The following morning felt heavier than usual. Even the sunlight streaming through Crescent High’s tall windows couldn’t chase away the lingering tension that wrapped itself around me. My chest still tightened when I remembered Damian on the terrace, his gaze intense, unreadable, leaving me tangled in a storm of jealousy and curiosity I didn’t want to name.
I found Luca waiting for me by the lockers, his posture calm, but his eyes serious in a way that immediately set my nerves on edge. He had that look—the one that said he wasn’t here to chat casually about assignments or gossip. No, this was something more. Something inevitable.
“Aria,” he said softly, but there was a firmness beneath it. “We need to talk.”
I hesitated, gripping my bag strap a little tighter. I knew what this was abou
