Chapter 8

Three in the afternoon.

I sat down at a desk in the Law School library, dark circles under my eyes.

The senior student across from me, Chloe, immediately winked.

"Alex, you really missed out yesterday. Ryder completely crushed the Economics Department's debate team. It was epic."

I was stunned. "He had a debate yesterday?"

Chloe shot me a knowing, amused grin.

"Yeah, in the lecture hall. Packed house. Speaking of… that thing on your neck, could it be…"

I quickly covered my neck, my ears burning.

"A mosquito bite!"

Chloe’s smile deepened. "Oh, a very *big* mosquito~"

I was so embarrassed, I wanted to crawl into a hole.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind me. "Excuse me."

My body stiffened. I didn’t need to turn to know who it was.

"What a coincidence?"

Ryder sat across from me, taking his laptop out of his bag.

Chloe's eyes darted between us, and then she wisely packed up her things.

"I just remembered I have a date. Gotta go."

Once Chloe was gone, I lowered my voice.

"Are you stalking me?"

"The Law School library is a public space."

"Then why did you specifically sit across from me?"

He quirked his lips.

"Because the lighting is good here… makes it easier to see your expression."

I ground my teeth in frustration, but there was nothing I could do. I buried my head in my case files.

But his presence was simply too strong. Even without speaking, he made it impossible for me to concentrate.

Ten minutes later, he suddenly spoke.

"You keep staring at me."

"I do not!"

"You've looked at me seven times since you sat down. If you want to look, just look openly. I don't charge."

I flared up, mortified. "Ryder! Can you just—"

"Shh, library. Quiet."

That's when I noticed a few other students nearby were looking at us curiously.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated.

Liam: [I'm downstairs at the library, waiting for you.]

Ryder glanced at my phone screen.

His eyes immediately turned cold.

"He wants to see you?"

"None of your business." I instinctively locked my phone.

"That day, you hugged me and said, 'I never want to like Liam again.' You're going back on that so soon?"

"Those were drunken words!"

"Then what’s the truth?"

He clasped my wrist. "Alex, do you dare admit you feel something for me?"

I shot up, my chair scraping loudly.

Students around us all turned, but I didn't care anymore.

"Ryder, nothing will ever happen between us. That day was a mistake. Just let it go."

With that, I fled the library as if my life depended on it.

iam leaned against a ginkgo tree nearby. When he saw me, he immediately straightened up.

"Alex, Ryder didn't bother you, did he?"