Undergrads Romance Series 1: Tuning Into Love

Ava's PoV

I am currently in my dorm room, I am sitting here, engrossed in composing a song for my crush upcoming birthday party. You know, if I can't directly confess my feelings, I can at least express them through my lyrics. However, my concentration was abruptly interrupted when Chloe barged into my room, clutching a paper bag and a bouquet of vibrant red roses.

"Ava! Kiyaa! you have received a new package from your admirer!" she exclaimed with excitement, as if the package was meant for her.

"From whom this time?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. Aubrey then proceeded to read the note attached to the bouquet.

"It's from William Adams?" she said, and I burst into laughter because William is one of the most renowned individuals on our campus. There is no way he would be interested in me...

"Don't joke with me, Aubrey," I said, snatching the note from her. I read it, and my jaw dropped. It truly was from William Adams! Their family crest, adorned in gold, was also prominently displayed on the note. Seriously?

"See!! Oh my gosh, girl! Go ahead and respond to him immediately! You'll have a bright future ahead!" she exclaimed, while inhaling the sweet fragrance of the roses.

"But I am not interested. Give it back to him. You know, I already have feelings for someone else," I replied, and she gave me a perplexed expression.

"Ezra again? How many years has it been, huh? God knows that person is impossible," she sarcastically remarked, and I felt a pang of pain. Yes, she is right. It is merely an unrequited love, but it does not matter.

"I will love whomever I want," I declared, slipping on my earphones. What is wrong with loving someone? It just so happens that the person I am fond of happens to have feelings for one of my best friends.

"...The longer I wait, the greater the chance that he might develop feelings for me in the future, so I will patiently wait."

...

The next day, I headed to school and had a band practice with Ezra, my best friend and the person I am deeply in love with. He sat beside me, and our shoulders brushed against each other. It may not mean much to him, but for me, it felt like heaven. I enjoyed the sensation of touching his body, especially his strong arms. I longed to cling to him, but I knew that place wasn't meant for me.

"Can I have some water?" he asked, and I quickly handed him mine. He's been practicing so much since this morning and I'm afraid that it'll damage his vocals.

"Aren't you pushing yourself too hard during our practice today?" I inquired, wiping the sweat off his face.

"Isabella will be watching during our intermission on my birthday. I'm going to ask her to be my date, just for that day. I'm sure she wouldn't mind," he happily shared, his cheeks turning a shade of pink. His eyes sparkled once again, but only for Isabella, my dear friend and his long-time crush.

My heart ached, but I forced a smile to avoid ruining his happiness.

"Don't worry, I'll help you," I replied, and he eagerly embraced me.

"Thank you, Ava. You're the best," he whispered in my ear, and I lightly tapped his back, laughing to hide my true feelings.

"Get off, haha! You smell like sweat," I teased, and he released me.

"Liars, haha! I always check my body for sweat, just in case I get to embrace her. But with her personality, she might feel offended if I do," he remarked, picking up his guitar and starting to sing again.

We found ourselves alone in the classroom after our friends, Henry and Ben, left for their next class. I sat quietly, watching Ezra as he strummed his guitar with a look of deep determination in his eyes. Suddenly, he started singing a song that was unfamiliar to me. Every lyric that escaped his lips was filled with beauty, touching my heart and filling me with a sense of longing. It was clear that the song was dedicated to Isabella.

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself, and as he finished the song, I couldn't help but give him a round of applause. "How was it?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. I replied with a thumbs up, trying to hide my own emotions. "It's beautiful," I said, my voice cracking slightly.

"It's my new song," he said with a bitter smile, "I hope it will touch her heart a little." The weight of his unrequited feelings hung heavily in the air.

"Of course," I replied, mustering up a small smile of my own, "you sing so well, and the lyrics are superb! Don't worry, she's not that dense." I tried to cheer him up, even though my own heart ached.

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed, the sadness still evident in his eyes. But slowly, his spirit seemed to lift again.

After some time, we reluctantly left the quiet solitude of the practice room and made our way back to our own classroom. We're classmates so we're still together, time flew by quickly, and before we knew it, the class had come to an end.

When I returned to my dorm, I found the three girls, Isabella, Aubrey, and Chloe, gathered in our room again. Isabella greeted me with a warm smile, presenting a plate of homemade cookies. She was always kind-hearted and thoughtful, which made her incredibly popular among guys, including Ezra.

"Welcome back, big sis! Look, I made some cookies. Come on, try one," she said cheerfully. The table was filled with an abundance of cookies, and I couldn't help but be surprised by the quantity. Isabella looked away, blushing slightly.

"I'm going to give them to someone tomorrow," she said, her voice filled with a hint of excitement.

Curiosity got the best of us, and we all chimed in, "Who is it?!" This was the first time she had ever made cookies for someone other than the three of us.

She giggled nervously, avoiding our gaze. "Ah... it's a secret for now," she replied, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato.

"Come on, don't be like that. Just tell us," Chloe urged, but Isabella shook her head.

"I promise I'll tell you later, but for now, let it be a secret," she said with a mischievous smile. As much as I wanted to know who the cookies were for, I also didn't want to know because it might hurt to find out. Sometimes, ignorance was the best remedy.

In the end, Isabella didn't reveal the recipient of her cookies. Instead, we all enjoyed them and engaged in a lively girls' conversation. As we chatted, Chloe suddenly asked a random question.

"Hey, what would you do if you had a stalker?" she asked, causing us to pause and contemplate. The thought of having a stalker sent shivers down my spine.

"It depends on the intentions of the stalker. If they meant no harm and were simply infatuated with me, I might try to befriend them instead. It's not their fault if they're fond of me, after all. But if they turned out to be a psychopathic stalker, I might have to kill them myself," Aubrey replied with a smirk, and I couldn't help but agree with her. Chloe erupted into laughter and revealed a box she had hidden.

Inside the box, there was an assortment of chocolates, carefully selected to include all of Chloe's favorites. Alongside the chocolates were some pictures of her, which gave off a slightly eerie vibe.

"Guys, I think I have a stalker," Isabella exclaimed, and to our dismay, we weren't surprised at all. This wasn't the first time she had experienced such unsettling behavior. The atmosphere of the entire night took on a creepy tone as we delved deeper into the topic of her stalker.

To be continued...