The trip felt like a distant memory the moment we stepped foot back on campus. The shift was immediate like waking from a dream you wanted to hold onto but knew would fade eventually. The air was still crisp from the lingering chill of the season, but the energy around me had changed. I told myself it was just the return to reality. The end of an eventful trip, the start of another rigorous semester. Nothing more. But deep down, I knew that was a lie. I had been avoiding him, Ethan.
The bus ride back had been quiet. No playful nudges, no easy conversations. He had glanced at me once or twice, his gaze heavy with unspoken words, but I never met his eyes for long. I had convinced myself that whatever had happened between us during the trip those shared moments, the lingering looks, the way
