Nevertheless

ng across the paper with practiced ease. The figure in front of him took s

ager chatter of his classmates. Relationships were just a recipe for heartache, he thought bitterly, a

e front row, her vibrant energy filling the room as she eagerly absorbed every word the professor

roached Jake with a warm smile. "

iosity sparked by Sarah's genuine friendliness. "Sure, why n

thoughts hanging between them. Sarah chatted animatedly about her latest art p

ime. Yet, he couldn't shake the nagging voice of doubt in the back of his mind. He had built wa

enses. Before he knew it, their coffee outings became a regular occurrence, and Jake found him

f his soul. He had been burned one too many times to trust in the illusion of love again. And so, he resol

nd challenge everything he thought he knew about love and desire. But for now, in the quiet moments betwee