The next day, the sun barely peeled through the hazy morning sky, casting a soft, golden glow over the school compound. Students flooded the grounds, their chatter mingling with the occasional whistle from a teacher, the rustle of backpacks, and the rhythmic thump of sneakers on concrete. Among them, Bethany stood at the school entrance, her sneakers planted firmly on the cracked pavement, hands gripping her bag straps as she scanned the parking lot for any sign of Evan. Her heart thudded in anticipation, her fingers twitching slightly as if they knew something exciting was about to happen.
A few minutes later, a sleek black sedan rolled into the lot, Evan’s mom at the wheel, offering a polite wave to a passing teacher. Evan stepped out with effortless composure, his uniform crisp, his sc
