Chapter 4: What She Never Talks About

Maya felt lighter the moment she stepped onto the college campus.

Here, the air felt different. Safer. As if the weight she carried at home couldn’t follow her past the iron gates and glass buildings. For a few precious hours every day, she got to pretend her life was normal.

“Maya! Over here!”

Abby’s voice cut through the morning noise. She was waving wildly near the steps, curls bouncing, smile bright enough to draw attention from half the courtyard. Abby always looked like someone untouched by shadows—loud, confident, unafraid.

Maya smiled back, relief warming her chest as she hurried over.

“How was your morning?” Abby asked, looping an arm through hers.

“Good,” Maya said quickly. “I’m just glad to be here.”

She meant it more than Abby could ever know.

As they walked, Maya’s gaze drifted—and then stopped.

Liam Parker had just entered through the gates.

He stood out without trying. Tall, broad-shouldered, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms. His movements were controlled, purposeful. Like someone who never wasted energy on things that didn’t matter.

Dangerous, her mind whispered.

She didn’t know why she thought that.

Abby noticed immediately. “Wow,” she muttered. “You’ve gone very quiet.”

Maya blinked. “What?”

Abby followed her line of sight and smirked. “He’d make a great boyfriend, don’t you think?”

“What?” Maya scoffed, heat rushing to her cheeks. “How would I know?”

“That’s Liam Parker,” Abby said knowingly. “No one knows anything about him. But hey—there’s always a first.”

Maya doubted that. Liam looked like someone who existed behind walls no one was meant to cross. Cold. Unapproachable.

Maybe lonely.

“Is everything okay?” Abby asked suddenly, her tone softer.

Maya stiffened. “Why?”

“You look exhausted,” Abby said gently. “Like you haven’t slept in days.”

Maya forced a laugh. “Just the move. It’s been hectic.”

Abby didn’t look convinced, but she nodded. “If something’s wrong… you’ll tell me, right?”

“Yeah,” Maya lied.

---

By the time they reached class, Maya found herself talking—too much.

“He accused me of stalking him,” she said under her breath. “Can you believe that?”

Abby snorted. “I always knew there was something wrong with him.”

Maya hesitated. “He’s just… intense.”

“Or rude,” Abby countered. “Either way, stay away.”

Maya nodded, though something inside her resisted the idea.

---

In class, Maya felt it again.

That awareness.

She glanced back.

Liam sat in the last row, shoulders tense, jaw clenched. His eyes met hers—and the jolt that ran through her chest startled her.

She looked away quickly.

But the feeling didn’t fade.

She could feel his gaze on her, steady and unreadable, as if he were trying to figure something out.

“It’s not me,” Maya whispered to Abby. “He keeps looking at me.”

Abby peeked back. “Maybe he likes you.”

Maya shook her head. “He doesn’t look like someone who lets himself like anything.”

---

By lunch, she hoped the feeling would pass.

It didn’t.

Liam entered the canteen, collected his food, and sat alone. When Maya glanced up, she found his eyes on her again.

Her pulse jumped.

That night, back in her room, Maya stood by the window.

Liam’s house was dark.

She turned away—

And froze.

A hand gripped her shoulder.

She spun around.

Manoj stood behind her.

Her chest tightened instantly. He wasn’t supposed to be here. She had locked the door.

“Beautiful evening,” he said, smiling like he owned the moment.

She backed away until the window pressed painfully into her spine.

When his fingers brushed her face, she flinched.

“Did that hurt?” he asked softly.

“No,” she whispered, lying through clenched teeth.

“You’re lying.”

His grip tightened around her wrist.

The knock came suddenly.

Sharp. Loud.

Manoj cursed under his breath and stormed out.

Maya collapsed against the wall, shaking.

When she dared to look outside again—

Liam stood in his yard, bathed in moonlight.

Watching her.

His face was tight with something that looked dangerously close to anger.

Maya’s breath caught.

He had seen.

Heart pounding, she shut the curtains and slid down onto the floor, one thought echoing in her mind:

She wasn’t invisible anymore.

And that terrified her more than anything.