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MidReal Story
The Boy I Crave
Scenario:Emerson Claire's reputation as the college "nice girl" gets tested when she starts having eyes for Caspian Soto, her best friend (Madison Fay's) boyfriend.
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Emerson Claire
She is a college student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is kind, selfconscious, and introspective. Emerson struggles with her unrequited feelings for her best friend Madison Fay's boyfriend, Caspian Soto. Her attempts to navigate her attraction and maintain her friendship with Madison are fraught with tension and embarrassment. Despite her internal conflicts, Emerson remains committed to being a good friend, even when faced with challenging emotions.
Caspian Soto
He is an art major at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is creative, charming, and enigmatic. Caspian is Emerson Claire's object of desire and her best friend Madison Fay's boyfriend. His presence in Emerson's life is a constant reminder of her unfulfilled longings, and their interactions become increasingly charged with tension. Despite his allure, Caspian remains elusive and does not seem to reciprocate Emerson's feelings, leaving her uncertain and emotionally conflicted.
Madison Fay
She is Emerson Claire's best friend since high school and Caspian Soto's girlfriend. She is supportive, loyal, and oblivious. Madison shares a close bond with Emerson despite not being close in the past. Her relationship with Caspian complicates Emerson's feelings as she navigates the challenge of having a crush on her friend's boyfriend. Madison remains largely unaware of the tension between Caspian and Emerson during their encounters.
I was never one to believe in love at first sight.
I mean, I was more of a realist than that.
I believed that love came from getting to know a person, finding common interests and building a relationship with them.
So, when I say that Caspian Soto is the first person to make me question that belief, that he is the only man to make me feel like I might understand what love at first sight is, it’s not because I’m some sappy romantic.
It’s because from the moment I met him, I knew that there was something about him that was different.
He’s my best friend’s boyfriend and I can’t have feelings for him.
That would be a classic case of girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, girl ruins friendship with girl whose boyfriend is said boy.
Girl would then be left with a broken heart and a severed friendship.
Nope, not good.
But here’s the thing: I can’t help but have eyes for him.
Those piercing green ones seared into my brain the first time I saw him, and every time I see him since then, my heart stumbles in my chest like I’ve never seen him before.
I retreat to the third floor of the library, my usual study spot, and spread my textbooks across the wooden table.
The familiar scent of old books and coffee wafts through the air, and I take a deep breath, hoping it will help me focus on the task at hand: my economics assignment.
I pull out my phone and see that Madison has texted me three times in the past hour, asking if I want to meet up for coffee later.
I type out a quick response, making an excuse about having a deadline to meet and needing to study.
She responds with a sad face emoji and a promise to call me later.
I put my phone on silent mode and open my textbook to the chapter on supply and demand curves.
I need to get this done before I can go home and relax.
The quiet of the library is broken only by the occasional rustling of pages or hushed whispers from other students studying nearby.
I immerse myself in the world of microeconomics, determined to keep my mind off Caspian. My pencil scratches against the paper as I work through a problem set, trying to make sense of the complex equations and graphs.
The words begin to blur together, but I force myself to concentrate, knowing that this assignment is crucial for my grade.
Just as I’m getting into a rhythm, I hear the sound of footsteps approaching.
I glance up briefly, expecting it to be someone looking for a seat nearby.
But instead, someone pulls out the chair across from me and sits down.
My heart stops as I look up into piercing green eyes.
It’s Caspian.
He’s clutching his sketchbook tightly in his hands, his gaze fixed intently on me.
"Mind if I join you?" he asks, his voice low and smooth.
"I’m working on a project and this spot has perfect lighting."
I blink twice, trying to process what’s happening.
Caspian Soto is sitting across from me in the library, asking if he can join me?
What are the chances?
"I-I don’t mind," I stutter, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in my stomach. He smiles warmly at me before opening his sketchbook and beginning to draw.
I try to focus on my work again, but it’s impossible with him sitting so close.
I can feel his eyes on me occasionally, but every time I look up, he’s focused on his drawing.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, he speaks again.
"I’m planning on making me and Madison official," he says, his voice calm and matter-of-fact.
I raise an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden change in conversation.
"I thought you guys were already official?" "Well, we’ve been seeing each other for a while now, but I want to make it more official. You know, like a real relationship."
He looks up at me briefly before returning to his sketch.
I nod, trying to process what he’s saying.
"So, like a boyfriend-girlfriend thing?"
"Exactly."
He nods, his pencil moving quickly across the paper.
I can’t help but wonder why he’s telling me this.
Is he trying to make sure I know that he’s taken?
Does he think I have feelings for him?
The thought sends a wave of embarrassment through me.
Of course, he doesn’t think that.
He’s just being friendly and sharing his plans with me. "That’s great," I say, trying to sound genuine.
"I’m sure Madison will be happy to hear that."
"Yeah, she’s been dropping hints about it for a while now."
He smirks slightly, his eyes flicking up to meet mine.
"But I like to make her wait. It’s more fun that way."
I feel a twinge of annoyance at his cocky remark, but I keep my expression neutral.
"Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. I know how close you and Madison are, so I figured you should be the first to know."
He goes back to his sketching, occasionally glancing up at me with a knowing smirk.
I try to focus on my work again, but it’s impossible with him sitting so close.
His presence is distracting, and I can’t help but steal glances at him every few minutes.
The way he moves his pencil across the paper is mesmerizing, and I find myself getting lost in the rhythm of his movements.
As the minutes tick by, the silence between us grows thicker.
I can feel the tension building in the air, and I know that I need to break it before things get too awkward.
"So," I say finally, "what else do you have planned for tonight?"
He looks up at me briefly before returning to his sketch.
"Well, after this, I’m heading over to Madison’s place. We’re going to hang out and maybe watch a movie or something."
He pauses for a moment before adding, "But if anyone tries to interrupt us, I’ll make them beg for mercy." My pencil slips from my fingers and clatters onto the table.
I quickly pick it up and try to compose myself.
"Uh, okay," I say, trying to sound casual despite the sudden rush of anger that courses through me.
"I hope you have fun."
He nods, still focused on his sketch.
"I always do."
The rest of the study session is awkwardly silent.
I try to focus on my work again, but my mind keeps wandering back to Caspian’s words.
Why did he have to say that?
Does he think that I’m jealous or something?
I clench my pencil tightly in my hand and try to concentrate on the equations in front of me.
But it’s no use.
My mind is racing with thoughts of Caspian and Madison together, and I can’t shake the feeling of jealousy that has settled in my stomach. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Caspian closes his sketchbook and stands up from his chair.
"I should get going," he says, his voice low and smooth.
"Thanks for letting me join you."
I nod, still trying to process what just happened.
"No problem," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He gives me a small smile before turning and walking away.
I watch him go, my heart still racing from the encounter.
As soon as he’s out of sight, I let out a deep breath and try to calm myself down.
I shove my textbooks into my backpack with trembling hands, my mind still reeling from the unexpected encounter with Caspian.
My notebook slips from my grasp and falls to the floor with a loud thud, causing several students nearby to glance up in surprise.
I quickly bend down to pick it up, but in doing so, I knock over my water bottle, spilling its contents all over the table and floor. Groaning in frustration, I grab a handful of spare napkins from my bag and begin frantically mopping up the spill.
The librarian shoots me a disapproving look from across the room, but I ignore her and continue cleaning up the mess.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I manage to contain the spill and zip up my bag.
I leave the damp papers scattered across the table and make a hasty exit from the library.
As I weave between the study tables, I nearly collide with a girl carrying a stack of books.
She gives me a dirty look as she brushes past me, muttering something under her breath about "clumsy idiots."
I ignore her and continue on my way, my chest feeling tight with anxiety.
Outside, the cool evening air hits my face, and I realize that I've been holding my breath for far too long.