Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Every game, Flora was a whirlwind, taking just two minutes to completely crush her opponents before breezing onto the next match. As the competition got tougher, nobody could quite keep up with her. Team Breeze's points and rankings shot up like fireworks, leaving the gaming community buzzing with excitement. Jules, Ethan, and the rest of Team Breeze were practically speechless. They'd run out of clever comebacks 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 display, she logged off, ignoring messages from Kruz and Jules.

Just as Flora shut down her computer, 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.

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 oil lately. 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 gently laid her on the bed. The next morning, Flora didn't stir until half-past ten. The aftermath of last 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 playful glare.

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

As she ate her porridge, she turnedThis content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

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 minutes later "Please come. 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 other competitore

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

was

Flora, leisurely waking up just shy of

eleven.