Maya’s POV
I scrolled through my phone while walking across the quad, the afternoon sun warm on my skin. My heels clicked against the pavement; sharp, confident steps that always turned heads. I looked good today. I always made sure of that. Tight top, perfect hair, the kind of smile that made people remember me.
Then I saw them.
Jace and that girl Ariana sitting at a table outside the campus café. Not touching, but close enough. He was leaning in slightly, saying something. She had that guarded little smile on her face, the one that made her look soft and innocent. My stomach twisted.
I stopped behind a tree, far enough that they wouldn’t notice me, but close enough to watch. Jace laughed at something she said. That easy, warm laugh he used to give me.
My fingers tightened around my
