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