The morning air carried the crisp bite of autumn as I stepped out of the gate, my sweater tugged tighter around me. For a second, I expected to see Taylor leaning against the lamppost across the street, his usual half-smile waiting for me, like he always did. But the space was empty, only the pale stretch of sidewalk catching the early sunlight.
I hesitated, glancing left, then right. Nothing.
The thought formed almost immediately, he must be avoiding me because of yesterday. The cafeteria. Damian. The way tension had burned between them like a fuse ready to explode. Maybe Taylor thought giving me space was the safest option.
I shook the thought away, setting one foot in front of the other. Fine. If he wanted distance, I’d let him have it.
But when I arrived at school, the absence hit
