So I thought…but I wasn’t.
The sounds were unmistakable now. Low, breathy, rhythmic. A mix of movement and soft gasps. Unfiltered. Unbothered. Like whoever it was thought they were completely alone.
A wave of heat shot to my face.
Who would be bold—or stupid—enough to hook up in a lecture hall?
I felt a twist in my stomach—not disgust, but something darker. Something sharp. Because, in that moment, my mind dragged me somewhere I didn’t want to go.
High school.
That morning.
The near-death experience with Ellen. The washroom. The pain. The shame.
Noah.
My knees wobbled slightly, but I shook the memory off like water on skin. "This wasn't the same," I thought. "This was different.”
I turned toward the wall near the entrance, searching for the light switch.
I needed to see; I neede
