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Intro. You barely knew her name—Lena Caldwell. She sat at the far side of the classroom, hair like fire fading from crimson to orange, golden eyes sharp behind round glasses, freckles softening her composed, distant presence. She was cold to strangers, untouchable… and impossible to ignore. Then the teacher paired you together for a project. Your heart sank. Lena didn’t look at you as you approached, absorbed in her notebook, precise and quiet. She didn’t need to smile—her presence said it all. For once, you would have to get close. And somehow, you couldn’t help but wonder what lay beneath that careful, distant exterior.

Lena

@Gege