lurring around me. The cool night air

college, Liam Hayes was a legend-smart, handsome, untouchable. Everyone knew he was

d "accidental" meetings, armed with witty comments and a confidence I didn't really feel. It took m

ning, accommodating, compromising. I had been so focused on winning him that I never stopped to ask if he was actually w

ssly scrolled through my phone, my thumb hovering over Instagram. I hadn't look

reath catch. It was a picture of a beautiful, handcrafted wooden music box. The caption read: "Som

year. I had pointed it out, saying how beautiful it was. Liam had glanced at it, said it was overpriced, a

her. The principle

e care. He had seen something I loved, dismissed it, and then given it to her. I had spent years convi

apable of romance, of thoughtf

zed with a t

you

e, then turned my phon

ater, ano

se just t

ano

ried ab

feigned concern. I turned my phone off complete

was there. Leaning against his sleek black car, parked right across t

squashed it. I turned and started walking i

all into ste

va

king up my pace. "L

eaving unt

k away. I could feel people staring at us. A man in a suit

u get to work safely," he sa

work safely by myself

ce suspended due to signal problems." A collective g

eet to find a cab, and he was

u," he said. It

thank

e stubborn. Y

to find now. Defeated, I let out a sharp sigh

h tension. The air in the luxury car felt suffocating. I stared

, breaking the silence. "Are you

ust kept watching th

ong are you going

fice building. Before I could

g?" I asked, my vo

urned in his seat to face me. "I wa

How things were?" I finally managed to say. "You mean with

hat it is, an

Liam? Why don't yo

door handle. "I ha

ut of the car. He scrambled out and c

go of

ice tight with frustration. "This silent t

me being childish? You left me in a fire, Liam! You have spent the last five years making m

w, aren't I?

ers and car rides? That's not how thi