The next morning. Mandy didn't wait. She couldn't. Not anymore. The feeling in her chest had grown too strong to ignore. Too heavy to push aside. "…I need to fix this."
The thought stayed in her mind as she walked into the classroom. Her eyes immediately searched for him. And just like she expected.
Liam was there. But he wasn't alone. Sofia sat beside him, leaning slightly forward as she talked.
"…And then you just left me there," she said, laughing softly. "That didn't happen," Liam replied.
"It did." "…You're exaggerating." "Am I?" They smiled. Naturally. Comfortably. Like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Mandy stopped walking. Just for a second. "…Not again…" That feeling. It hit her immediately.
Stronger than before. But this time. She didn't turn away. She didn't avoid it. She walked forward.
Step by step. Until she stood right in front of them. "…Liam." Both of them looked up. "…Mandy," Liam said.
Sofia glanced between them again. Quiet. Observing. "…Can we talk?" Mandy asked. Her voice was steady.
But her hand tightened slightly at her side. Liam hesitated. Only for a moment. "…About what?"
"…About us." Silence. That word. It changed everything. Sofia's eyes flickered slightly. But she stayed quiet.
Liam looked at Mandy carefully. "…There is no 'us,'" he said calmly. The words were direct.
Clear. And they hurt. Mandy felt it immediately. But she didn't back down.
"…There was," she said softly. "…Before." Liam's gaze hardened slightly. "…That was before."
"…Then why does it feel like it still matters?" The question slipped out. Honest. Raw.
Liam didn't answer right away. Because for a moment. He didn't know how to. "…It doesn't," he said finally.
Mandy shook her head. "…That's not true." Her voice trembled slightly now. "…It matters to me."
The words hung in the air. Heavy. Unavoidable. Liam froze. Sofia looked at Mandy more closely this time.
Not just observing. Understanding. "…Why?" Liam asked quietly. Mandy opened her mouth.
But no words came out. Because she still didn't fully understand it herself. "…I don't know," she admitted.
Her voice was barely above a whisper. "…But it does." Silence followed. Longer than before. Liam looked away.
"…That's not enough," he said. "…What?" "…Not knowing isn't enough." His voice wasn't harsh. But it wasn't soft either.
"…You can't just come to me now and say it matters." Mandy's chest tightened painfully. "…Then what do you want me to say?"
Liam clenched his hand slightly. "…Nothing." That answer. Was worse than anything else. "…Hey," Sofia said gently.
Both of them paused. She stood up slowly. "…I think you two should talk properly." Liam frowned slightly.
"…Sofia" "It's fine," she said with a small smile. Then she looked at Mandy. "…Don't waste it."
Her words were calm. But meaningful. Then she stepped away. Giving them space.
For a moment. It was just the two of them again. Like before. But also. Not like before at all.
"…Why now?" Liam asked quietly. Mandy looked at him." …Because I finally realized something's wrong." "…And?" "…And I don't like it."
Liam let out a small breath. "…That's still not enough." "…Then what is enough?" Her voice cracked slightly.
"…Tell me." Liam looked at her. Really looked at her this time. "…If you don't understand your feelings—" He paused. "…Then don't drag me back into them."
The words landed heavily. Final. Mandy's eyes widened slightly.
"…I'm not trying to—" "You are." "…Even if you don't realize it."
Mandy couldn't move. Couldn't respond. Because deep down. A part of her knew… He was right.
"…I'm sorry," Liam said quietly. "…But I can't go back to how it was." Those words.
Were the end of it. At least for now. Mandy's hand slowly dropped to her side. "…I see…" Her voice was soft. But steady.
She turned around slowly. And walked away. This time. She didn't look back. Sofia watched from a distance.
Her expression was calm. But her eyes were thoughtful. "…So that's how it is," she murmured. Because now. She understood everything she needed to.
Meanwhile. Liam sat back down quietly. His chest felt tight. "…That should've been enough," he thought. But for some reason.
It didn't feel like the end. Not yet.