The last bell of the day felt like a release.
I gathered my books so fast I almost forgot my water bottle under the desk, shoving it into my bag before I practically jogged out the door. All day I’d been replaying lunch , the way Damian had slid into the seat beside me, the burger, the casual arm over my shoulders. My heart had been doing these tiny, traitorous flips every time my mind wandered back to it.
Now, all I wanted was to see him again before we went home.
The hallway felt like a current, students spilling in every direction, but I cut through it with single-minded focus, heading for my locker. I didn’t even linger there long, just swapped my math textbook for the English one I’d need tonight, before heading straight for the garage where Damian always parked.
His car was still
