Amara Emotional Reckoning

Four days.

That's how long it had taken for Amara to fully accept what she had been dreading for weeks: she was falling for Elara.

She had tried everything to deny it throwing herself into work, avoiding unnecessary conversations, even locking herself in her room with the excuse of "research." But none of it worked. Every time Elara smiled at her, every time she made one of her sharp, witty remarks, Amara's heart betrayed her.

This is bad. Really bad, she thought, staring at herself in the mirror. She had barely slept, and it wasn't just because of work. Her thoughts were consumed with Elara—Elara's laughter, Elara's hair, Elara's… Nope, nope, not going there.

But no matter how much she tried to focus on anything else, there was no escaping it. She was well and truly screwed.

[You know, you could just admit you like her. It's not like I didn't see this coming. I'm the system, after all.]

Oh great, Amara groaned internally. Here we go.