the next time demitra saw zaire, it wasn't at a party or at the liberty. no, this time, the universe decided to throw them together for a group project.

demitra had gotten a group assignment for one of her film classes—something about exploring different genres of filmmaking—and to her dismay, zaire was in her group. she hadn't expected him to be in her class. after all, he didn't seem the type to be part of something as... mundane as schoolwork. but here he was, at the same table, his dark eyes already scanning the syllabus with that annoying concentration he always had.

they were supposed to meet at the library to discuss their project, and as soon as demitra walked in, she spotted him at the far corner, his headphones already securely in place, completely detached from everyone else.

zaire was dressed as usual, in a dark, oversized hoodie with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, exposing tattoos on his forearms. his ripped jeans were slung low on his hips, the hems frayed from countless wear. his worn sneakers, a bit too scuffed, seemed like they'd traveled with him through some gritty adventure. the black beanie perched on his head completed the look—too cool for school, as usual.

demitra, on the other hand, looked effortlessly chic, as if she had walked straight out of a magazine. she wore a sleek leather jacket over a simple white crop top that showed just the right amount of skin. high-waisted jeans with a perfect fit accentuated her long legs, and chunky boots added a bit of edge to her look. her curly hair was styled in soft waves, cascading over her shoulders, and her makeup was natural, with just enough highlighter to make her glow under the library's dim lights. she carried her usual aura—confidence wrapped in a curated, almost perfect package.

demitra couldn't help but roll her eyes. maybe zaire was right—maybe he was a tortured artist who spent more time trying to look aloof than actually focusing. yet, despite her irritation, there was something fascinating about him. she wouldn't admit it to anyone, but the whole "i hate the world" act only added to his mystery.

she walked toward the table, sitting down across from him without waiting for a greeting. he didn't even acknowledge her at first, completely absorbed in whatever he was watching on his laptop.

the silence stretched, thick with that heavy, awkward tension that seemed to hang between them ever since their first conversation at that party. it was as though neither of them wanted to be the first to break the ice.

she pulled out her notebook, flipping it open, and started sketching some ideas. after a minute, she glanced up, catching him staring at her from over the top of his laptop.

"what?" she asked, arching a brow.

he didn't reply at first, his gaze just lingering on her. "so, i take it you're actually going to work on this?" his voice was almost skeptical, as though he didn't believe someone like her could do anything other than post pretty pictures and pretend to work.

demitra smirked, leaning back in her chair, deliberately putting some distance between them. "what, you think i'm just going to sit around and do nothing?"

he shrugged, tapping his fingers on the edge of his laptop. "i wouldn't put it past you."

demitra felt the sharp edge of his judgment like a physical sting. she set her pen down and glared at him. "for the record, just because i have a public persona doesn't mean i'm some lazy influencer who relies on filters and likes to get by. i work harder than most people you'll ever meet."

his lips curled up in that familiar, irritating half-smile. "i'm sure you do. but i'm still not convinced you're actually serious about... anything. you make a living by curating your life for an audience. how is that different from pretending?"

her stomach churned, that old familiar feeling creeping up—defensiveness mixed with frustration. she hadn't signed up for this lecture. and she wasn't about to let him get away with dismissing her life like it was some shallow, trivial thing.

"i'm not pretending," she snapped. "i'm just sharing the parts of my life that i want people to see. that doesn't make me fake. but let's be real, zaire, you wouldn't know authenticity if it slapped you in the face."

his eyes narrowed, but he didn't flinch. "oh, i know it. i just think it's overrated. sometimes it's better to be real without showing every aspect of your life for validation."

demitra let out a short, incredulous laugh. "you really think i'm doing this for validation? if anything, i'm doing this because it's my choice, my career, and it's my way of connecting with people. i don't need validation. i just enjoy creating things. it's a hell of a lot more than just holding a camera and calling it 'real.'"

she leaned forward, catching him off guard. "you think people should all look miserable and 'real' like one of your sad films, but let's be honest—you're just as curated as anyone else. you hide behind your own pretentious attitude like it's some shield. so don't talk to me about authenticity."

zaire opened his mouth, but before he could retort, another member of their group, leo, strolled into the library. leo was an art student who had transferred in mid-semester, a tall, thin guy who carried an air of disdain for everything that wasn't "underground." he had this smug look on his face, the one he always wore when he thought he was too cool for the room. he glanced at demitra, then at zaire, raising an eyebrow.

"ah, so the influencer and the brooding artist are getting along, huh? that's... surprising," zaire remarked, dropping his bag onto the table. his voice had that tone—one that was almost too smooth, like he'd done this before, taking little jabs at people who didn't fit into his idea of what was 'real.'

demitra could already feel her irritation building, especially after the way leo had looked at her. it wasn't a curious look, or a friendly one. no, it was the kind of look people gave you when they thought you were just a gimmick.

"i don't think we're getting along," demitra said, her voice tight. "but thanks for the input, zaire."

zaire shot her a smirk but didn't reply, instead pulling out his sketchbook and flipping through it, muttering something under his breath about needing to keep things 'artsy.' he didn't seem at all interested in the project itself, just in being superior to everyone else. typical.

zaire glanced over at leo, then at demitra, clearly noticing the tension. it wasn't the first time he'd seen someone's dislike for influencers. he had his own disdain for the entire idea of online fame, thinking it was shallow, vain, and devoid of substance. leo seemed to share that sentiment, and it was clear they both had a low opinion of demitra's world.

"look, leo," demitra began, leaning in, trying to take control of the situation before it escalated. "we're all here to do a job. let's try to focus on the project, yeah?"

leo chuckled, but it wasn't a friendly sound. "sure, sure, if you can even do that without checking your followers every five minutes."

zaire smirked at the exchange, but it was a fleeting one, as if he didn't care enough to get involved. demitra couldn't tell if he was amused or if he secretly agreed with leo. either way, it didn't matter.

"maybe, leo," demitra replied through gritted teeth, "if you spent less time judging others, you could contribute something other than negativity to this project."

the tension in the room was palpable. the three of them were locked in a battle of egos, each one trying to assert their own idea of what was 'real,' 'authentic,' or 'worthwhile.' they couldn't even agree on the most basic part of their assignment—what kind of film they wanted to make. demitra suggested something uplifting, cinematic, and visually stunning. zaire wanted raw, gritty realism. leo just wanted to make something abstract.

after hours of back-and-forth, they settled on something that was, ironically, a mix of all three styles. but the meeting was far from over. with every passing moment, demitra found herself both frustrated and intrigued by these two. they were different from anyone she had ever met—completely unwilling to bend or compromise.

but maybe that was the point.

maybe they were the kind of people who thrived in conflict, in differences, and in the messiness of life. and whether she liked it or not, demitra was about to find out just how much she could learn from them—and how much they would make her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

𝓃𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈; i am going to put a famous birthday for him soon but I don't know how I feel about this chapter..what do you think about this chapter..?