The apology was limp. Unconvincing.
“That’s it?” Riya said.
The boy shrugged. “Uh, yeah. Pretty much.”
Riya shook her head. “Nuh-uh. Not good enough. You’re going to walk with us to Mel’s Physics class and explain—”
But the boy was already taking several steps back.
“Yeah, no. Not happening,” he said, voice dipped in mockery. “The office called me, so, you know.”
He gave her a lazy salute. “Later, Miss Justice Junkie.”
And just like that, he slipped away, as effortlessly as smoke through fingers.
Riya stared after him, stunned.
Then—
“At least help pick it up, you troglodyte!” she yelled.
The bystanders, murmuring in disappointment, dispersed. Like it’d never happened. That was almost the worst part: howquicklyeveryone moved on, leaving Riya with a prickling, righteous fury that had nowhere else to go.
She swallowed it down and knelt beside Mel.
“If I see that guy again,” she muttered, picking up ashattered wheel, “I willmakehim apologize.Properly.”
Mel sighed, then offered a weak smile. “Thanks for sticking up for me, but I’m—it’ll be fine. I’ll just tell Mr. Thakur what happened. It’s no big deal.”
Riya frowned. She’d taken Physics with Mr. Thakur last year—strict didn’t even begin to cover it. No working car, no grade. No exceptions.
Before she could respond, a cheerful, Irish-lilted voice cut in.
“Melanie—you good there?”
Andrew Murphy. In the flesh.
Mel jolted upright, her face flushing bright pink.
“I—I’m fine!” she stammered. “Totally fine! Just a little bruised. And embarrassed, if I’m being honest.”
Andrew crouched beside them, his coppery-brown hair catching the light as he helped gather the broken pieces. “Don’t be. He was the one being an arse.”
He handed Mel a splintered axle. “Kian Kho’s... kind of infamous. Last week I saw him ditching class to nap under the bleachers.”
Kian Kho.Sothatwas his name. Riya filed it away for later.
Mel, meanwhile, stared at Andrew like he’d hung the moon. Riya could practically hear her internal monologue:Andrew’s such a gentleman! Like an Irish siren here to lure me to the forests! My own personal Hozier!
“Just take it easy the rest of the day, yeah?” Andrew glanced at Riya, his brow quirking. “Lean on your...verytall friend, if you have to. Good God, what are you? Five ten?”
“Five eleven,” Riya corrected automatically.
“Jesus Christ.” He shook his head, before turning back to Mel. “Well, I’m glad you’re all right. Next time you fall, I’ll try to catch you.”
He winked and turned away in an attempt to be suave.
But Riya caught one telling detail: His ears were a bright, beacon red.
