All Chapters of Always into You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The air was thick with the scent of summer grass, cheap beer, and the faint sweetness of blooming jasmine from someone's nearby backyard. Fairy lights strung across the trees twinkled like a cheap imitation of the stars overhead, and the graduation party was in full swing. Laughter echoed, music pulsed from portable speakers, and clusters of seniors celebrated the end of one chapter and the terrifying freedom of the next.Ethan Rivers stood at the edge of the bonfire's glow, his heart hammering so hard he was sure everyone could hear it. He clutched a red plastic cup he hadn't even sipped from, the soda inside long gone flat. Three years of stolen glances, brushedoff daydreams, and quiet longing had led him to this moment. Tonight, he would finally tell Caleb Stone how he felt.Caleb was impossible to miss. Even in the crowd, he stood out: tall, broadshouldered, with that easy, golden smile that made teachers forgive late assignments and classmates orbit around him like he was the sun

The drive to Riverside University felt like shedding skin. Ethan watched the landscape shift from familiar suburbs to rolling hills and then to the sprawl of a new city, the radio playing indie tracks that drowned out his thoughts. His mom hummed along, occasionally glancing at him with that mix of pride and worry only parents could master."You're going to be amazing," she said as they pulled into the campus parking lot. Towering brick buildings lined the quad, students milling about with boxes and laughter. "Call me every day. Or at least text."Ethan hugged her tight before she drove off, waving until her car disappeared. Alone now, he hoisted his duffel bag and headed to the dorms, the weight of reinvention settling on his shoulders.His room was on the third floor of Willow Hall, a coed building buzzing with movein energy. The door was propped open, and inside, a whirlwind of color greeted him. Posters of abstract art covered one wall, a rainbow flag draped over the bed, and a gu

The first few months at Riverside blurred into a comforting routine that Ethan clung to like a lifeline. Classes started with the chaos of syllabi and seat claiming, but psychology lectures captivated him from day one. Professor Harlan's intro course on human development unpacked concepts of identity and resilience that mirrored his own journey. Ethan took notes furiously, highlighting passages that felt personal.Mornings often began at Bean There, the campus coffee shop where he landed a barista job within weeks. The owner, a gruff but fair woman named Carla, trained him on the espresso machine. "Smile at the customers, but don't let them walk over you," she advised. Ethan mastered latte art quickly: hearts, leaves, even simple tulips on busy days. Tips piled up in the jar, funding late night snacks and the occasional new book.His shifts overlapped with a mix of students. Luke became a regular, lingering at the counter for chats that stretched between orders. "You're a lifesaver,"

Ethan's avoidance strategy worked for exactly ten days. He mastered the campus like a map of minefields: the side entrance to the psych building, the back stairs in the library, the gym during peak hours when crowds swallowed individuals. Caleb became a phantom he spotted in peripherals: a tall figure turning a corner, a familiar laugh carried on the wind. Each glimpse twisted the knife, but Ethan refused to bleed openly.In therapy, Dr. Ramirez noted the tension in his posture. "You're carrying a lot again. The sighting triggered old defenses.""It's like he's everywhere and nowhere," Ethan said, rubbing his temples. "I just want him gone.""Control what you can," she advised. "Your reactions, your boundaries. The rest? Let it be."Easier said than done. Nights brought dreams: the graduation party replaying, but twisted. Sometimes Caleb accepted the confession with a smile. Other times, the rejection cut deeper, laughter echoing endlessly. Ethan woke sweating, journaling furiously to

Caleb Stone's dorm room felt like a cage that first month at Riverside. The single window overlooked a parking lot, not the scenic quad he'd hoped for, and the cinderblock walls echoed every sigh. Boxes still sat half unpacked in the corner: trophies from high school football, faded photos with old teammates, a life that no longer fit.He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at an open journal on his lap. The pages were filled with cramped handwriting—entries dating back two years, raw and unfiltered. Confessions he never sent. Regrets he carried alone.Tonight's entry began the same way many did.Saw him again. Closing the coffee shop. He looked... tired. Angry. Beautiful. God, I messed up so bad.Caleb rubbed his eyes, the memory of Ethan's sharp words cutting fresh. "You should hate yourself for it." He did. Had for years.High school felt like another lifetime. Golden boy. Quarterback. Homecoming king. His dad's proud handshakes after every game, the expectations heavy as the pads