Tuesday morning, the courtyard buzzed with the usual chaos—backpacks slung half open, sneakers squeaking against concrete, clusters of students trading homework answers they probably should've finished the night before.
I hadn't even made it to the steps when I spotted Marina weaving through the crowd, iced coffee in one hand, a look on her face that screamed I need to talk.
"Hey," she called, falling in step beside me. "So… Trent asked me out."
I blinked. "And?"
Her nose wrinkled instantly, like I'd just asked if she'd drink expired milk. "And—I don't see him like that." She tugged on her sweater sleeve, frowning. "Trent's… fun. He's nice. But dating him? No. Not in a million years."
I adjusted the strap of my bag. "So you told him no?"
"Not yet." She blew out a sigh, straw poking against her lip as she fiddled with the coffee. "Didn't know how without making it weird. He's my friend, Kai. I don't wanna crush him."
"Then be honest," I said simply.
