op loving someone is

ate had o

brother's terrible planning and the Maplewood Univer

balance a massive cardboard box labeled BOOKS / HEAVY AF against my

tters, frantically swiping her student ID ag

ting out a pathetic groan as I dump the box onto a nearby plastic bench. My hands are completely indented with

, a small spark of genuine e

ured lawns. This morning felt like Day One of my new life. A reinvention. No more hiding in the shadows of my past. No more losi

t. I have new goals, a new sched

obby and pointing across the concrete courtyard. "Isn't

the premium, modern brick building reserved for varsity sports players. It's clos

g in my stomach. "Liam said he an

nal mini-panic attack. "Free security guards and built-

, nervous flutter in my throat. It's fine, I tell

ay, trying to shake off the weird feeling. "The soon

winter sweaters out of the trunk, while Mia grabs a pair of lamps and a giant plush rug. Balancin

shadow fal

hand wit

y recognizable. My muscles lock up bef

Hockey cap, a silver chain catching the bright Vermont sunlight against his tanned neck. He looks like he just go

ng me by doing a violent, erratic tap-dance a

nodding toward the basement entrance of my building. He steps closer, his dark

ickly, my stubborn pride

ng out the sun. He reaches down, his large, calloused hands brushing against mine as he takes the weight

tly, his voice dropping an octave as he lifts

mutter, turning to lead the way up the concrete stairwell b

pstairs. But as I walk a step ahead of him, the silence between us feels incredibly loud. I can

room 312 and open the door. Jace walks in, setting th

wooden doorframe, suddenly feeling very

his baseball cap, running a hand through his d

ent lighting of the hallway, I notice

car right near his jawline-probably from an old skate blade or a high stick. There are dark, heavy shadows of exhaustion tucke

when he looks down at me. The intimidating, intense ar

. He isn't a poster on a wall or a distant dream. Jace Donovan is becoming a real, bre

t the corner of his lips. "He's already stressing about your schedule. If he get

s my lips. "Please do. He already lectur

arbone before snapping back up to my face. The air in the room instantly

ghtly as he steps backward into the hallway. "He's

you,

shaky breath. Get it together, I lecture myself, pressing my palms agains

ia is already asleep, snoring softly under her pile of throw pillows, th

t-shirt, scrolling through a syllabus on my laptop. Outsi

one buzzes agai

quinting at the

: Welcome to c

an even type a response, a second text lighting up the

: It's Jace. S