Always

Chapter Twenty-Five

Liam

It’s late—too late, maybe—but I can’t sleep. My mind keeps drifting to her. Mia. Three states away, probably in her dorm, probably staring at her laptop or cramming for some assignment. And here I am, in my quiet room, the house next door so empty it almost hurts.

I grab my phone, thumb hovering over her name. One quick text. That’s all.

You awake?

Almost immediately, it buzzes back:

Always for you.

I grin. That little phrase is enough to erase the ache for a second. Enough to remind me that she’s here, even when she’s not.

I type: Miss you.

Miss you more, she replies.

I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. She’s always competitive, always teasing, even from miles away.

I scroll through the pictures she’s sent from campus—her dorm decorated with tiny lights, a bookshelf sta