جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 38

MIYARAMy hand was still trapped under his on the table. His thumb had stopped moving, but he didn’t let go.“Jace…” My voice came out shaky. “What are you saying?”He didn’t answer right away; instead, he glanced around the café like he was seeing it for the first time. Then his gaze dragged back to mine, darker than before. “Not here.” He said quietly as the waiter glanced over at us briefly. He stood, pulling me with him in one swift motion. My chair scraped loudly against the tile, and for a second I thought he was going to drag me out the door, but he only moved us three to the corner booth that no one ever sat in. It was half hidden behind a fake plant.He slid in first, then tugged me down beside him instead of across. Our thighs pressed together under the narrow table, closer than we’d ever been.What was he doing?“Better,” he murmured, head tilting to look at me. I scoffed. “What is this?” “Just a safer place for what we’re about to discuss.”I shifted away from him, a s

MIYARAI should have stepped aside. Yet as his eyes held mine, my breath stuttered. He placed both hands on either side of the railing, caging me in.Those lips. I shook the thought away, even though my entire body was tensed up and already reacting to him.“You kept it,” he said, gaze dragging over my face carefully. I raised a brow. “Kept what?”A smirk crossed his face before he stepped back, hand slipping into his pocket. He pulled out something.“The bracelet,” he said quietly.My stomach flipped. His gaze didn't leave mine.No. There was no way he could—“Where did you… Get that?” I asked, voice strained, trying my best not to give away the weird feeling in my stomach. He turned the small object around, observing it, then scoffed. “Who would have thought it would end up buried in an abandoned book?” His eyes snapped to mine as he closed his palms around the bracelet. “You used to never take it off.”A heavy feeling settled in my chest. No matter how many times I told myself it

MIYARA“Hey….I heard you moved in… thought I’d say hi.” It was Zara, the Netherlands transfer student I’d helped who wouldn’t stop at thanking me afterward. Her usually braided hair was left in an afro, a warm smile lifting her face.I released a sigh of relief, my body calming the tiniest bit.“Zara.” I forced an uneasy smile, opening the door wider to let her in. “That’s… so nice of you.”Isa eyed her suspiciously, her expression unreadable. “Hi…I’m Zara,” she said, stretching out a hand to Isa. For a second, I thought she wasn’t going to take it from how long she was staring at it.“Isabella.” She said in a clipped tone, hand barely touching Zara’s before she pulled it back.“I heard the rumors… I'm so sorry.”“What rumors,?” I asked, completely lost.Zara paused, before her gaze lifted to mine. “You’re…,” she trailed off, stammering. “Trending on all campus socials.”I scoffed, my eyes moving to Isa who was dragging a hand through her hair. “Really?” She finally snapped, voice ri

MIYARATwo days.That’s how long it had taken for the video to vanish from every campus page, every group chat, and every whispered conversation. One morning it was everywhere. The next, it was gone — like someone had wiped it clean with a single click.Isa had come back to the dorm that same night, silent and exhausted. She didn’t explain where she’d been, and I didn’t ask. The air between us felt thick, but at least she was here.This morning, I stepped out when she asked to speak to Elsie alone.“Look…. I didn't know things were gonna end up that way okay. I'm really sorry.” Elsie’s voice drifted to me in the faintest tone as I pressed my ear to the door—bad habit. I know. But I couldn't help feeling left out. Wouldn’t hurt anyone to eavesdrop on a thing or two right?I could hear Isa’s voice, but I couldn’t really make out the words she was saying. “Miyara?”“Za…ra…. what are you doing here?” I said, praying to God my voice came out normal. Too late. Her lips curled up in an amus