"Of all the people to run into…"
The night air in London always felt a little more dramatic than necessary. Cold, crisp, and heavy with the scent of rain, even when the skies were clear. I wrapped my arms around myself as Ava and I strolled through the university gardens, the lamps casting soft yellow glows over the stone paths.
"I needed this walk," Ava sighed, stretching like a cat. "Too many emotions. Too many boys."
I gave her a side-eye. "Austin, you mean?"
She bumped her hip into mine. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy Theo's hand on your shoulder today."
I turned pink immediately. "He—he was being annoying!"
"Sure," she smirked. "And your heart totally wasn't doing gymnastics."
I was about to fire back with something witty and ridiculous when I heard it—low laughter. Familiar.
We turned the corner, and I froze mid-step.
There they were.
Theo and Austin.
Sitting on the edge of the old marble fountain like they owned the whole university. Austin was tossing a coin in the air. Theo was smoking—or, well, holding a cigarette, though it wasn't lit. His gaze lifted the moment he saw us.
Of course he saw us.
"Look who it is," Austin said with a grin, standing up and casually brushing off his jeans. "What are you two doing out past curfew? Bad girls."
Ava crossed her arms, but she was smiling. "We walk when we want. Bad girls don't follow rules."
Theo stood slower, blue eyes fixed on me. "Funny. I thought I told you to be careful where you walk."
I raised a brow. "And I thought I told you to stop smoking like an idiot."
He smirked, tucking the cigarette into his pocket. "Would you believe me if I said I haven't lit one all day?"
My heart did that dumb flutter thing again. Traitor.
"Coincidence," I muttered.
Theo stepped closer, hands in his jacket pockets. "Or maybe you're just a good influence."
"Or maybe you're full of it," I shot back.
He laughed low under his breath. "There's that firecracker again."
Austin leaned toward Ava and whispered something that made her giggle—and not a soft, polite laugh either. A full-on, hand-over-mouth kind of snort.
I looked back at Theo, who was now close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating off his body. He tilted his head slightly.
"Night walks?" he asked.
"Yeah."
He glanced up at the stars, then back at me. "Romantic."
"Coincidental," I said quickly.
"Still," he said, voice low, "you ran into me again."
"Not on purpose."
"Maybe fate's pushing us around."
I rolled my eyes, but my cheeks betrayed me again. I knew it. I felt it.
Ava looped her arm through mine and tugged me forward. "C'mon, Mei. Ignore the troublemakers."
Austin grinned. "Who said we were trouble?"
"You wear it on your face," Ava tossed back.
Theo leaned in, close to my ear, voice deep and smug. "She likes me. You can't protect her from that."
I yanked Ava faster and pretended not to hear that.
But I did.
I definitely did.