– A Heartbeat AwaySenior year was supposed to be simple for Mia Carter—ace her exams, avoid unnecessary drama, and keep her circle tight. That plan unravels the moment Jake Thompson, a transfer student with a guarded stare and a reputation that precedes him, is assigned the empty seat beside her.Mia doesn’t do curious. She doesn’t do complications. But Jake? He’s both. A rising basketball star with a quiet presence and an untold story, Jake is everything Mia didn’t plan for—and everything she can’t ignore.What begins as forced proximity and reluctant conversations slowly transforms into an unlikely friendship filled with banter, late-night study sessions, and unexpected vulnerability. Emotions are kept at bay. Lines remain unblurred. Until one day, in an empty press room, a secret slips—a confession not meant to be heard.Suddenly, everything changes.Caught between growing feelings, peer pressure, and the weight of truth, Mia and Jake must navigate what it means to fall for someone who wasn’t supposed to matter.But the heart doesn’t follow rules. And sometimes, the person you least expect becomes the one who’s been a heartbeat away all along.