FOUR

SAMANTHA

After class, I barely made it out of the building before Macey came bouncing up beside me, arms full of notes, a tote bag sliding off her shoulder, and an iced coffee threatening to spill.

“There you are,” she said, squinting at me through the sunlight. “You’re glowing, girl. That dress is unfair.”

I smiled, letting the compliment slide over me like a warm breeze. “It’s just clothes.”

Macey gave me a look. “Sure. And I’m the queen of England.”

We started walking toward the café across campus, our steps matching in rhythm. It was still early enough that the sidewalks weren’t crowded, just a few students scattered about, the hum of music and voices floating in the background.

A familiar voice called from behind us. “Hey, ladies.”

We turned to see Liam catching up. Tall, messy hair, wide grin. He had this boyish charm that made him seem like he belonged in a high school romance movie, the kind where everyone still believed in happy endings.

“Statistics seminar survivor,” he added, coming to walk on my other side. “I need caffeine and emotional support.”

“You need a tutor,” Macey teased, nudging him with her elbow.

He grinned and looked at me. “What about you, Sam? Are you good with numbers?”

I tilted my head. “Depends on the numbers.”

He laughed, that easy kind of laugh that made people want to lean in. “That sounds like a no.”

I shrugged, sipping the last of my coffee. “You’ll never know.”

He kept smiling at me like I was some puzzle he wanted to solve. I smiled back, but only a little. There was a wall between us—one he couldn’t see, but I could feel. It stood firm, cold, and necessary.

We reached the café and grabbed a table by the window. Campus moved outside—people, bikes, the breeze catching in the trees. Warm light poured across our table, catching on Liam’s watch, Macey’s silver rings, and the edge of my nail polish.

I let myself settle in.

Liam launched into a story about his roommate’s horrible Tinder date—the girl showed up with her mother, apparently, and insisted on a background check before the appetizer.

Macey howled with laughter, practically choking on her drink. “No way. That didn’t happen.”

“I swear,” Liam said, raising his hand like he was in court. “It was the most uncomfortable three-course meal of his life. Her mom even asked if he’d ever been arrested.”

I laughed. Really laughed. It came out of me soft and surprised, like I hadn’t planned for it.

Liam looked pleased. Like he’d won something.

Macey noticed, of course. She always did. But she didn’t say a word. She just sipped her coffee with a sly smile and let it be.

The moment was… good. Simple. Nothing sharp around the edges. No secrets, no games, no power tangled into affection.

I felt it in my chest, that stillness.

Liam leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. “So, are you seeing anyone? Or are you just professionally mysterious?”

I smirked. “Depends on the day.”

He laughed again, shaking his head. “I’m going to figure you out, Samantha.”

“You can try,” I said softly, fingers brushing the side of my cup.

But inside, I already knew—he couldn’t. Not really.

Still, it was nice to pretend. Just for a little while.

After a while, Macey excused herself to use the bathroom, gathering her phone and slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Don’t go falling in love without me,” she teased before walking off.

I rolled my eyes and took another slow sip of my drink.

Liam leaned in slightly, his voice lower now. “You’re kind of a mystery, you know that?”

I turned my head toward him, raising a brow. “Am I?”

He smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting in that easy, charming way. “You are. You sit there so calm, like nothing ever touches you. Like you’re somewhere else, thinking a little too hard about something you won’t say out loud.”

I tilted my head, letting my gaze drop to the table. “Maybe I like it that way.”

“Yeah,” he said, studying me. “I get that.”

I could feel his eyes on me, trying to read beneath the surface. It wasn’t uncomfortable—but it wasn’t easy, either. It made me want to disappear and stay, all at once.

“You have this look,” he added, softer now. “Like you're always thinking of how to murder someone.”

I glanced back up, meeting his gaze without blinking. “Maybe I am.”

His mouth twitched again, but his tone was more serious now. “You’re too calm. It’s either a trauma response… or you’re secretly in love with me.”

That pulled a dry laugh from me, the sound short and low. “Can’t I just be calm?”

He grinned. “Nope. Not allowed.”

I smirked but didn’t say anything else. I let the quiet sit between us like a shared secret.

Then Macey came back, sliding into her seat and picking up her drink. “What did I miss? You two look like you just signed a blood oath.”

“Just talking,” I said, offering her a smile. A soft one.

She looked between us with narrowed eyes but let it go. “Well, we should get moving. Next class is in twenty minutes, and I need my front-row seat.”

We stood and walked together across campus. The breeze had picked up a little, ruffling my dress and cooling my skin. Liam walked with us, still tossing casual remarks and little jokes, but my head was quieter now. My body too. The wall had gone back up, like a reflex.

After class, I drove back home with Macey. She lived only ten minutes away, and we usually carpooled when the day ended early like this. She dropped her bag in the back and slipped into the passenger seat with a sigh.

“You’re not gonna talk about it?” She asked after a beat, buckling her seatbelt.

“Talk about what?”

She gave me a side glance. “Liam. Your secret man who keeps sponsoring your mood today.”

I laughed lightly, shaking my head. “He’s not my anything.”

“You two had a vibe.”

“We talked.”

Macey raised a brow. “Yeah, and you smiled more today than you have in weeks.”

I didn’t reply. Just focused on the road. My fingers curled slightly around the wheel.

“You’re blushing,” she added in a sing-song voice.

“No, I’m not.”

“You totally are.”

I turned up the volume on the radio a little. Just enough to fill the space.

She snorted. “Changing the subject. Classic Sam.”

I smiled to myself. “Some things are better left unsaid.”

That shut her up for a bit. But in that quiet, I felt her still watching me from the corner of her eye, probably wondering what I wasn’t telling her.

The truth was, there were a lot of things I didn’t say. To anyone.

Not even her.

Macey meant well. She always did. But some things weren’t for light conversations over iced coffee and traffic lights.

Some things were mine alone.

And even if Liam was sweet… and funny… and charming in all the right ways…

I knew better than to let someone like him too close.

Sweet boys liked to fix things.

I didn’t need fixing.

Not when I was already stitched together in ways no one could understand.