Novel-novel oleh Chyomah

Tyler found her on one of the quieter paths between the humanities building and the student union. Aria had her hands stuffed into the pockets of her coat. Her hair scattered around her face against the wind as her thoughts swirled around the anonymous post from the night before.A certain professor and their TA.She remained numb to her surroundings from the time she left her shift at the cafe the previous night to now. “Aria!” Tyler called out as he jogged up to meet her. He carried two paper cups and a crinkled paper bag, his cheeks pink from the cold. “Wow! I didn’t know you walked too fast.”She tried to smile. “I have to get to class early today.”“Here you go,” he said, handing out the cup and the bag toward her. “Emergency fuel. Latte, with your ridiculous amount of caramel, and a muffin. I noticed you didn’t come around the kiosk to eat until like, three. I refuse to be complicit in your malnutrition.”Warmth seeped into her fingers where they brushed his. “You didn’t have t

Aria loved the third floor of the main library at this hour. It was late afternoon as the light came through the tall curtains, making it look like the dust motes were glowing. Downstairs, the open study tables were packed with students and their half-eaten snacks, but up here among the literature stacks, it was quieter, except for the occasional rustle of paper and a soft cough.She sat at a small table that was wedged between two shelves, spreading out her things: Jason’s tutorial outline, a stack of undergrad essays, and her own notebook with color-coded tabs. The first tutorials she would co-lead with Ethan were tomorrow, and she wanted to be ready. She couldn’t afford to mess this up. The scholarship committee was evaluating her progress as well.“Okay,” she muttered, circling a paragraph in one essay. “You can’t just say ‘the patriarchy is bad’ and then drop the mic, Dylan. Give me something better.”She made a quick note in the margin and moved to the next paper. After an hour

Jason woke up before his alarm, like he always did. The bedroom was dark and cool, the faint hum of the city seeping through the double-glazed windows. He turned to look at the digital clock that glowed in soft blue on the bedside table. 5:42 AM.For a moment, he lay still on his back, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sound of his breathing and the quiet, even breaths from the other side of the bed.Victoria lay with her back to him, her long brunette hair spilling across the pillow. Even asleep, she seemed composed; her side of the bed was neat, her phone faced down on the nightstand with a glass of lemon water, still half full. The space between their bodies was a practiced distance.It’s been five years of sharing a house and this bed, and he could count on one hand the number of times they’d accidentally brushed against each other in the night.He dragged a hand over his face as his mind flashed to Aria, pulling him back to that fateful night weeks ago, the one that had sh

Aria’s hand hovered for a second on the cold metal handle, trying to think of possible responses that would save her ass and scholarship, should the conversation steer towards her inappropriate relationship with Professor Jason. Then, she turned the handle and stepped inside.Dean Hargrove’s office was bigger than she expected. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined the walls, filled with neat rows of academic journals and leather-bound volumes. A large window looked out over the campus quad, winter-bare trees clawing at the sky. The room smelled faintly of paper, furniture polish, and old coffee.Behind the heavy oak desk sat the man himself. He was in his late sixties, had a silver buzz cut, his broad face lined more by worry than age. His tweed jacket matched the chairs, and half-moon glasses perched low on his nose as he looked up from a file.“Miss Jenkins,” he said as he gestured toward a leather chair. “Please, sit.”Aria perched on the edge, her back straight, fingers clenched aroun

Aria stood outside Marcus’s apartment complex, the Toronto dusk casting long shadows on the cracked pavement littered with beer cans. It’s been two months since she was last here. Eight years of their life was gone… just like that.She remembered the curve of his sleepy smile whenever she kissed him awake, his gentle surprise everytime she prepared pancakes on Saturdays, even though he faked it just to make her happy, how they whispered their plans while running around, laughing. The betrayal still stung her so badly.With her heart hammering in her chest, she pressed the buzzer with her thumb. That was new. They never installed one while she was here. Marcus answered quickly, almost as if he’d been waiting. His frame filled the door. He was a little heavier than she could remember, his jaw was rough with an overgrown beard. He was sweaty from the workout gym tank that clung to his meaty chest.“Babe. Finally,” Marcus said, his smug smirk curling. “Didn’t think you’d show up for anoth

Aria pushed through the glass door of Brew Haven, the cafe where she had clocked countless shifts for the past 3 years. The smell of fresh espresso beans roasting and cinnamon scones baking wrapped around her like a comforting hug, mingling with the chatter of customers packed around their seats. The place was packed as expected since this was one of the cafe’s peak times.She spotted the girls at their usual corner booth as Lena waved frantically to get her attention. Mia was scrolling on her phone with her signature sharp eyeliner framing a smirk. Jade hadn’t arrived yet, I thought, since she wasn’t at the table. This was her tight circle, a makeshift sisterhood that made the world seem less cruel. “Finally! I thought you’d never leave campus,” Lena teased as Aria took her seat in their booth opposite them. She shoved a steaming latte across the table to her.Just then, Jade arrived and joined them, her energetic grin lighting up as she dropped her DJ headphones on the table with a

Eldoria’s palace had always been grand, but with Princess Katarina’s diplomatic visit, it now seemed to hold its breath. The morning sun rays broke across the polished stone in the halls, sharpening every angle. Staff spoke in lower voices, their footsteps echoing more sharply.Catherine dressed with quiet precision, her hands unsteady as she fastened her uniform’s buttons. Her new assignment meant she floated through the day on a schedule set by her new supervisor. She could either be cleaning and tidying the royal suite or assisting in the Prince’s schedule for each day.She tied her apron and instinctively pressed her hand to her stomach, and whispered, “Let’s be quiet today, please.”As Catherine passed through the main hall, she nearly collided with Isla who was rounding the corner, breathless with a silver tray brimming with fruit.“Isla?” Catherine's eyes grew wide with surprise.Isla steadied her grip on the tray, glancing around before smiling. “Caught!”“W… what are you doin

The next morning, before the first bell rang, Catherine slipped into her neatest uniform with trembling fingers. Her mother, Elizabeth, watched with worry lines deepening around her eyes.“You can’t let them see how tired you are,” she whispered, brushing Catherine’s hair. “Walk steady, and if they ask, tell them it’s just nerves. Never illness.”She turned her daughter around to look at her, then pressed a cool hand to Catherine’s cheek. “And if the Queen questions you, look her in the eye and answer. She notices every tiny detail. But remember, you are stronger than you feel.”Catherine nodded, pressing her own palm to her stomach as if she could still her body by sheer will.The walk to the Queen’s private salon felt longer than ever. The sun was already starting to come up, showering its gold sheets through the tall windows. Lady Mirabel met Catherine at the entrance, her composure giving nothing away, but she could sense her anxiety. Catherine followed her inside, every footstep

Just before sunrise the following day, Isla sat on her bed, holding the envelope that Alden had given her. She still hadn’t decided if she would accept it or not. Her fingers traced the wax seal as her mind swirled.Trust, discretion, opportunity. But what would she be giving up?As she kept pondering her next move, she watched as staff passed her window in twos and threes, listening to their chatter and laughter, each one getting ready for the day.A knock at her door startled her. She hurriedly slid the envelope into the drawer beside her bed just as Catherine poked her head in, her eyes tired. “Hey, Isla, are you up?”Isla nodded, motioning her in. “Sure. You’re up early,” she forced a smile.“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Catherine said, as she sat on the bed, her voice soft and fragile. “Can I talk to you?”“Of course. Is everything okay?”“I’m scared,” Catherine whispered. “I think people are starting to notice, you know, with the morning sickness and all.”Isla reached for her

The bell for staff breakfast rang sharp and early, slicing through the hush of a palace and the bustle of the staff quarters, suspicion about the stolen earrings still lingering in the air. Catherine woke to the ache of dread, the memory of Isla’s trembling hand as she confessed her desperate act was still vivid in her mind.Hours earlier, Isla had met with Catherine in the larder, her eyes wild. “I got rid of it,” she whispered, breathless. “I slipped the earrings into Beatrice’s bag.”Catherine’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why?”“She kept talking about you, how you looked ill. She had started to put the pieces together. So, I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?”“Isla…I… I don’t know what to say but this…Beatrice could be dismissed.”“I know.” Isla’s face showed guilt, but her loyalty to Catherine was fierce. “You’re my friend, Cathy. I couldn’t let them find out. Besides, if you ask me, I’d say she had it coming.”Catherine hugged Isla, but her gratitude tangled with wo

Catherine jolted awake, her heart pounding in the twilight stillness. She moved quietly, careful not to wake her mother, and slipped into the corridor where the first rays of dawn slipped through the frosted glass.She found Isla already preparing tea in the pantry, hands deft, but her eyes were swollen with lack of sleep. “Cathy, I thought you’d never come out.” Her voice was hushed, urgent. “Did you do what I said with the earring?”Catherine shivered, clutching her own arms. “It’s hidden for now. Isla, what if they search everyone? If they find it—”Isla pressed a reassuring hand over hers. “They won’t, Cathy. I’ll help you think this through. We keep our heads. No one knows but you, me… and whoever put it in your bag.”Catherine forced a tight nod. Then, Isla’s gaze drifted past her, to the kitchen’s far corner. Mr. Alden, the King's junior royal secretary, loitered there, charming a row of maids with clever smiles and low jokes. Catherine saw the glimmer in her friend’s eyes and

Catherine sat on the edge of her small bed, her knees curled tightly to her chest. Her mother hovered nearby, just stunned in silence.With her arms folded, she waited for an explanation from her daughter. She didn’t want to assume; she wanted to hear it directly from Catherine’s mouth.“That night I came back late, you asked where I was, and I lied that I was with Isla. But, I was with… with Prince George. He was drunk, barely awake, so I… I helped him to his room, and I…“Tears streaked down her face as she continued. “Ma, I didn’t plan for it to happen, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I was so ashamed. I thought I’d let you down. I didn’t know what else to do. And then, the rumors started and I got really scared…”Elizabeth listened, her face tense, the years of palace service etched into every line. She brushed a strand of hair behind Catherine’s ear.“I wish I could tell you what to do, but I know what it means to be talked about in whispers,” Elizabeth said quietly. “Wh