Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Collision : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Ariana's POVThe drive back to campus felt longer than the one out, even though the road hadn't changed and neither had the scenery blurring past the window. I kept my phone face down in my lap, resisting the urge to check it again.Jace sat beside me, quieter than usual, glancing over every few minutes like he was trying to read something in my face I wasn't offering up freely. I kept my eyes on the window, on the trees thinning out into familiar exit signs, giving him nothing to work with."You've been quiet since breakfast," he said finally, voice low enough that it stayed between us, the rest of the van filled with Ryan's music and Mike's occasional laugh at something on his phone."Just tired," I said, which wasn't entirely a lie, just not the whole truth either.He didn't push, but I felt his eyes linger a second longer before he looked away, back out his own window, giving me the space I was clearly asking for without actually asking for it.By the time we pulled into the campu

Jace POVI stayed on the edge of Ariana’s bed, her head still resting lightly against my shoulder, her fingers loosely threaded through mine. The lamp on her desk cast a soft, uneven glow across the room, throwing long shadows on the walls and making the small space feel even smaller. Becca had slipped out quietly a while ago, leaving just the two of us and the low hum of the air conditioner.“You know,” I said after a stretch of comfortable silence, my voice low, “Ryan’s never going to let me live down that kiss at breakfast. He’s probably already making memes about it in the group chat.”Ariana let out a small laugh, the sound vibrating against my shoulder. “He’s ridiculous. The way he kept pushing us like we were on some reality show. Like one kiss would prove everything.”“Exactly.” I tilted my head just enough to catch her expression, my thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles without thinking. “Next time he challenges us, I’m telling him to mind his own business. Or… I’ll just

Jace POVI pushed open the heavy library door, two coffees in my hands, the warmth seeping through the cups. The place was quiet, just the soft rustle of pages and the occasional click of a laptop. I spotted Ariana at a corner table on the second floor, her head bent over a notebook, pen moving fast across the page. Her hair was tied back in that messy way she did when she was deep in work, a few strands falling loose around her face.I walked over slowly, not wanting to break her concentration. She didn’t look up right away, so I set the coffee down gently next to her elbow.“Hey,” I said softly. “Thought you might need this.”She blinked, coming out of her focus, and looked up at me. A small smile tugged at her lips. “You actually came.”“Told you I would.” I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, even though I’d planned to just drop the coffee and leave. “How’s the article going?”“Slow.” She took a sip of the coffee, her eyes closing for a second like it was exactly wh

Jace's POV My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked back from practice, gear bag slung over one shoulder. I pulled it out and Ariana’s name lit up the screen. Ariana: Hey, you free? I could use some company. Scholarship stuff is really stressing me out. I didn’t even think about it. Me: Yeah. Meet at the bench by the library in 10? Ariana: See you there. I changed direction, cutting across the quad toward the library. The evening air felt cooler now, carrying that quiet hum of campus winding down for the night. My mind stayed fixed on her. She’d been distant since the gossip about her ex picked up again, and now this scholarship pressure on top? I hated watching her shoulder it all by herself. She was already sitting there when I arrived, knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them. She looked smaller than usual, tired in a way that made my chest tighten. When she saw me, she gave a small, weary smile. “Hey,” I said, dropping down beside her on the bench. “You okay?”

Maya POVI couldn’t shake the sour taste in my mouth since last night. That message I sent Ariana sat heavy on my phone, she hadn't replied, just silence. It burned. I grabbed my bag and headed across campus, legs moving faster than my brain could justify. I told myself I just wanted coffee. But I knew where she usually studied.The café was busy. Loud enough that a scene wouldn’t be ignored. Perfect. I spotted her in the corner; Ariana, curled over her laptop like the world might swallow her. Earbuds in, shoulders hunched. She looked small and tired. Good.I walked straight to her table and sat down without asking. She looked up fast, surprise flashing across her face before it turned guarded.“Maya,” she said, pulling one earbud out slowly. “What do you want?”I smiled. “Just catching up. Saw you and Jace playing house on that double date last night. Looked…cute.”Her fingers tightened on her coffee cup. She didn’t answer right away. I watched her swallow hard.“It’s none of your bu