CHAPTER 15
The days that followed were quiet. Not silent—just quieter.
There were no declarations, no grand promises. Just the slow, uncertain steps of two people trying to unlearn pain and relearn trust.
I found myself thinking about Chen more often than I wanted to admit—his quiet presence, the way he had simply held me without expecting anything in return. It was disarming. Confusing. Comforting.
But peace scared me more than chaos ever did.
Because I didn’t know what to do with something that didn’t demand me to fight to be loved.
—
On Thursday, Steph dragged me to a study group. Law was starting to crush us with readings and deadlines, and she was determined not to let me drown.
“You’ve been walking around with your head in the clouds, girl,” she said, nudging me as we settled
