Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 249 249: Distant

Seraphina's POV

I let out a sigh of frustration, rubbing my temples as I met Yuna's sharp gaze. "I know you're mad at me," I admitted. "And I don't blame you. I should have checked up on you while you were gone, and I didn't. I have no excuses for that, Yuna. But what I don't understand is why you're suddenly acting so cold and distant. This isn't you."

Yuna scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, so you think you know me? Really?" She tilted her head, smirking bitterly. "You know what, spare me the speech, Sera. I don't need to hear it right now."

Her words stung more than I wanted to admit, and I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "You said you wanted to talk," I reminded her, hoping to get rid of the tension.

Yuna nodded. "I did, and I do, but not here."

She glanced around the cafeteria, where students moved around us, chatting and laughing like nothing had changed, but for me, everything had changed.

"We'll talk during lunch," Yuna continued, turning back to me. "At the usual classroom where we used to eat. You remember, right?"

A familiar ache tugged at my chest at her words. Of course I remembered. That dusty, unused classroom at the end of the hall where she and I used to sneak off to, away from the judgmental eyes of the other students. It had been our space.

I nodded slowly. "I remember."

"Good," Yuna said, her smirk returning. "And bring tissues if you know you're going to shoot a melodrama. You always were a drama queen."

With that, she brushed past me, heading straight for the food line without another glance.

I stood there, watching her walk away, a heavy feeling settling in my chest.

We used to get food together.

It was such a small, silly routine, but now that she was walking away without me, I felt the distance between us like a physical weight.

And the worst part?

I knew I was to blame.

***

The walk to class felt unusually long. I'd spent the entire time at breakfast trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach, but no matter how much I tried to push it away, it kept clawing its way back up.

How was I and Yuna supposed to sit together, knowing things were so tense between us?

The thought alone made my chest tighten.

Even though we were supposed to talk at lunch, I wasn't sure how we'd manage to get through the morning without the air between us making things worse? Would we sit there in complete silence? Would she glare at me every time I moved? Or worse—would she pretend I didn't exist at all?

That was the part I feared the most.

I knew I had messed up by not checking in on her after her suspension, but was that really enough to justify the cold, distant way she treated me now? I barely recognized the girl. The Yuna I knew—the one who used to ramble about everything, who used to nudge me playfully whenever she teased me—was gone.

Or maybe she just didn't exist for me anymore.

I let out a breath and stepped into the classroom, gripping the strap of my bag tightly. I kept my eyes trained on the back row, expecting to see Yuna already seated in our usual spot.

But her chair was empty.

Confused, I glanced around the classroom, my gaze scanning over the students already inside, and then, I spotted her.

Yuna wasn't absent.

She had just moved.

She sat on the opposite side of the room, away from our usual desk, her attention focused on the book in her hands.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

She switched seats.

On purpose.

I felt my fingers tighten around my bag strap, my throat suddenly dry. She really wanted to get away from me that badly?

I had already felt her resentment, but seeing it so clearly—watching her physically distance herself from me—made it so much worse.

I could feel the burn of tears threatening to form, but I swallowed hard, forcing them down.

No.

I refused to cry in the middle of class.

I sucked in a deep breath, ignoring the way my chest ached as I walked toward my desk. My movements felt stiff, like I was just going through the motions, and as soon as I sat down, I dropped my bag on the floor beside me and rested my head on my folded arms.

I didn't want to think anymore.

Didn't want to feel the tightness in my throat.

Didn't want to look up and see Yuna pretending like I wasn't there.

There were still a few minutes before class started, and that was enough time to let the tears fade before anyone noticed.

The sound of the first-period bell echoed through the classroom, snapping me out of my thoughts. I lifted my head from my desk, blinking away the lingering heaviness in my chest.

At the very least, I had managed to keep my tears at bay, though the ache inside me still remained.

Reflexively, I turned my head towards Yuna's new seat, hoping that maybe—just maybe—she'd be looking at me too, but, no.

She was engrossed in her book, completely indifferent to my existence.

I sighed and quickly looked away, trying to shake off the pang of disappointment before it could settle too deeply. I told myself that the day had to go on regardless of how miserable I felt, and there was no point dwelling on something that wouldn't change anytime soon.

Minutes later, the door swung open, and our homeroom teacher, Mrs. Hilfiger, entered with her usual frown.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hilfiger," the class greeted in unison.

As expected, she ignored us, her eyes scanning the room as she spoke. "We have a new student joining us today. I expect all of you to be welcoming."

A murmur of curiosity rippled through the room, and I furrowed my brows slightly.

A new student?

Who transfers to a new school just two weeks before midterms?

I instinctively glanced around the classroom, noting that the only available seats were the one right beside me and the one beside Yuna, on the opposite end of the room.

I turned my gaze toward the front of the classroom, waiting for the supposed new student to walk in, not particularly interested but still curious, but then, she stepped inside, and I felt the air leave my lungs.

Red hair, striking blue eyes, and a petite frame. It was none other than Iris Aurelian, and my mouth nearly fell open in shock.

So soon?

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