MELISSA’S POV
After practice, I didn’t bother trying to call Xavier again.
The truth was, I had already done that more than I cared to admit—watched his name flash on my screen, tapped “call,” and waited for the faintest sound of his voice on the other end. And every time, the call had rung until it faded into that hollow void of voicemail.
So, that night, I decided to let him be.
It was easier to pretend I wasn’t bothered than to keep chasing silence.
I curled up in bed with my phone, mindlessly scrolling, until Marco’s name popped up in the group chat.
> Marco: “Morning shoot tomorrow. Everyone be there early. 8:30 sharp.”
I groaned, already dreading the thought of waking up before the sun was truly up. My thumb hovered over the screen as the others reacted with emojis and shor
