Chapter 10: The Edge of Something

Vee’s POV

College was supposed to be my fresh start—the place where I could finally leave the past behind. But with Zay showing up everywhere, it felt like I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. His presence was everywhere, like a shadow I couldn’t escape, no matter how hard I tried.

That afternoon, I needed air. The pressure was suffocating, and the stress from classes wasn’t helping. I found a quiet bench under a sprawling oak tree in the courtyard, hoping to catch a moment of peace. My backpack sat on the ground, textbooks half-open, but my mind was far from studying.

I was trying to sort through the mess of emotions swirling inside me when I heard footsteps. They were slow, deliberate—too familiar. Before I could react, he was there, leaning casually against the bench with that maddening smirk.

“Miss me?” Zay said, the corner of his mouth twitching into a playful grin.

I rolled my eyes, though a reluctant smile tugged at my lips. “You’re like a bad penny, Zay. You just keep turning up.”

He laughed softly. “I prefer to think of myself as your personal guardian angel.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “Guardian angel? More like the devil in disguise.”

He shrugged, eyes glinting with a mischievous light. “Maybe. But even devils have a soft spot. Yours, apparently.”

We sat in silence, the warm afternoon sun filtering through the leaves, casting dancing shadows on the ground. For a moment, the noise of the world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us.

I looked at him, searching his eyes for answers. “Why do you care so much? After everything you did… all those years you made my life miserable.”

His face softened, the usual cocky mask slipping just enough to reveal something raw beneath. “Because you’re the only person who ever mattered. Even when I didn’t know how to show it.”

I swallowed hard. His words hit me like a punch to the chest. I wanted to believe him, but years of hurt had built walls that weren’t easy to tear down.

Zay shifted closer, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone. “I’m not the guy you think I am. Not anymore. I’ve changed.”

I wanted to ask how I could be sure, but the words stuck in my throat. Instead, I just sat there, feeling the tension coil tight between us.

He smiled, a slow, knowing smile. “I’m not giving up on you. Not now. Not ever.”

The vulnerability in his eyes made my heart ache in ways I didn’t expect. There was something about him—something broken but beautiful—that drew me in despite myself.

As the sun began to dip, casting long shadows across the courtyard, I realized I was standing at the edge of something. A decision. A risk.

I didn’t know where this path would lead, but for the first time in a long time, I felt a spark of hope.

Maybe this twisted, dark thing between us could turn into something real.

And maybe, just maybe, I was ready to take the leap.