Chapter 404: Unrequited Crush

Third-person POV

Electra and Irina walked side by side as they made their way out of the school building, their steps steady and unhurried, even though both of them knew that where they were heading was anything but simple. The air outside felt different, lighter than the tension that had been sitting between them earlier, but Electra could still feel it lingering in the background.

Irina looked calm on the outside, as usual, but there was something in the way she walked that made it clear she was thinking about what was ahead, even if she wasn’t saying it out loud. Electra understood that Irina was nervous about the idea of confronting a queen, but she also knew now that Irina wasn’t the type to back, which was why she had decided to only bring Irina with her, and exclude Penelope.

They had barely made it halfway down the path that led toward the main exit when Irina’s phone suddenly rang, the sound breaking through the silence between them. She reached into her pocket without stopping, pulling it out and glancing at the screen. The moment she saw the name, she let out a quiet sigh that felt both expected and slightly annoyed.

“It’s Penelope,” she said simply, before answering the call and lifting the phone to her ear.

“Where the hell are you?” Penelope’s voice came through immediately, loud enough that even Electra could hear her from where she stood. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you and Electra. You both just disappeared.”

Irina didn’t react much to the tone. “There’s no need to look for Electra, Pen. We’re together,” she replied calmly. “And we’re heading somewhere very quickly, so you don’t have to worry about us.”

There was a short pause on the other end before Penelope spoke again, this time sounding even more frustrated. “Heading where?” she demanded. “Why are you going somewhere without me? Why would you two be going anywhere without even telling me?”

Irina’s expression didn’t change, but there was a faint hint of impatience in the way she shifted her weight. “Don’t worry about it,” she said, her voice still steady. “We’ll call you when we get back and explain everything then. Just do whatever it is you want to do while we’re gone. Have fun.”

Electra could already tell that Penelope wasn’t going to accept that answer so easily. Even without hearing her response clearly, the tone of her voice rising through the phone made it obvious that she was about to argue. Irina must have realized the same thing, because before Penelope could say anything else, she pulled the phone away and ended the call without hesitation.

For a brief moment, there was silence again as Irina slipped her phone back into her pocket and continued walking like nothing had happened. Electra watched her for a second, then tilted her head slightly as a thought crossed her mind.

“You can call me crazy,” Electra said slowly, her tone thoughtful, “or say I’m reading way too much into things, but I have a very strong feeling that Penelope likes you.”

Irina didn’t even pause. “Of course she likes me,” she replied casually. “We’re friends. We’ve been friends for years. It would be odd if she didn’t like me after spending so many years being my friend.”

Electra let out a quiet scoff, shaking her head slightly as she looked at her. “You know that’s not what I mean,” she said. “I may not fully understand the emotions humans experience, especially when it comes to romantic feelings, but I can see the difference. The way she looks at you is not the same as the way she looks at me or anyone else, so her feelings are definitely very different.”

Irina shrugged lightly, her expression still unchanged. “Well, I don’t care,” she said simply.

That answer was enough to tell Electra everything she needed to know. She watched Irina for a moment longer before letting out a quiet breath and shaking her head. “You already know,” she said. “That’s why you’re not reacting with disgust. The idea of it didn’t sound ridiculous to you.”

Irina let out a small sigh this time, though it sounded more like mild irritation than anything else. “There’s a long list of girls in this school who have a crush on me,” she replied. “I make it a habit not to care, especially when I don’t feel the same way.”

Electra didn’t respond immediately, but there was something about that answer that made her curious. Before she could say anything else, they arrived at the security office near the main gate, where students had to get permission before leaving school grounds. The building was small but busy, and Irina walked in without hesitation, already reaching for the forms they needed.

“Wait here,” she said briefly, cutting off whatever Electra was about to say.

Electra watched her go, her expression thoughtful as she leaned slightly against the wall. Even though Irina clearly wanted to drop the conversation, Electra had no intention of doing that. The moment Irina returned with two passes in her hand, Electra straightened and fell into step beside her again as they headed toward the main gate.

“So,” Electra continued, as if the conversation had never been interrupted, “what exactly don’t you like about Penelope?”

Irina stopped walking.

The sudden halt made Electra pause as well, and when Irina turned to look at her, there was a faint look of disbelief on her face, as if she couldn’t believe Electra was still going on about this.

“She’s cute,” Electra added, tilting her head slightly. “So what is there not to like?”

Irina stared at her for a second before answering, her voice flat. “I don’t date my friends.”

Electra let out a small chuckle at that, clearly not convinced. “So if she wasn’t your friend,” she pressed, “you would have given her a chance?”

Irina exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair in a way that showed she was starting to lose patience. “What exactly are you hoping to gain from this conversation?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about where we’re going? You’re about to walk into a palace, stand in front of a group of elders, and demand the throne. That seems like something worth focusing on, not who Penelope likes or how I feel.”

Electra scoffed lightly, completely unbothered by that reminder. “I’m not worried,” she said simply. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

She paused for a second before continuing, her tone just as calm as before. “Since you’re avoiding the question, I’m going to assume that means yes. You would have dated her if she wasn’t your friend.”

Irina let out a short, humorless laugh, clearly done with the conversation at this point. “Not even then,” she said firmly. “Two mentally unstable people cannot be in a relationship, and I’m too impatient to deal with someone like Penelope. So even if we weren’t friends, I would never feel anything romantic toward her. She’s just not my type because she’s too emotional and would irritate me.”

Electra blinked once, her brows furrowing slightly at the word “unstable.” There was a pause as she processed that, her head tilting just a little as curiosity started to build again. “What do you mean by…”

“No,” Irina cut in immediately, lifting her hand in a clear stop gesture as they reached the main gate. “No more questions.”

Electra looked at her for a second, then glanced ahead at the large gates of the school, where security guards stood watching as students moved in and out with permission slips. The conversation was clearly over, at least for now, and even though she still had questions, she decided not to push it further.

Not because she didn’t want to know, but because something else had already taken her attention.

The palace.

As they stepped forward and handed over their passes, Electra’s gaze shifted slightly, her expression becoming more focused, more serious than it had been moments ago. The conversation about Penelope faded into the background, replaced by something far more important.

This was it.

Whatever was going to happen next would not be simple, and even though she had said she wasn’t worried, there was a quiet awareness settling in her chest now. Not fear, not doubt, but something close to anticipation.

Irina handed the passes to the guard, who checked them briefly before nodding and stepping aside to let them through. As the gates opened and they walked past them, leaving the school grounds behind, the air felt different again, heavier somehow, like the world outside was waiting for something to happen.

Electra glanced ahead, her eyes narrowing slightly as she focused on the path in front of them. “So,” she said after a moment, her tone calm but firm, “how long do you think it will take before these so-called elders start arguing with me?”

Irina let out a quiet breath beside her, already knowing exactly what she meant. “Trust me, not long,” she replied.

Electra nodded once, her lips curving into a faint smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Good,” she said.

Because she wasn’t going there to argue. She was going there to take what she wanted.

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