“This is exactly what I didn’t want,” Jess muttered, her face twisted in annoyance as she and I watched a couple of guys from our class cannonball into the pool. Water splashed everywhere, drenching the people sitting around the edge. Some laughed, some shrieked, and others protested loudly. Jess and I stood in the corner, watching the chaos unfold in her meticulously maintained backyard. Jess, being a bit of a neat freak, was visibly distressed by the mess they were making. I couldn't help but laugh, taking a sip of my lemonade.We stood under the patio umbrella, trying to escape the relentless sun. Jess was wearing a dark blue spaghetti-strap crop top and shorts, with a net shrug draped over her shoulders. I had shed my white sundress and now stood in a yellow bikini top and denim shorts, feeling the heat on my bare skin. Both of us were barefoot, our hair tied up in messy high buns, and we wore sunglasses to shield our eyes from the bright light. Jess took another sip of her lemona

Atlas didn’t come back for several minutes. He stayed outside, lighting a cigarette and smoking without once turning to look at me or speaking. I sat frozen in place, the weight of my embarrassment crushing me. When he finally returned, he got in the car and slammed the door shut, starting the engine with a tense determination. We both pretended nothing had happened, but the silence between us was heavy and suffocating.The tension was palpable, and neither of us dared to break it. Atlas drove fast, and I clutched my seat in the passenger's side, hoping we'd make it home in one piece. When the car screeched to a halt in front of the house, I finally dared to look at him. His face was a mask of anger, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. He looked like a ticking bomb, ready to explode. At that moment, I was genuinely afraid of him.I wanted to apologize, but I feared that even opening my mouth would set him off. So, I kept quiet. Without waiting for me, Atlas threw open his door, slamme

“Wait, you’re meeting Dr. Lawson? The Dr. Seth Lawson?!” Jess gushed as we walked onto campus, her eyes wide with excitement.My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly scanned the area, praying no one had overheard her. Thankfully, the students around us were too engrossed in their own conversations to notice. I shot Jess a sharp glare, but she just laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort.“Are you crazy, Jess? No, I am not going out with my professor, you idiot,” I whispered urgently, trying to keep my voice low. “He’s just helping me with my proposal, which is due tomorrow. We’re meeting off-campus for convenience.” I playfully slapped her arm, but my anxiety was real. “Stop saying things that aren’t true. Someone might hear you and get the wrong idea,” I continued, rolling my eyes at her. “That’s how rumors start, and the last thing I need is that kind of attention.”Jess just grinned, unbothered by my scolding. “Relax, Harper. No one heard me. Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend time