Underneath It All
tted this
PM, and he still hadn't shown up. She sat in the farthest corner of the library,
er agreed to th
ose like walls around her little table, shielding her from the chaos that waited ou
Hayes wasn't the type
door finall
ud, impossible to ignore. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the casual sw
quietly as he slid into
usual lazy smile i
flat look. "You
omment amused him. "Smart and
tlined the project," she said, pushing a notebook towar
rrupted, flipping the notebook open wit
the bait. "I don't
ers lightly against the table. "Why do you care
is school-no matter how much it drained her was her only ticket
t failing because of y
s eyes interest, maybe. Or curiosity. Then
tly. "That woul
under his br
es. "We need a topic. Something serious-Mr. R
l inequality? Mental health stigmas? Don
a joke," s
e, Ava wondered if there was more behind it-som
problem. And she d
" she said, her voice
ble before settling on a topic. "Ho
e hadn't expect
or a second. "Let's just say... I
a didn't hav
-
was almost empty. Ava packed her things carefully, trying
enly, breaking the quiet, "
't hate you," she said quiet
ed sharp, teasin
door swung open, and Isabella Monr
cou
it could cut glass Isabella was the kind of girl who be
letely ignoring Ava. "I'
stomach but shoved it aside. N
ck lazily. "I'm
?" Her gaze finally flicked toward Ava, her lips curli
htened, but she r
leb warned, hi
one here," she said, keeping her voice s
word, she walked away-ignoring the bur
-
th him?" Grace asked the next day, frown
lling her hoodie sleeves over her han
s not going to let this go, right
about Caleb Hayes or his girlfrien
. he was starting t
t was d
-
ing through her notes in the libra
d a
t walk around like he owned the place. He was quieter, kinder-a star athlete without
brushing a strand of
oss from her anyway. "You're
d. "Unfor
h's lips. "You know... he's
ow. "I'll believe t
n his chair. "Fair. But if he giv
f guard by the warmth
g while, she wondered if there
-
et, focused, and avoided attention. But no matter how hard she t
tarted with