Elle’s POV:
I stayed on the couch, still hugging my knees, while Aiden sat across from me, careful not to crowd me. The apartment felt quieter, the shadows less threatening—but the tension lingered, like a thread stretched too tight.
“I… don’t know if I can just forget this,” I admitted, voice low. “Even knowing it was you.”
He nodded slowly, eyes soft. “I get it. And I’m not asking you to. I just… want you to see that I’m here. That I care. That I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and saw Liam’s name. My chest tightened.
“Elle! Are you free? I—uh, I wanted to check if you’re okay after school today,” his text read.
I hesitated, thumb hovering over the reply. Aiden noticed, a flicker of something in his expres
