The air was thick with the warmth of late spring, the campus alive with the energy of students preparing for graduation. Mei stood by the old willow tree, her hands fidgeting with the ends of her scarf, a habit she'd picked up when she was nervous. She couldn't shake the tension that had settled in her chest over the past few days. Graduation was only weeks away, and everything felt uncertain.
Max had been his usual self calm, reassuring, steady but even his words couldn't quiet the nagging voice in her mind that kept whispering, What if things change? What if we change?
She heard footsteps approaching behind her and turned to see Liam walking toward her. His hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets, and his usual bright smile was dimmed by a look of quiet contemplation. It wasn't like Liam to be so withdrawn.
"Hey," Mei greeted him, trying to keep her voice light, but it came out strained.
"Hey," Liam replied, his eyes scanning her face as if searching for something he couldn't quite find. He stopped a few feet away, letting out a soft sigh. "You've been avoiding me."
Mei blinked, surprised by the bluntness of his words. "I haven't been avoiding you," she said defensively, though she knew it wasn't entirely true.
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because every time I try to talk to you, you've been… elsewhere."
She opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. He was right. She had been pulling away. But not because of him it was something deeper, something she couldn't fully explain.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's just… everything's changing so fast, and I don't know how to handle it."
Liam stepped closer, concern flashing in his eyes. "You're scared about graduation?"
Mei nodded, though it wasn't just graduation she was worried about. It was the uncertainty that came with it the unknown paths they were all about to walk. "What if we all end up in different places? What if things don't stay the same between us?"
Liam's expression softened, and he reached out, taking her hand in his. "Mei, we're always going to be friends. No matter what happens after graduation, that's not going to change."
For a moment, the warmth of his touch comforted her, but there was a part of her that knew things already had changed. She had noticed the way Liam looked at Eva these days, how his eyes lingered on her when she wasn't looking. It was subtle, but it was there. Mei wasn't sure why it bothered her so much she had Max, and their relationship was strong but something about Liam and Eva's growing closeness made her feel… uneasy.
"I hope so," Mei said, pulling her hand away gently. "It just feels like everything is shifting."
Before Liam could respond, Eva appeared from the direction of the library, waving at them with a bright smile. She jogged over, slightly out of breath, and looped her arm through Liam's without hesitation.
"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Eva asked, her eyes flicking between them with curiosity.
"Just… graduation stuff," Liam said, his tone casual as if the conversation with Mei hadn't been heavy moments before.
Eva's face lit up. "Speaking of which, have you guys started applying for jobs yet? I got an interview at this company in the city next week!"
Mei felt her stomach twist at the mention of the city. The idea of all of them scattering, going their separate ways, suddenly felt all too real. "That's amazing, Eva," she said, forcing a smile.
"Yeah, that's awesome," Liam added, his enthusiasm genuine. He gave Eva's arm a light squeeze, and Mei noticed the way Eva's cheeks flushed slightly at the gesture.
A pang of jealousy surged through Mei, though she quickly pushed it aside. She had Max. She was happy. But seeing Liam and Eva so close stirred something inside her she didn't want to acknowledge.
As if on cue, Max appeared from behind the tree, his usual carefree grin on his face. "There you are, I've been looking for you guys!"
He came over and wrapped his arm around Mei's shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple. The warmth of his embrace grounded her, but the unsettled feeling still lingered.
"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Max asked, looking between them.
"We could grab dinner at that new place by the river," Eva suggested. "I've heard great things about it."
Liam nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me."
Mei forced a smile, though her thoughts were still elsewhere. As they made their way toward the campus gates, she walked in silence, her mind racing. She glanced at Max beside her, who was talking animatedly with Liam and Eva, but all she could think about was how fragile everything felt.
The future stretched out before them, full of possibilities, but with it came the fear of losing what they had. Mei had always thought she'd be ready for this moment to take the next step and embrace whatever came next. But now, as the end of their university days loomed closer, she realized she wasn't as ready as she thought.