Ferdinand, tired of waiting for Daisy's response, made his way to the library. He had already spent the better part of the morning and early afternoon in a fog of confusion, trying to piece together why everyone on campus seemed to be paying him so much attention. The idea of going to the library gave him a sense of purpose; perhaps he'd find Daisy there, just as he always had before. At the very least, it was a quiet place where he could think and escape the increasingly strange looks and whispers.
As he pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the library, the familiar scent of old books hit him, instantly calming his nerves. He had spent countless hours here, finding solace in the stillness. Today, though, there was a buzz in the air. Even in the normally quiet space, the weight of whispers seemed to follow him, as if the very air was thick with gossip. He scanned the room for Daisy, his heart quickening at the thought of finally seeing her after what felt like an endless weekend.
And there she was.
Sitting at her usual spot near the back, with a stack of books and her notebook open, Daisy's head was bent slightly as she scribbled something down. For a moment, Ferdinand hesitated. He wasn't sure how she would react after his texts had gone unanswered all day. But after taking a deep breath, he walked toward her, attempting to shake off the strange vibe that had been following him since morning.
"Hey," he said casually, sliding into the seat across from her like nothing had happened.
Daisy looked up from her notes, her eyes narrowing as they met his. She didn't smile, didn't greet him with the warmth he'd come to expect. Instead, she just stared at him, lips pressed into a tight line.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ferdy."
Ferdinand blinked. "Ferdy? Since when do you call me that?"
"Oh, it's not just me," Daisy replied, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. "Apparently, the entire female population of this university is calling you that now. Didn't you get the memo?"
Ferdinand frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Daisy let out a sharp laugh, loud enough that a few heads turned in their direction. "Oh, come on. Don't play dumb, Ferdinand. You seriously don't know?"
His confusion deepened as he shifted in his seat. "I really don't, Daisy. I've been getting weird looks all day, but I have no idea why."
"Wow," Daisy said, her voice rising in mock surprise. "Ferdinand, oblivious as always." She leaned in, her tone becoming more biting. "Your number has been passed around the girls' dorm like it's some kind of lottery ticket. They're calling you Ferdy. And not just that—everyone knows you're looking for a girlfriend."
Ferdinand's jaw dropped. "What? How?"
Daisy raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, maybe it has something to do with your little sister, Elara? Ring any bells?"
Ferdinand groaned and dropped his face into his hands. "Oh, no…"
"Oh yes," Daisy continued, not missing a beat. "Apparently, she thought it would be a great idea to write your number on napkins and hand them out to random girls at the club. Because, clearly, the one thing you were missing in your life was fifty messages from strangers asking you if you're 'Ferdy who needs a girlfriend.'"
"God…" Ferdinand muttered, rubbing his temples. "I had no idea she'd do something like that."
Daisy's eyes flashed with irritation. "Yeah, no kidding. And you didn't think to mention this little club adventure to me?"
"I was going to tell you, but everything's been so crazy. And then you didn't reply to my messages, so I figured…"
"Oh, right, because you're the victim here," Daisy interrupted, her sarcasm cutting through his explanation. "Poor Ferdinand, just trying to live his life while his little sister turns him into the campus' most eligible bachelor."
Ferdinand winced. "Daisy, I'm sorry. I really didn't know. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you."
Daisy sighed, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. "You're always clueless, aren't you? You've got all these girls fawning over you now, and you don't even know why."
Ferdinand shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I don't want them fawning over me. I only care about one girl."
Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who might that be?"
Ferdinand opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything, a stern voice interrupted them.
"Excuse me, but you two are being far too loud for a library," the librarian said, appearing out of nowhere with a look of disapproval on her face. "This is a place for quiet study, not for… whatever this is."
"We're sorry," Ferdinand mumbled quickly, but Daisy, still irritated, shot back with a sarcastic smile.
"Oh, I'm sure you know who Ferdinand is. Everyone does now."
The librarian's eyes flickered between them, her expression unreadable. "Ferdinand, is it? Yes, I've heard of you. And I've also heard enough of this conversation. You're both disturbing the peace."
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. We weren't even that loud."
But the librarian wasn't having it. "Out. Both of you. I'm banning you from the library for a week. Maybe next time, you'll learn to keep your voices down."
Ferdinand stared in disbelief. "A week?"
"Yes, a week," the librarian snapped. "Now, out. Before I make it two."
Realizing they were getting nowhere, Ferdinand stood up, grabbing his bag. Daisy followed, still fuming as they were escorted out of the library by the librarian's stern gaze.
Once they were outside, Ferdinand let out a frustrated sigh. "Well, that's just great."
Daisy crossed her arms, her anger still simmering. "You see what you've gotten us into?"
"Me?" Ferdinand looked incredulous. "You were the one who kept raising your voice."
"I wouldn't have to if you weren't so—so dense!" Daisy shot back.
"I'm not dense, Daisy. I didn't know any of this was happening."
Daisy glared at him, her voice quieter but still sharp. "You should've told me about the club. I had to hear about your number being passed around from someone else."
"I didn't think it was important," Ferdinand said defensively. "I mean, it wasn't like anything happened at the club."
"Clearly, something did," Daisy muttered, looking away.
Ferdinand softened his tone, feeling guilty for how things had spiraled. "Look, Daisy, I'm sorry. Really. I should've told you sooner. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, especially not with my number being passed around."
Daisy was quiet for a moment, her expression softening slightly. "I know you didn't mean it, Ferdinand. But you're so… oblivious sometimes. You have all these girls after you now, and you don't even realize how that makes me feel."
Ferdinand blinked. "How does it make you feel?"
Daisy let out a frustrated sigh. "Like I'm just one of many. Like you could have your pick of anyone, and I'd just be another girl in the crowd."
Ferdinand's heart sank. "Daisy, you're not just anyone. You know that."
"Do I?" Daisy challenged, her eyes searching his. "Because sometimes, it doesn't feel that way."
Ferdinand took a step closer, his voice earnest. "You're the only one I care about. I don't want anyone else. I don't care about the girls who have my number. I don't care about 'Ferdy.' I care about you."
Daisy's gaze softened, though she still looked skeptical. "You really mean that?"
"I do," Ferdinand said firmly. "I've never been interested in anyone else, Daisy. You're the only one I think about."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of Ferdinand's words hanging in the air. Daisy's anger seemed to melt away, replaced by something softer, though she still crossed her arms defensively.
"Fine," she muttered, her voice less biting. "But don't think this lets you off the hook completely. You still owe me for that library ban."
Ferdinand couldn't help but chuckle. "Fair enough."
Daisy shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're lucky I like you, Ferdy."
He cringed at the nickname. "Please, not you too."
Daisy smirked. "Get used to it, Ferdy. Looks like you've got yourself a reputation now."
Ferdinand groaned, but there was a lightness to it this time, a sense that things between him and Daisy were back on track, even if his campus life had just taken a dramatic turn.