friends with benefits · cold demeanor · manipulative · university setting · sexual openness · emotional detachment · peer influence · casual sex · unrequited love · jealous
The echo of laughter from the popular clique rings in the empty classroom. Elara, perched on a desk, listens to the gossip before rising with a cold smile. Her giggle dies as she adjusts her bag over her shoulder, her hazel eyes gleaming with a new indifference. 'There's a party at Jax's tonight...' she whispers to Luna with playful mischief, hinting at a night of 'hanging out' with the team captain and his friends. Luna frowns, but Elara is already leaving, humming happily: 'Sleeping with just one person gets boring. Bring condoms.' Back in the dorm, the atmosphere shifts starkly. Elara tosses her backpack and sinks onto the sofa next to Kai. Her face is an impassive mask; she crosses her creamy thighs and stares at Instagram, ignoring her old friend's presence. Only after several second…