PART 3 - CHAPTER 144

PART 3 - CHAPTER 144 JESS

The rhythmic slap of my shoes against the pavement echoed around the nearly empty campus. My body hummed with energy, every muscle and tendon firing like clockwork, propelling me into the run. I loved this.

The solitude, the way my thoughts could scatter like the leaves along the path. No one to judge me. No questions. No missing pieces.

As I rounded the corner by the library, I almost screamed when someone stepped into the path from fucking nowhere!

I swerved to avoid them, my heart hammering wildly in my chest, and before I knew it, I was on my knees, gasping for breath. My hands pressed into the cold pavement, trying to regain control of my racing heart Shit.

"Jess!" A voice cut through the pounding in my ears, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, still panting, and found Aiden crouching beside me, his face twisted in concern. "Are you okay?"

I blinked up at him, still trying to catch my breath, confused by the panic on his face. My breath came in sharp bursts, but I wasn't injured, just scared shitless for a second. I stood up and

PART 3 CHAPTER 144

296 Wouchers

brushed the dirt off my knees. "Am I okay? You scared the shit out of me," I wheezed, shaking my head, laughing at my

ridiculous response.

Aiden stepped back awkwardly, his brow furrowed, and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. My bad. I forgot about... Anyway."

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air.

asked, frowning at how his eyes

mind," he muttered, turning to leave, but I wasn't about

without thinking, and he froze, glancing down at where my fingers were wrapped around

secret. His shoulders sagged slightly, and after a long

couldn't remember ever having one. But the way Aiden looked at me made it clear he'd seen me have one. "I don't

took a step closer, his hand hovering near my

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if he should. "It's okay. You don't have to remember everything all at once. But just... take it easy, okay? You scared

don't I know about myself? It all felt like

myself than Aiden. I wasn't even sure what "fine" meant anymore. But whatever this was, I had to figure it out. Because if

me space. "I just

his eyes on me, like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how. We made our way across campus in silence

again," Aiden said suddenly, breaking the quiet between us. "You're

"Yeah. No," I said, brushing him off with a

away, thinking that was the end of it, but before I could take another step, Aiden grabbed my arm, pulling

"Jess," he said softly, and before could react, his arms were around me, enveloping me.

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expected-it felt different.

More intense.

caught in my throat as he pulled back just enough to look down at me, his

he brushed a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering there for a moment longer than they should

was intimate, too

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