The morning sun filtered through the tall glass windows of the university lecture hall, casting a warm glow across the rows of students filing in. Clara slid into her usual seat near the front, flipping open her laptop and setting her notebook beside it. She exhaled slowly, grateful for a brief sense of normalcy.
With her father's health finally stable and his recovery progressing well, Clara found herself breathing a little easier these days. The worry that used to cloud every waking moment had begun to lift, replaced by a renewed sense of purpose. With Final Year coming to a close, she was more determined than ever to work hard and push up her GPA. Her earlier struggles of nights at the hospital, missed lectures, constant emotional fatigue had weighed her down, but now she was ready to catch up and finish strong.
She tapped out some quick notes on her laptop, mentally going over her revision plan for the week when a familiar voice chimed in from behind.
"Good morning, Mrs Reynolds to be" Emily sang, sliding into the seat beside her with a teasing grin.
Clara turned, already blushing. "Please don't say that so loud," she whispered, shooting a nervous glance around.
Emily leaned in dramatically. "Why not? Everyone should know you've officially locked down Liam Reynolds. I mean, come on. That man could ruin a woman just by existing."
Clara groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Can we not?"
"Nope," Emily said with a wicked smile. "So… how's your engagement life with Liam treating you? Any steamy honeymoon trials yet?" She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
Clara nearly choked on air. "Emily!"
Emily cackled, delighted by Clara's flustered expression. "I'm just saying! You two are officially engaged! I figured now that it's official, the… nightly schedule might've been updated."
Clara swatted her lightly with a notebook. "We are not talking about this in a lecture hall."
"But have you?" Emily pressed, eyes gleaming.
Clara rolled her eyes, lips twitching in a smile she couldn't quite hide. "That's none of your business."
Emily gasped. "Oh my god, which means yes."
Clara turned her attention to her laptop, trying to hide her smile. Before Emily could launch into another round of teasing, the lecturer entered, bringing the room to order and saving Clara from further embarrassment at least for the moment.
*****
After class ended, Clara stepped out into the breezy courtyard, stretching her arms overhead and tilting her face up toward the sun. Emily had rushed off to her next class, leaving Clara alone with her thoughts—and her growing checklist of assignments. She tightened her grip on her books, reminding herself that every paper, every quiz, was another step closer to the future she wanted.
That's when she heard a voice behind her.
"Um, excuse me?"
She turned to find a boy, maybe a freshman, standing a few steps away. He looked nervous but determined, backpack slung awkwardly over one shoulder, a red notebook clutched to his chest.
"Yes?" she asked politely.
He cleared his throat. "Sorry to bother you. I just… I see you around campus a lot, and I think you're really pretty. I was wondering if I could, um, maybe get your number?"
Clara blinked, startled. "Oh. That's… sweet of you, but—"
"She's taken," came a familiar voice from behind her, smooth and steady, but with an unmistakable edge.
Clara turned around just in time to see Liam walking toward them, hands in his pockets, eyes locked on the boy in front of her. There was no malice in his expression, but the protective undertone in his voice was impossible to miss.
Liam stopped beside her and casually slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Actually, she's my fiancée."
The younger boy's eyes widened. "Oh. Oh—uh, sorry, I didn't know."
Clara gave him a gentle smile. "It's okay. Really."
The boy mumbled another apology before scurrying off, leaving Clara shaking her head in amusement.
"You didn't have to scare him off," she said, glancing up at Liam with a teasing smile.
He shrugged, unrepentant. "I wasn't scary. I was factual."
Clara raised an eyebrow. "You were jealous."
"Was not."
She nudged him. "You totally were."
He smirked, tugging her a little closer. "Maybe a little. Can you blame me? I walk over and see some kid trying to flirt with the most beautiful woman on campus."
Clara laughed, the sound light and warm. "You're ridiculous."
"And hopelessly in love with you," he added, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
Her heart fluttered at the simple gesture, the sincerity in his eyes. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. "You're lucky I find your jealousy cute."
He grinned, kissing her forehead. "You're lucky I didn't ask for his student ID to make sure he never comes close to you again."
She giggled, hiding her face in his chest as he held her close, right there in the middle of campus. They lingered there for a while, wrapped in each other's warmth as the courtyard buzzed quietly around with students chatting, birds overhead, the distant hum of traffic. Clara felt the steady beat of Liam's heart against her cheek and closed her eyes for a brief second, savoring the calm.
But then Liam gently pulled back to study her face, his expression softening into something more serious.
"You've been pushing yourself hard again, haven't you?"
Clara looked up, blinking at him. "I'm okay."
Liam raised a brow.
She sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Okay, I'm just… trying to catch up. My grades dipped a little last semester with everything that happened, and now that things are finally calmer, I want to end the final year on a high note. I need to."
He cupped her cheek, his thumb gently tracing her skin. "Clara, I love how driven you are. I love how much you care about your future. But not at the cost of your health or your peace of mind."
"I'm not overdoing it," she murmured. "I promise."
Liam tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Swear on our engagement ring?"
Clara gave him a playful shove. "You're so dramatic."
"Only for you."
They both laughed, and Clara leaned into him again, her voice quieter now. "But seriously… It's different this time. I can actually think again. Sleep again. Focus. And you—" she smiled up at him, "you help more than you know."
Liam's arm tightened around her waist. "I'll always be here for you. You know that, right?"
Clara's eyes sparkled with gratitude and affection that swelled too big for words. "How did I get so lucky?"
He lowered his forehead to hers. "I ask myself the same thing every day."
Just then, her phone buzzed in her bag. She groaned softly, pulling away to check it. "Ugh, group meeting reminder. I totally forgot."
Liam leaned down and brushed a quick kiss against her lips. "Go ace that meeting, future top graduate."
She smiled, lingering for a second longer than she needed to. "Are you heading home?"
He nodded. "Going to stop by and check in on your dad, actually. Brought him his favorite pastries."
Clara's heart melted a little more. "Tell him I'll be back by dinner."
"Will do, fiancée." He grinned.
Clara rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. She turned away, walking toward her next class with a lighter heart and a steady rhythm in her step. As she glanced over her shoulder one last time, Liam was still there, watching her go, hands in his pockets and eyes filled with something quiet, steady, and infinite.