ASHLEY’S POV
The bell rang again, louder this time. The sound was loud enough to snap me out of my thoughts. Chairs scraped against the floor, laughter filled the room, and the class dissolved into noise. Everyone moved on like nothing heavy had just been said, like everything was perfect.
I stood up slowly, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
Lucas was already gone.
The seat across the room was empty. Class just ended but his chair was pushed in neatly, like he’d left in a hurry but still cared enough to make it look normal. That unsettled me more than if he’d stormed out. Lucas never cared about appearances.
Jason wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we stepped into the hallway. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked, lowering his voice like he was being sweet. “You’ve been in your head a
