I tried to focus on Liam as we walked to our next class, matching his stride, letting his steady presence anchor me. He was talking about something funny that had happened in our last lecture, and I laughed along, forcing myself to stay present.
But my gaze kept drifting—just slightly—to the campus benches, the quads, the familiar spots where I had once seen Aiden in the past, the shadow of him lingering in my memory like a stubborn ghost.
And then, of course, the universe had to make it worse.
Across the walkway, I caught sight of him. Aiden. And not just him—Deinty was leaning into him, her laughter ringing clear. The casual intimacy, the ease between them, made my stomach twist. I swallowed hard, trying to shove the jealousy and the ache down.
Liam’s hand brushed mine, his touch gro
