Natalie sat quietly on the edge of the bed, the half-empty glass of water resting between her hands. The apartment remained still around them, the silence no longer uncomfortable but fragile, as though neither of them wanted to be the first to disturb it.Becky stayed beside her, watching without speaking. The redness around Natalie's eyes had faded only slightly, but the trembling in her shoulders had finally settled."You look better," Becky said softly, offering a small smile.Natalie looked down at the glass and returned the smile, though it barely reached her eyes. "That's because you're here."The words slipped out so naturally that Becky didn't know how to answer them.Instead, she looked away briefly, smoothing an invisible crease in the blanket before meeting Natalie's gaze again."I'm glad I came.""So am I."Another quiet settled between them.Natalie slowly placed the glass on the bedside table before folding her hands together in her lap. She stared at them for several mo

The first time Becky noticed it, she dismissed it almost immediately.She had stopped by the campus café between lectures, hoping to grab a quick coffee before meeting Jared at the business faculty building. The place was unusually busy, students filling nearly every table with laptops, notebooks, and conversations that blended into a constant murmur. Becky had barely stepped through the door when her eyes landed on a familiar face seated near the window.Natalie looked up from the book in front of her at almost the exact same moment.For the briefest second, surprise crossed her features before it softened into a small smile."Hey," she greeted, closing the book carefully as Becky approached. "I wasn't expecting to see you."Becky smiled back without thinking. "Me neither."Natalie gestured toward the empty chair opposite her. "Do you have a few minutes?"Becky glanced at the time on her phone before slipping it back into her pocket. "Just five. Jared's waiting for me."Natalie nodde

Natalie stood outside the registrar's office, the schedule adjustment form folded neatly between her fingers. The process had taken less than ten minutes. One signature, a quick explanation about preferring a different lecture time, and the change had been approved without question.She thanked the administrator with a polite smile before stepping back into the hallway.Her afternoon lecture had been moved.It now started thirty minutes later.The same time Becky usually finished one of her business classes.Natalie slipped the updated timetable into her bag and continued walking across campus, telling herself it was a better arrangement. The earlier lecture had always felt rushed anyway. This one fit her day more naturally.At least, that was what she repeated in her head.Over the next few days, other changes followed just as quietly.She stopped arriving at the library first thing in the morning and began studying in the early afternoon instead.She pushed lunch back by nearly an ho

The following Monday began like most others.Becky arrived on campus just before her first lecture, balancing a coffee in one hand and a folder beneath the other arm as she hurried across the courtyard. Students streamed past in every direction, filling the walkways with overlapping conversations and hurried footsteps. It was busy enough that she barely paid attention to the faces around her until someone called her name."Becky!"She turned, immediately smiling when she saw Natalie weaving through the crowd toward her."Morning.""Morning." Natalie adjusted the strap of her bag, her cheeks slightly pink from walking quickly. "You're cutting it close today.""I overslept," Becky admitted with an embarrassed laugh. "Jared tried waking me twice.""And you ignored him?""I wish I could deny it."Natalie laughed softly. "That sounds familiar.""It happens more often than I'd like.""I won't tell him.""I appreciate that."They chatted for only a minute before Becky's phone buzzed with a r

Jared didn't tell Becky to stay away from Natalie.That was the first thing he made clear when they talked about it again the following morning.They sat across from each other at the kitchen table, the early sunlight coming through the windows and spreading across the room. Becky had barely touched her breakfast, her attention caught somewhere between her thoughts and the phone resting beside her plate.The picture from the previous night still bothered her.Not because Natalie had taken it.Not because she had found the east garden.But because Becky couldn't understand why she had felt the need to capture that moment from a distance.There was an explanation for everything.At least, there could be.Maybe Natalie had simply seen her while walking by.Maybe she had taken the picture for another reason.Maybe Becky was allowing suspicion to replace trust.She hated that possibility."I don't want to hurt her," Becky said quietly, tracing her finger along the edge of her cup. "That's