2026-07-17 23:28:08
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Chapter 363
Natalie told herself she was only checking on Becky.That was the first thing she repeated whenever the thought made her uncomfortable.She wasn't trying to interrupt her life.She wasn't trying to invade her space.She wasn't trying to take back the closeness they once had.She was simply making sure Becky was okay.After all, that was what friends did.They looked out for each other.They noticed when something was wrong.They cared.The explanation sounded reasonable enough that Natalie stopped questioning it.The following morning, she arrived on campus earlier than usual. She had no classes for another hour, but she found herself walking toward the library without thinking too much about it.The library had always been one of Becky's favorite places.Natalie knew that.She had learned it through countless conversations, through the little details Becky casually mentioned, through the moments when Becky would say she needed somewhere quiet to focus.That didn't mean she was follow
Chapter 362
Natalie barely slept that night.Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the same image.Becky laughing.Jared standing beside her.Their hands connected as they walked away together.She hated that the scene bothered her as much as it did. She hated that she had spent hours replaying a moment that should not have mattered to her. Becky was happy. Jared was the person she had chosen. Natalie knew that.She knew.At least, she kept telling herself that.By morning, the exhaustion showed on her face. She stood in front of her mirror longer than usual, fixing her hair and adjusting her clothes even though she had nowhere important to be. She simply didn't want to look like she had spent the entire night fighting with her own thoughts.When she arrived at campus, Jessica immediately noticed."You look tired," Jessica said as she walked beside her toward the lecture hall, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Did you even sleep?"Natalie forced a small smile and adjusted the strap of her bag."I s
Chapter 361
Natalie kept her promise.That thought stayed with her from the moment she stepped onto campus the following morning. As students poured through the university gates in their usual rush, she deliberately chose the longer route toward the humanities building instead of cutting through the courtyard where she normally had the best chance of running into Becky.It wasn't easy.Her feet almost carried her there out of habit before she caught herself and turned away.She drew in a slow breath, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag."You're trying," she reminded herself.Becky had asked for space.Not because she was angry.Not because she wanted to end their friendship.She had simply needed a little room to breathe.Natalie respected that.She wanted to respect it.That was what friends did.Jessica caught up with her outside the lecture hall, balancing two textbooks against her hip."There you are," she said with a grin. "I thought you were going to be late."Natalie forced a smile
Chapter 360
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
Chapter 359
Becky first noticed it because of a book.It was a small thing, the kind of thing most people would have forgotten almost immediately. She had spent nearly an hour in the library the previous night searching for a finance reference book her professor had recommended for an upcoming assignment. The only copy available had already been borrowed, and after refreshing the page several times with no success, she had eventually accepted that she would have to find another source.By the time she arrived on campus the next morning, the frustration had already disappeared from her mind.She was halfway across the courtyard when Natalie called her name."Becky."She turned and smiled when she saw her approaching. Natalie looked more relaxed than she had a few weeks ago, her expression softer and her movements less hesitant. She adjusted the strap of her bag before reaching inside and pulling out a book."I think this belongs to you."Becky looked down, and her steps slowed.The title immediate
Chapter 358
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
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