Melissa spent the entire next day avoiding both Alec and Dayne.
She took longer routes to her classes.
She skipped the cafeteria.
She even hid in the library for hours, pretending to study.
Anything to escape the confusing mess inside her chest.
Why was this happening?
Why couldn't things stay simple?
Melissa sighed and buried her face in her hands, ignoring the stares from the librarian.
Just as she decided it was safe to sneak back to her dorm, a familiar voice stopped her cold.
"Running away again, Lisa?"
Her heart flipped.
Slowly, she turned.
There he was.
Alec.
Standing just a few feet away, hands in his pockets, wearing a black hoodie and jeans, looking infuriatingly good.
Melissa swallowed.
"I'm not running," she said stiffly, gathering her books.
Alec's mouth curved into a slight, humorless smile.
"Could've fooled me."
His voice was low, rough.
It made her skin prickle.
Melissa adjusted her bag, trying to walk past him — but Alec sidestepped, blocking her path.
"You hate me that much, huh?"
Melissa clenched her jaw.
"You deserve it," she snapped before she could stop herself.
Something flickered in his eyes — regret? anger? — but again, it was gone too fast to catch.
"I know," Alec said simply.
Melissa stared at him.
"No excuses?" she challenged.
Alec shook his head.
"No."
There was an unsettling sincerity in his voice.
For once, he wasn't wearing that smug, untouchable mask.
It disarmed her more than any apology could have.
She hated it.
She hated how her heart twisted painfully.
"Melissa..." Alec started, stepping closer.
She backed away instinctively, bumping into the bookshelf behind her.
"Don't," she said, voice trembling.
For a second, Alec hesitated.
Then — like he couldn't help himself — he lifted his hand and brushed a stray hair from her face.
His fingers barely grazed her skin, but Melissa flinched like she'd been burned.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Alec's eyes dropped to her mouth — just for a second — and Melissa felt heat creep up her neck.
It would be so easy to lean forward.
It would be so easy to make the same mistake again.
But she wouldn't.
She couldn't.
"I need to go," Melissa whispered, voice cracking.
Alec stepped back immediately, hands raised.
"I won't stop you," he said, almost gently.
She fled the library without looking back.
Later that evening, Dayne found her sitting alone in the campus gardens, her knees pulled to her chest.
"You know," he said casually, sitting down beside her, "you're really bad at hiding."
Melissa didn't answer.
Dayne didn't push her.
He just sat there, close but not touching, watching the sun sink behind the trees.
After a long silence, Melissa finally spoke.
"Dayne... why are you always around?"
He chuckled.
"Is it bothering you?"
"No... it's just..." she struggled for words.
"It's comforting," she admitted finally.
Dayne smiled — not his usual cocky grin — but something softer, something real.
"I'm glad," he said simply.
The wind played with her hair, the roses in the garden swaying around them.
Dayne hesitated — then brushed his fingers lightly over her hand, not holding, just... being there.
Melissa's heart hurt for an entirely different reason now.
Why can't it be simple?
Why can't love be easy?
She didn't know how long they sat there, but for the first time in days, Melissa didn't feel like running.
Not yet.