Chapter 4

I watched from across the quad as Eve's carefully constructed facade began to crumble. She stood with Troy near the humanities building, her voice carrying just enough for me to catch fragments of their conversation.

"I need more time with you," she was saying, her fingers clutching his arm. "This project is consuming all my energy, and I feel like you're pulling away."

Troy's expression was strained, his usual easy confidence replaced by something that looked almost like... guilt? "I'm not pulling away, Eve. We're both under pressure."

"You promised we'd work together on this presentation," she pressed, her eyes…