Evan’s days had fallen into a predictable rhythm. His mornings began with stamina-building exercises, a routine Sienna had got him into. He would then head to his lectures, where he diligently took notes and participated when needed.

  Afternoons often found him in the robotics club, lending a hand wherever he could. Though he wasn’t technically inclined, his creative thinking and knack for communication proved surprisingly helpful. For instance, just st week, he’d helped Trisha, one of the quieter club members, by organizing a set of research papers and summarizing key points for a presentation. Trisha had been visibly relieved, mumbling a soft “Thanks” before diving back into her work.

  ***

  A few days ter, during a css on Strategic Business Management, the professor, a wiry man with a sharp gaze, addressed the room. “For your next assignment, you will work in groups of four on a case study. Your task is to analyze a real business that faced a significant strategic challenge.” He paused to let the students catch up with their notes.

  “You will identify the core problems, evaluate the decisions made, and propose alternative strategies. Use models like PESTEL, the BCG Matrix, or others. You’ll also suggest actionable pns — perhaps a go-to-market strategy, expansion, or turnaround pn.”

  The css buzzed with whispered discussions. Evan gnced up and caught Rachel Carter’s eye. She smirked, raising a perfectly shaped brow. It was a silent reminder of the agreement they’d made weeks ago. He nodded, and her smirk deepened, satisfied.

  After css, Rachel invited Evan to a trendy cafe near campus. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the hum of quiet conversations. Rachel had brought along two other cssmates: Cire, a soft-spoken girl with gsses, and Sofia, an energetic brunette who seemed to light up the room with her chatter.

  They took a corner table by the window. Rachel slid into the seat beside Evan, while Cire and Sofia settled across from them.

  “Alright,” Rachel began, leaning forward. “Let’s talk strategy. First, we need to choose a company.”

  Cire suggested, “How about Tes? They’ve faced plenty of challenges with scaling production.”

  Sofia added, “Or a retail brand? Like how Zara manages supply chain disruptions.”

  Evan listened, occasionally chiming in with a thoughtful nod or a crifying question. He steered the conversation whenever it veered too far into tangents. But soon, he noticed Rachel’s focus shifting from the project to him.

  “Evan,” Rachel began, her tone casual but deliberate, “I couldn’t help but notice how well you’ve been doing in css tely. Professor Adams even mentioned your name when talking about the best-written case summaries.”

  Evan shifted slightly, brushing his fingers along the edge of his coffee cup. “I’ve just been putting in the work,” he said lightly, redirecting. “But back to the project — I think using PESTEL for Tes could work. We’d have plenty of material.”

  Rachel’s eyes gleamed with amusement, but she didn’t let up. “Still, it’s impressive,” she pressed. “And outside of csses? You must have some hobbies to bance all that focus.”

  Evan’s lips curved into a polite smile. “Nothing too exciting. Just keeping busy,” he replied vaguely, his tone signaling that he wasn’t keen on eborating.

  She studied him for a moment, as if weighing whether to press further before letting it go. This time, she didn’t push. Instead, she gave a small, knowing smile. “Fair enough,” she said smoothly. “Well, if we’re going with Tes, we should start by identifying their biggest strategic challenges—supply chain issues, competition, regutory policies…”

  Cire, sensing the shift, jumped in enthusiastically. “Right, and their struggles with production bottlenecks.”

  Sofia nodded. “We could also analyze their approach to market penetration in new regions.”

  Evan noted the way Rachel subtly took the hint, adapting without making it obvious. She was perceptive—that much was clear.

  As the group discussion picked up momentum, a shadow fell across their table. Evan gnced up, startled to see Sienna standing there. Her commanding presence was as striking as ever—rexed posture, yet sharp, assessing eyes.

  “Sienna?” he said, caught off guard. “What are you doing here? I texted you that I’d be with my cssmates.”

  Her lips curved into a faint smile. “I was free and thought I’d drop by. Maybe offer some guidance,” she said smoothly. Evan had his doubts. He suspected she’d used the tracking feature on the bracelet she’d made him wear. A small sigh escaped him as he mentally kicked himself for agreeing to it.

  Rachel, sitting across from him, immediately straightened, her voice ced with polite enthusiasm. “Senior! What a surprise.” Her tone straddled the line between warmth and caution—an understandable reaction to Sienna’s rger-than-life reputation.

  “Mind if I join?” Sienna asked, though she was already settling into the empty seat beside Evan. Now, he was effectively boxed in, with Sienna on one side and Rachel on the other. The shift in the group’s energy was palpable. Cire and Sofia adjusted their posture, their respect for Sienna practically written on their faces.

  Evan cleared his throat, trying to guide the group back to their discussion. “So, about the project…” He outlined a pn to divide the workload into smaller tasks. The group quickly agreed, though Rachel seemed eager to steer the conversation.

  Leaning closer to Evan, she said in a thoughtful, almost conspiratorial tone, “You know, I’ve been researching case studies on companies that successfully adapted to market disruptions. I came across a really interesting analysis on Tes’s expansion strategies—stuff that isn’t exactly common knowledge. I know someone who attended one of their private innovation seminars, and they shared some fascinating insights. I could go over it with you—maybe even break it down over coffee. It might give us an edge in our approach.”

  Evan forced himself not to sigh. The words sounded logical, professional even, but the invitation slipped in so casually that it was hard to ignore the real intention behind it. He wasn’t naive. He could see where this was going, and he wasn’t in the mood for it. “That could be helpful,” he said carefully, keeping his tone neutral. “But let’s focus on organizing our ideas first.”

  Sienna’s voice cut in, smooth but unmistakably firm. “That’s a great find, Rachel, but if the information isn’t widely avaible, you’ll need to fact-check its credibility before incorporating it. You wouldn’t want to base your strategy on anecdotal insights.”

  Rachel’s smile didn’t falter, but there was a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. “Of course. I was just thinking outside the box—after all, understanding how major pyers navigate challenges could give us a fresh perspective.”

  Evan drummed his fingers against the table, barely suppressing a sigh. Here we go.

  Sienna’s expression remained pleasant but unyielding. “Absolutely. That’s why you should prioritize verified sources.”

  Rachel hesitated, then smoothly shifted gears. “Anyway, Evan,” she continued, her tone deliberately lighter, “I could summarize the key takeaways for you ter. It’s a lot to go through, and I wouldn’t want to bore the whole team with too much detail.”

  Evan’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle anymore. He exhaled slowly through his nose. “Let’s keep that as an option,” he said, his voice clipped. “Right now, we need to solidify our approach.”

  Sienna interjected again, her tone icy but controlled. “While that’s generous, Rachel, it sounds unnecessary at this stage. You guys don’t need distractions.”

  Rachel’s irritation flickered, though she kept smiling. “I disagree. Leveraging opportunities is critical to success.”

  “Opportunities are only worth pursuing if they’re aligned with the goal,” Sienna countered, her confidence unshaken.

  Evan gritted his teeth, his patience fraying. He didn’t need this back-and-forth. Not now.

  Rachel wasn’t done. “Anyway, Evan,” she tried again, softening her voice, “maybe we could brainstorm these ideas together? It’d give us a chance to—”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Sienna cut in smoothly, her words leaving no room for argument. “You guys are perfectly capable of colborating as a group.”

  Rachel’s mask cracked, her irritation briefly visible. “I was just suggesting—”

  “And I’m just ensuring you stay productive,” Sienna replied, her serene smile tinged with possessiveness.

  The mounting tension was unbearable. Evan’s annoyance surged. Every word exchanged felt like a tug-of-war he had no interest in witnessing, let alone being caught in the middle of. Finally, his temper snapped. He pushed back his chair abruptly, the sound grating against the quiet murmur of the cafe. The sudden movement silenced everyone.

  “Enough,” he said, his voice sharper than anyone had heard before. His cssmates stared at him, wide-eyed. “This is a project, not a damn social club. If we’re not going to focus, don’t bother contacting me. I’ll speak to the professor about switching groups if this keeps up.”

  He turned his gaze toward Rachel, Cire, and Sofia, his expression unreadable but firm. “Rachel, compile those case studies and send a summary to the group by tomorrow.” His voice was calm but held no room for negotiation. “Cire, draft the outline for our presentation slides—we’ll review them in the next meeting. Sofia, gather the test market trends reted to Tes’s expansion strategy and bring the key points.”

  He let the silence settle before adding, “I’ll refine our central thesis and structure the main argument. That way, we have a solid direction before our next discussion.”

  A heavy silence followed. Rachel’s face burned with barely concealed frustration, Cire simply nodded, and Sofia looked too stunned to argue.

  “Any questions?” Evan’s tone was steady, but there was an edge to it that made it clear he was done entertaining distractions. No one spoke.

  “Good,” he said curtly, grabbing his bag. Without another word, he turned and walked out, Sienna following at a leisurely pace behind him.

  ***

  The low hum of the engine filled the car as Sienna pulled out of the parking lot. The silence between them stretched for several beats before she let out an amused chuckle.

  “That,” she said, her voice ced with satisfaction, “was badass.”

  Evan exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. His frustration hadn’t fully subsided. “I wouldn’t have had to do that if you hadn’t followed me there. I had everything under control before you arrived.”

  Sienna arched a brow, clearly unfazed. “Followed you? That makes it sound so dramatic. I was simply making sure you weren’t in bad company.”

  Evan shot her a gre. “Don’t py dumb, Sienna. You used the bracelet to track my location, didn’t you?” He lifted his wrist slightly, the silver band catching the faint glow of the dashboard lights. “I agreed to wear this for safety, not so you could keep tabs on me whenever you felt like it.”

  Sienna smirked but didn’t deny it. “And what if I did? It’s not like I showed up without reason.” She tapped her fingers against the wheel. “You saw what Rachel was doing, right?”

  Evan let out a slow breath. “Of course I did. I’m not a kid, Sienna.” His voice was quieter now but firm. “I knew exactly what Rachel was trying to pull.” He turned to look at her, his expression serious. “You need to trust me more if this retionship is going to move forward.”

  Sienna was silent for a moment, her gaze focused on the road. Then, slowly, a small, knowing smile touched her lips. “Fair point.”

  Evan leaned his head back against the seat, staring out the window. He should have felt relieved, but instead, his mind lingered on the way he snapped earlier. Maybe he had been too harsh. Maybe he could have handled it differently.

  But as the memory of Rachel’s persistence resurfaced, he chose to stay silent.

  For now, he wasn’t going to dwell on it.

  LunarEcho