The city buzzed with energy as students spilled out of lecture halls and cafes, their conversations blending into a symphony of ambition and caffeine. Among them was Ethan Monroe, a hopeless romantic armed with a notebook of terrible poetry and a heart yearning for an epic love story.
Ethan walked across the college campus, his worn leather satchel bouncing against his side. In his mind, every stranger could be the one. He had already romanticized five strangers that morning, from the girl who handed him a coffee at the campus café to the guy who accidentally bumped into him at the library.
Today, Ethan had a new mission: to impress Clara Wilson, the queen of his English Literature class. She was smart, beautiful, and completely out of his league. But leagues didn't matter to Ethan—not when love was on the line.
He rehearsed his lines as he approached her after class. "Hi, Clara. I couldn't help but notice you're reading Pride and Prejudice. I think Jane Austen would ship us as a couple."
Yes, perfect. Romantic and witty.
"Hi, Ethan," Clara said, snapping him out of his daydream.
He froze. She'd spoken first? This wasn't part of the plan. "Uh, hey! Clara. Uh... yeah, I noticed your book—uh, Austen fan, huh?"
Clara raised an eyebrow. "You mean the book I borrowed from you last week?"
"Oh. Right. That book. Haha. Classic Jane, am I right?"
Before Clara could respond, Ethan's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it and nearly dropped it.
New Match!
The face on his screen wasn't just anyone. It was the barista from his favorite coffee shop—the one he'd been crushing on for months but never had the courage to talk to.
"Is that Tinder?" Clara asked, smirking.
Ethan turned red. "Uh, no! Definitely not. It's... uh... a study app. For studying. Very educational."
Clara laughed. "Good luck with your 'studying.'" She walked away, leaving Ethan staring at the screen.
Her name was Lila, and her bio read: "I'm just here for coffee and chaos. Don't disappoint me."
Ethan smiled nervously. He'd finally matched with someone he liked—but what he didn't know was that Lila wasn't just any barista. She had a secret that would turn his life upside down.