The days following Lucas's confession felt different like something between them had shifted.
Amelia couldn't stop thinking about his words. "Because you're starting to matter to me more than I ever expected."
Those words should have comforted her but instead, they left a hollow ache in her chest. Because no matter how much Lucas cared, she couldn't ignore the secrets he was still keeping.
And Evelyn's warning echoed in her mind. "Ask him why he really left his last school."
At Excel High, the atmosphere had changed.
The whispers about Amelia hadn't disappeared but something was different. For the first time, people hesitated before mocking her. Lucas's presence by her side made them think twice.
But not everyone was afraid.
Amelia noticed it immediately as she slid into her seat. Evelyn was watching her again. But this time, there was no smirk, no mocking smile.