Chapter 30
1333 Words
Amber's POV
It had been a night since my little coffee shop hangout with Ben, and I still couldn’t stop thinking about how unexpectedly nice it had been.
He was funny, easygoing, and somehow had this calmness that made you want to keep talking.
We hadn’t known each other long, but the short time we’d spent chatting and laughing had felt like a breath of fresh air, especially after all the heaviness surrounding Timothy.
Still, every time my phone buzzed, I found myself hoping it was Timothy, not Ben.
Pathetic, right?
Juliet had noticed, of course. She noticed everything.
“You’ve been spacing out again,” she said, her tone somewhere between teasing and concern.
I just shrugged from my bed, pretending to scroll through my notes. “Just tired. Classes are getting heavier.”
She hummed, unconvinced. “Or maybe someone is taking up too much brain space again?”
I didn’t even have to look up to know she was smirking.
I threw a pillow at her. “Shut up.”
She laughed, catching it mid-air. “If it’s Timothy, you should just talk to him.
I shrugged. “Sure, when he’s back on campus that is.”
“if you say so” she shrugs smiling teasingly at me.
Later that afternoon, I was halfway through reading a case summary when my phone buzzed.
Timothy.
Timothy: Hey, you good?
I hesitated for a few seconds before replying.
Me: Yeah. You? Back on campus?
Timothy: Yeah. We should catch up soon.
My heart skipped. There it was, that small spark I kept trying to smother.
Me: Sure. Coffee?
Timothy: yeah, Coffee sounds perfect.
I didn't bother to reply. We already knew where we would go.
I spent the next half hour trying to convince myself that it was just a hangout, not a date, not a “thing.”
When I arrived, he was already there, sitting by the window, then as usual he looked up and saw me, smiling softly as I approached him.
“Hey,” I said softly, taking the seat across from him.
“Hey,” he replied. “You made it.”
“I said I would,” I teased lightly, setting my bag beside me.
For a moment, neither of us said anything. It wasn’t awkward, just quiet. Comfortable, even.
He looked at me, really looked at me, like he was trying to find the right words.
“I wanted to thank you,” he said finally.
I blinked. “For what?”
“For not hating me. After… you know. The Lydia thing.”
I smiled faintly, though it felt a little forced. “I don’t hate you, Timothy. You just… surprised me, that’s all.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I surprised myself too. I thought I knew what I wanted. But the more I think about it, the less sure I am.”
My heart squeezed. It sounded like the relationship between Timothy and Lydia was a bit strained. I didn't know what to say, so I stayed quiet.
He looked out the window, watching a few students tossing a frisbee. “I just wanted today to be simple. No weirdness. Just us.”
I smiled for real this time. “That sounds nice.”
And it was. We talked about random things classes, food, how Juliet kept complaining about her law readings. I told him about Ben, too, and how we met.
At first, he didn’t react, but then I caught the slight tightening of his jaw.
“Ben, huh?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah. He’s nice,” I said simply, sipping from my drink.
He nodded slowly, his lips twitching in what might’ve been a smile, or something trying to be one.
“That’s good. You deserve nice.”
The way he said it, soft, almost sad, made my chest ache.
After a while, we both stood up, deciding to take a walk toward the old campus path behind the park. The trail was lined with trees, sunlight spilling through the branches in golden streaks.
It was quiet, except for the crunch of leaves under our feet.
“Things feel different,” I said after a long pause. “Between us.”
He looked down at me, his expression unreadable. “Different how?”
“I don’t know… like something’s missing. Or maybe something’s there that wasn’t before.”
He chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You make it sound complicated.”
“It is complicated,” I said, half-smiling. “You just don’t want to admit it.”
He grinned, and for a second, everything felt normal again, the way it used to be before Lydia, before all the confusion.
That peace didn’t last long.
Because just as we turned back toward the main path, a familiar voice sliced through the air.
“Well, well. Isn’t this cozy?”
Lydia.
I froze. She stood there, arms crossed, dressed in her usual perfectly put-together outfit, her hair framing her face like a halo that didn’t match the sharpness in her eyes.
Timothy stiffened beside me. “Lydia,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“Walking,” she said coolly. “Didn’t realize you’d be having a date.”
“It’s not a date,” I said quickly, though my voice came out smaller than I wanted.
“Oh, please.” She scoffed. “You think everyone’s blind? You’ve been hanging around him ever since the semester started. It’s pathetic, really.”
“Lydia.” Timothy started, his tone sharp.
But she wasn’t done.
“I mean, honestly, Amber,” she continued, stepping closer. “You really think he’d choose you? After everything? You don’t even know him the way I do.”
Something inside me cracked, not because of her words, but because deep down, a small part of me feared she was right.
“Lydia, stop,” Timothy said again, louder this time. “You don’t get to talk to her like that.”
“Oh, so now you’re defending her?” she shot back, her voice rising. “Funny. You didn’t defend me when everyone thought I was the problem.”
He exhaled sharply. “Because you were the problem. You still are. Just let it go already.”
That shut her up, but only for a second. Her eyes glistened, more with anger than sadness. “You’ll regret this,” she hissed, glaring at me one last time before turning on her heel and storming off.
The silence she left behind was heavy. Too heavy.
I looked down, my hands trembling slightly. “You didn’t have to do that,” I said quietly.
“Yes, I did,” he replied firmly. “She’s been out of line for weeks. You didn’t deserve that.”
I swallowed hard, still staring at the ground. “Thanks,” I whispered.
He sighed, stepping a little closer. “Amber, don’t listen to anything she said. None of it is true.”
I looked up at him, meeting his eyes. “Then what is true, Timothy?”
He opened his mouth, hesitated, and didn’t answer.
We just stood there, the air thick between us, filled with everything neither of us dared to say.
Finally, I forced a smile, even though my chest ached. “I should probably head back,” I said softly. “Juliet’s waiting.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah… okay. Want me to walk you?”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I’ll be okay.”
He looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn’t.
Instead, he just said, “Amber?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry. For everything.”
I smiled faintly, turning away before he could see the tears gathering in my eyes. “I know,” I whispered. “Me too.”
And as I walked back towards the dorms, I could still feel his gaze on me.
- Writer
