"Riley, I need to talk to you," Kevin said, stepping out from the shadows near the bench where she always sat between classes. His voice was strained, his fists clenched at his sides. Riley looked up from her notebook, her long dark hair brushing against her cheek as she tilted her head, her hazel eyes narrowing slightly.

Riley had known Kevin from their poli-sci class, where he always sat in the back, barely speaking unless called on. He was tall but slumped, his wiry frame swallowed by a hoodie that seemed too big for him. Now, with the afternoon sun catching the faintest glint of gold in his unkempt hair, he looked younger, more desperate. Riley, on the other hand, carried herself with the confidence of someone used to attention. Her fitted sweater hugged her curves just enough to hint at the body she kept hidden under her backpack.

"So talk," Riley said coolly, closing her notebook. Her tone was calm, but her fingers tightened around the pen. Kevin took a step closer, his breaths shallow. "You act like you don’t even remember," he said, his voice cracking. "Like it didn’t mean anything to you." Riley blinked, a flicker of unease crossing her face as she stood, slinging her bag over one shoulder. "Remember what, exactly?" she asked, though the way her voice wavered made it clear she already knew.