My heart did a terrifying, violent sprint against my ribs, but I forced my expression to stay deadpan.
"I'm just surviving midterms, Liam," I lied smoothly, pulling the giant fleece collar of Jace's hoodie higher to hide the sudden flush on my neck. "Plus, the compliance desk finally approved my spring schedule. I'm actually getting sleep for once."
Liam chuckled, completely swallowing the excuse as he tossed his empty smoothie cup in the recycling bin. "Fair enough, Vi. Just make sure you don't burn yourself out. Mum would kill me if I let you fail out of university."
I gave him a quick, affectionate shove, said my goodbyes to the rest of the defensive line, and ducked out into the chilly night air. The near-miss was a sharp reminder of the razor-thin ice we were walking on, but as I w
