They walked together until the hallway split.
Mira kept her arm linked with Lily's, chatting softly about class schedules and assignments, but Lily barely heard a word.
Her attention stayed behind her. Again.
Behind them, two footsteps followed—steady, Unrushed.
Jake was talking animatedly, hands moving as he spoke, his voice playful as ever.
"So," he said with a grin, glancing back at Mira,
"happy to meet our Mira's little friend now. Hope we see you again."
Lily stopped, She tilted her head in quiet confusion,
Little friend?
Her fingers curled instinctively into the fabric of her sleeve before she realized it.
Mira rolled her eyes.
"Stop flirting with everyone, Jake. You're embarrassing."
Jake laughed, completely unbothered.
"That's my charm, sunshine"
Mira side-eyed him and gave a tiny nudge, more playful than serious.Jake just grinned, clearly amused, like it hadn't hurt him at all,
Like it was just another funny moment in their endless teasing.
A small smile tugged at Lily's lips as she watched their playful teasing.
She adored the way they moved together, and slowly, almost without realizing it, her eyes shifted toward Aiden.
Aiden glanced at him with an expression Lily couldn't read—half amused, half tired, like this was something he saw every day.
Then his gaze shifted.
Straight to her.
Too suddenly.
"Nice to meet you," he said calmly, his voice low and even.
"Winslow."
The sound landed differently.
Not warm.
Not personal.
It was like how a lecturer might read a name from a list,
but when he said hers, it felt different, like she was hearing it for the first time,
a name she hadn't realized could sound so beautiful.
Lily blinked once, caught completely off guard.
"And yeah," he continued, Lingering,
"I'm in the art department too."
A fleeting pause.
"You asked about it earlier."
That was all.
But Lily's face warmed anyway, sudden and undeniable.
Her dimple appeared before she could stop it.
"I—um—nice to meet you too," she said lightly, the words barely leaving her mouth.
Jake smirked.
"She talks Bro! I like her already."
Mira swatted his arm.
"Go. Both of you. We have class."
They laughed, stepping back.
Lily watched Aiden walk away—slowly, quietly.
until his tall figure disappeared down the hallway.
It was only then that she noticed how long she'd been staring. She turned her eyes away, forcing a casual look, pretending she hadn't been watching
Mira loosened her grip and started walking again, unusually quiet now.
That silence felt heavier than Mira's teasing ever did.
Lily followed beside her, heart still fluttering, thoughts tangled.
She wanted to say something.
She wanted to share this feeling.
But something stopped her.
They walked into the classroom together.
Lily sat at her desk later, pencil resting loosely between her fingers.
She wasn't drawing.She was listening.
Not to the lecturer.
Not to the room.
But to the echo of a voice in her chest.
Winslow.
Not Lily.
Her surname had never sounded like that before.
Clean.
Distant.
Careful.
Her heart no longer raced.
It stayed still,
as if waiting.
Waiting to understand why that difference mattered.
Mira was quieter that day.
Not silent. Just… different.
She still walked beside Lily. Still listened. Still nodded when Lily spoke.
But something wasn't reaching her eyes.
Lily noticed it immediately.
Mira usually filled the space between words. Today, the space stayed empty.
"Mira?" Lily asked softly as they walked toward the exit, her fingers twisting around the strap of her bag.
"You're… okay?"
Mira slowed her steps.
She opened her mouth.
Closed it again.
"I'm fine," she said with a small smile that didn't quite sit right.
"Just tired, I think."
Lily didn't believe it.
But she also didn't know how to press.
Asking why always felt dangerous to her. Like pulling on a thread that might unravel everything.
"Oh," Lily said quietly.
"Okay."
They walked a little more.
Mira suddenly pointed ahead, her voice lifting just enough to change the topic.
"Did you finish that sketch from yesterday? The one with the light?"
Lily blinked, then nodded.
"Y-yes… I fixed the shadows."
Mira smiled — a real one this time.
"I knew it. You always notice the small things."
Lily's lips curved into a shy smile.
They talked about classes. About assignments. About nothing important.
When they finally parted ways, Mira hugged Lily a little longer than usual.
Lily stood there for a moment after Mira left, watching her walk away.
Why does it feel like I did something wrong…
even when I didn't do anything at all?
---
On her way home, she felt the urge to tell everything to Max, like he could understand her better than anyone else.
Home felt warmer than usual.
Max greeted her at the door like always — tail wagging wildly, paws tapping the floor, eyes shining like she was the best thing that ever happened to him.
"I'm home," Lily whispered, kneeling down.
Max leaned into her immediately, heavy and warm and real.
Her fingers sank into his soft fur, and she kissed him, inhaling the comforting scent that always made her feel at home.
She hugged him tight. "Baby, you won't believe my day," she murmured.
"I had… a good day," she told him softly, smiling without meaning to.
"It felt like a dream, Max. Like something good happened… and I didn't wake up."
Max tilted his head, looking like the most adorable thing in the world
She laughed quietly, wiping at the corner of her eyes.
"I know. I'm talking nonsense again."
She sat on the floor with her back against the couch, Max curled beside her.
For a moment, her heart felt light.
Then her phone rang.
The sound cut through the room too sharply.
The day seemed to darken suddenly, and Lily froze.
The screen lit up.
Mom
Her chest tightened.
The happiness didn't disappear.
It drained.
She stared at the screen.
Maybe if I don't answer…
Maybe this time—
The phone kept ringing.
Her fingers felt cold as she picked it up.
"Hello?" Lily said, voice calm. Too calm.
"Lily," her mother said. No warmth. No anger. Just routine.
"Come home tomorrow. Eat with us."
That was it.
No How are you?
No I miss you.
Just an instruction.
Lily's nails pressed into her palm.
Her eyes drifted to the kitchen clock on the wall —
the second hand ticking loudly.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The sound suddenly felt unbearable.
"I… okay," Lily replied.
Her voice didn't shake.
Her mother didn't notice anything different.
"Don't be late," she said, and ended the call.
The screen went dark.
Lily lowered the phone slowly.
She noticed one small thing —
the warmth in her hands was gone.
Her fingers felt numb.
She sat there for a long time, staring at nothing.
Max rested his head on her knee, warm and steady.
"I said yes," Lily whispered to him.
"I don't know why I always do that."
She smiled — gentle, practiced, tired.
"It's okay," she told herself quietly.
"I can handle it."
She always said that.
And she always believed it.
But as she lay down that night, staring at the ceiling, one thought lingered —
soft and heavy at the same time.
Why does happiness feel like something
I'm never allowed to keep?
End of chapter 10