Nadia looked at him, and for the first time, she let herself believe it.
Maybe she had not imagined all those feelings after all.
Maybe he was finally meeting her halfway.
Stephen still had not let go of her hand.
The library around them had gone quiet, but somehow the silence no longer felt awkward.
It felt full.
"Nadia," he said softly.
"Hmm?"
"If I had known…" He stopped, searching for the right words. "If I had known all those things before, maybe I would have looked at you differently."
She smiled sadly.
"I know."
"No," he said, his voice quieter now. "I mean… I think I would have liked you too."
Her breath caught.
Stephen looked away first, almost embarrassed by his own honesty.
And Nadia smiled because, somehow, even now, he was still the shy boy she had fallen for.
Across campus, Tiana was sitting outside the department building when Dare found her.
She had been quieter all day.
Too quiet.
"What happened?" he asked, sitting beside her.
"Nothing."
"Tiana."
She sighed.
Then finally, she told him.
About the rumours.
About the girls.
About Joshua.
About how tired she was of pretending she was okay.
Dare listened without interrupting.
The calmer he looked, the angrier he became.
When she finished, he stood up.
"Dare—"
"I'll be back."
He found Joshua behind the hostel later that evening.
Joshua was laughing with two of his friends when Dare walked up to him.
The laughter stopped immediately.
Joshua looked surprised.
Then amused.
"Dare," he said. "To what do I owe—"
"I do not care what happened between you and Tiana before," Dare said coldly.
Joshua's smile faded slightly.
"She is with me now."
Dare stepped closer.
"So if I hear your name anywhere near her again… if I hear that you are spreading rumours, sending people after her, or making her cry…"
His voice dropped.
"We are going to have a problem."
For the first time, Joshua looked uncertain.
"You think she is innocent?" he said bitterly.
"No," Dare replied.
"I think she deserved better than you."
Joshua said nothing.
And Dare walked away.
But from where he stood in the shadows—
Joshua watched him go.
And for the first time, he realized he was losing everyone.