Alex just leaned back, eyes flicking between me and the kitchen. “Careful, Lockhart,” he said quietly. “Guys like us don’t get girls like her twice.”
Yeah. I know.
Chapter Sixty-One
Aurora / Joshua
Aurora
Monday morning and we’re back on campus… I was kind of nervous, to be honest, especially with everything that had happened. Not that bad things happened, but… I just felt extra happy. Which was weird, right?I don’t know.
I adjusted the strap of my bag and spotted familiar faces in the courtyard. Layla and Miles. Layla was holding a small bag, one of those neat, pastel-coloured ones with tissue paper poking out of the top.
She looked nervous, her eyes darting between Miles and the bag as if it might explode if she held it any longer.
I walked over just as Miles gave her a teasing grin.
“Early morning gift-giving?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, trying to sound casual.
Layla’s cheeks instantly turned pink. “Oh—uh, it’s not, I—”
Miles smirked wider, his hands sliding into his pockets. “Relax. It’s for Matthew,” he said, nodding at the bag. “April 6th, birthday boy. These are from Layla and Aly.”
I blinked. “Matthew?”
Layla’s blush deepened, and she looked away, fussing with her sleeve. Matthew? I’d seen her talk to Miles plenty of times,but never to Matthew. Aly did; she talked to basically everyone, so her giving him a gift was fair, but Layla? Not once. Still, she didn’t say anything, so I didn’t press.
“Oh,” I murmured, smiling softly. “That’s sweet.”
Miles shrugged. “He’s in class already; I’ll drop it off. Big twenty today.” He winked, walking away. Typical Miles.
I turned back to Layla. She was staring at the pavement as if it held all the world’s secrets.
“You okay?” I asked gently.
Layla exhaled, looking up. “Yeah. Just… nervous, I guess.”
Before I could say anything else, she forced a smile and linked her arm with mine, steering us toward the main building. “Come on. Let’s wait for Jennie and Aly before class.”
I nodded, letting her pull me along, but a thought lingered as we walked. Layla never gave gifts justbecause. I wondered if there was more to the way she looked at Matthew than any of us had ever noticed.
Aly and Jennie finally showed up, both holding two cups each. Jennie balancing hers like a pro, Aly nearly spilling hers while laughing about something.
“Morning!” Jennie chirped, handing Layla and me our drinks. “Hot latte for you, Lay, and iced tea for my caffeine-free baby.”
I smiled, taking the cup from her. “Thank you,” I said, the cool condensation already slipping between my fingers.
We stood there in our little circle, warmth and chatter filling the space… until it didn’t, because suddenly, they stopped talking.
Like… completely.
Jennie froze mid-sip, Aly’s mouth was slightly open, and Layla blinked as if she’d seen a ghost.
“Wh—” I started, beginning to turn around, and there he was.
Joshua.
Right there, in front of me. Tall, broad, hair still messy like he’d just run his hand through it before getting here. My brain short-circuited for a second.
