Every game, Flora was a whirlwind, taking just two minutes topletely crush her opponents before breezing onto the next match. As thepetition got tougher, nobody could quite keep up with her. Team Breeze''s points and rankings shot up like fireworks, leaving the gamingmunity buzzing with excitement. Jules, Ethan, and the rest of Team Breeze were practically speechless. They''d run out of cleverebacks and simply basked in the glory of effortless victories. Flora had single-handedly propelled Team Breeze from a modest level three to the top-tier level nine in under


    twenty minutes. After this impressive disy, she logged off, ignoring messages from Kruz and Jules.


    Just as Flora shut down herputer, the bathroom door swung open. Connor stepped out, wrapped in a dark blue bathrobe, droplets of water still clinging to his skin. The robe hung slightly open at the neck, teasing a view of his sun-kissed skin and the hint of chiseled abs beneath.


    "Finished your game?" he asked.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Flora nodded, her eyes fixed on him. Connor handed her some pajamas from the wardrobe. "Go take a shower. You''ve been burning the midnight oiltely. Let''s get some early shut-eye tonight."


    "I don''t feel like showering," Flora said, wrapping her arms around his waist. She was seated, and he stood before her, her face pressed against his stomach.


    "Connor," she murmured, her voice gentle and sweet, weaving a spell in the evening''s dim light, stirring something deep within him.


    Connor swallowed, his eyes darkening with a smoldering glow. "Can I skip the shower and just crash? We can deal with it in the morning, right?"


    As she spoke, Flora''s hands slid up from his waist, wrapping around his neck. She stood, clinging to him like a kitten. Faced with her imploring eyes, Connor couldn''t resist. His gaze burned with intensity as he scooped her up and gentlyid her on the bed. The next morning, Flora didn''t stir until half-past ten. The aftermath ofst night''s shenanigans was... well, let''s just say it was a lesson learned.


    Connor sat in a cozy chair, flipping through the newspaper. When he noticed her waking up, he warmed up some porridge for her.


    "You''re impossible," Flora said, sitting up and shooting him a yful re.


    Connor chuckled, his hand finding her waist to give a soothing massage. His touch eased her difort, and soon, Flora felt much better.


    As she ate her porridge, she turned


    on her phone? Jules and Ethan had bombarded her with messages. Ethan, bless her heart, seemed to have pulled an all-nighter, still


    messaging at four in the moiet


    Flora skimmed through quickly and found a message from Mr Tanner at 8:30 AM.


    "Hey Flora, you awake? The team''s having lunch today to chat about the finals. Can you make it?"


    When she hadn''t replied, Mr. Tanner followed up twenty minutester "Pleasee. Everyone''s eager to see you. They want to apologize, and it would be great to finally have a meal together."


    Apologize? Flora raised an eyebrow. She wasn''t exactly itching for their apologies, but Mr. Tanner''s earnestness tugged at her a bit. She replied, "Just woke up. Is there still time to join?" Mr. Tanner quickly replied, "Absolutely, we''ll wait for you. Take your time."


    They assumed Flora was avoiding them, never guessing she had just woken up With finals looming in just


    two days every otherpetitore


    was a bundle of nerves, barely eating or sleeping. But here


    was


    Flora, leisurely waking up just shy of


    eleven.