small, subtle shifts. Sebastian Ford, once her rival in the club’s early days, had transformed into something… more. He no longer hovered at a distance. Instead, he was constantly by her side—after class, during meetings, and even during quiet breaks at the club’s headquarters. He brought her coffee without asking how she took it. He walked her to her car when meetings ran late. He noticed when she was overwhelmed and found ways to lighten her load.
And then came the moment she'd never forget.
After weeks of friendly dates, shared laughter, and an unspoken bond that grew deeper each day, Sebastian finally asked her to be his girlfriend. It wasn't dramatic. No roses. No stage. Just them, standing on the rooftop of Hillwood’s Innovation Pavilion after an exhausting day of coordinating with new student vendors. The setting sun cast warm light across his face as he reached out, gently taking her hand in his.
“Selene,” he said, voice softer than usual, “I’ve been waiting for the right time to say this. I don’t want to keep pretending. Be my girlfriend.”
She remembered how her heart skipped, the surprise etched on her face. “Are you sure?” she asked, barely believing what she heard.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he said.
And just like that, everything shifted.
The news spread like wildfire across campus. The Sebastian Ford—Hillwood’s golden boy, the campus heartthrob—was off the market. And not just with anyone. With Selene Alaric, the girl many still saw as an outsider despite her achievements.
Some were thrilled, saying it was about time. But others? Not so much.
The GGC—Glam Girls Club—was the loudest about it. A clique of privileged girls who had always held influence on campus and made Selene a target since she first stepped foot at Hillwood. To them, her relationship with Sebastian was unacceptable.
“She only got into the club because they needed someone to draw buildings,” one of them sneered as Selene walked past.
“Right? Bet she bought that car on credit. That’s not wealth—it’s debt,” another chimed in, pointing at Selene’s sleek GTX in the student parking lot.
Selene kept walking. She’d learned long ago that reacting only gave them power. Besides, her record with the disciplinary office wasn’t spotless. She couldn’t afford another incident now that graduation was so close.
Still, their whispers found their way to her ears.
“She’s not even from Hillwood originally. Heard she transferred from Central. Probably faked her way in.”
“Sebastian’s just using her. He’ll move on like he always does.”
But when Sebastian was around, none of them dared to speak.
He was different with her now—open, protective, thoughtful. He never made grand announcements or treated her like a trophy. Instead, he held her hand in the open. Called her name with a softness few had heard before. Waited for her after class even if he was swarmed by admirers. He even placed his arm around her shoulder when they were surrounded by crowds, a silent but powerful message: she was his, and no one should mess with her.
Still, the attention was overwhelming.
Selene wasn’t used to it. Whispers behind her back, stares in every hallway, strangers asking if it was true that Sebastian had confessed to her. Some girls were devastated, and she saw it in their eyes—the jealousy, the disbelief, the hatred.
But what struck Selene more was how gentle Sebastian was in private. How his walls melted when it was just the two of them. He listened when she spoke, really listened, as though every word mattered. He celebrated her wins. Encouraged her ideas. Asked about her architectural dreams as if they were his own.
For the first time in a long while, Selene felt seen—not for her talents or usefulness, but for who she was.
And that scared her.
Because as much as her heart fluttered every time Sebastian smiled her way, a part of her still hesitated. Was this real? Was she allowed to fall for someone like him?
But love doesn’t wait for permission.
One afternoon, as they sat in the HQ lounge after a quiet meeting, Sebastian leaned over and kissed her cheek before anyone else arrived. It was gentle. Unhurried. Real.
“You look tired,” he said. “Too many design reviews?”
She laughed softly. “Just enough to keep me sane.”
“You amaze me, Selene.”
And she believed him.
In the weeks that followed, Selene began to embrace it—the relationship, the stares, the challenge of holding her head high despite the noise. The club members were supportive, though a few of them still looked at her with subtle surprise when Sebastian reached for her hand or sat close beside her during group meetings.
But Selene no longer needed their validation.
She had worked for everything she had. She earned her place—not just in the club, but in the life she was building. Her car wasn’t bought on credit. Her achievements weren’t handed down by legacy. And her heart? It now beat a little faster, a little warmer, every time Sebastian Ford looked her way.
As summer neared its end and few months of university loomed ahead, Selene knew life would soon pull them in different directions—careers, opportunities, dreams.
But for now, she had this.
She had him.
And for the first time, she allowed herself to believe she deserved it.