Friend

inds. Emily, always surrounded by people who praised her for her wealth, found herself intrigued by Jacob's quiet resilience. For t

ust to support him. He couldn't afford distractions, especially not ones as complicated as the daughter of a wealthy businessman.

efore their path

Jacob sitting alone in the campus library. He was hunched over a pile of books,

ly, pulling out the

ed to see her. "Oh, hey.

really. Just thought I'd say

moment, but then nod

very now and then, Emily would glance at him, noticing how intensely he focused on his work. She admired his dete

p. "You're really dedicated

by the question. "Yeah, I have to

said with a smile.

textbooks. "It's tough, but it's the best chanc

ics. My dad runs a bunch of companies, so I figured it

ow. "You don't sound

it's just that everything's always been planned out for me

nd privilege talk about feeling trapped by their circumstances. He had always imagined that pe

," Jacob said quietly. "Some of us

ds. "Yeah, I guess that's true. But I think...

that moment, he realized there was more to Emily than met the eye. She wasn't just the wealth

e in common than they'd initially thought. Both were ambitious, driven, and curious about the world, but where

s straightforwardness and lack of pretense, while Jacob found comfort in Emily's openness and willingness

e sky, noticing the stars beginning to peek through the clouds. "You ever think abou

at keeps me going. I want to see the world o

hole life. Sometimes I just want to get away, you know? Go som

vulnerability in her words. "You'r

it sad. "No. And I don't

ng how much they had in common despite the vast differences in their backgrounds

said after a while. "I feel l

beating just a little faster

oddly similar in the emotions they evoked. For the first time in a long time, Emily felt like she had found someone who saw her for who she really was, not just as the

something more. It wasn't just friendship that was developing between them. There was

ng into something more profound, something neither o