The campus was bathed in the golden light of late afternoon. Mei sat at her usual spot under the towering oak tree, her fingers idly flipping through the pages of her textbook. But her mind was elsewhere. No matter how hard she tried to focus on her upcoming finals, her thoughts kept drifting back to Liam. Ever since Eva had started hanging around him more, something had shifted between them, though she could never quite put her finger on it.
Liam had always been the charming, carefree type, effortlessly drawing people in. Mei had grown accustomed to the attention he got, but Eva… Eva was different. There was a subtle tension whenever the three of them were together, as if they were all waiting for something unspoken to break the surface.
A sudden burst of laughter interrupted her thoughts. Mei looked up, and there they were—Liam and Eva, walking across the courtyard together. Eva's eyes sparkled with amusement as Liam said something, his hand brushing against hers in a casual but familiar way. The sight sent an unexpected pang through Mei's chest.
Without thinking, Mei stood up, her book falling to the ground. She quickly picked it up, but her heart wasn't in her studies anymore. The uncertainty that had been simmering inside her for weeks now felt unbearable. She knew she needed to talk to Liam, to clear the air, but every time she tried, the words got stuck in her throat.
As if sensing her inner turmoil, Max suddenly appeared beside her, grinning like the mischievous friend he was. "So, what's the deal? You look like you've seen a ghost," he teased.
Mei sighed, not in the mood for Max's usual antics. "It's nothing."
"Oh, please. I've known you too long to believe that." Max's expression softened as he followed her gaze to where Liam and Eva had just disappeared into the library. "Ah, I see what's going on here. The love triangle of doom."
"It's not a love triangle," Mei muttered, though even she wasn't convinced by her own words.
Max raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "You know, Liam's oblivious to all of this, right? He's as dense as they come when it comes to feelings. If you don't say something, someone else will."
Mei looked at Max, her frustration mounting. "It's not that simple."
Max shrugged, his grin returning. "Nothing ever is. But you've got to make a move before graduation, or you're going to regret it."
Mei knew he was right. Graduation was looming closer, and with it, the possibility that everything would change. The thought of leaving without resolving things with Liam was something she couldn't bear. But what if Liam didn't feel the same way? What if she was too late?
"Think about it," Max said, giving her a playful nudge before walking away. "I'm rooting for you, by the way."
Later that evening, Mei found herself standing outside the library. The sky had darkened, the cool evening breeze brushing against her skin as she took a deep breath. She could see Liam through the glass windows, sitting at a table with Eva, their heads bent over a project. They looked comfortable together—too comfortable.
Mei clenched her fists, fighting the urge to turn around and walk away. But Max's words echoed in her mind: "If you don't say something, someone else will."
Gathering her courage, Mei pushed open the door and walked inside.