The next day came with the same uneasy feeling. Mandy noticed it the moment she stepped into the classroom.
Her eyes instinctively searched for him. Liam was already there. Sitting in his seat.
Looking out the window again. Just like yesterday. "…There he is," she whispered under her breath.
For a moment, she simply stood there. Watching him. Waiting. Maybe he would turn around.
Maybe he would say something. Maybe. Nothing happened. He didn't move. Didn't even glance in her direction.
Mandy tightened her grip on her bag. "…This isn't normal." She took a deep breath. "…I'll talk to him today."
No more waiting. No more guessing. She needed answers. Classes started. But Mandy couldn't focus.
Her mind kept drifting. Toward Liam. Toward his silence. Toward the distance he had created.
"…Why won't he even look at me?" The thought frustrated her more than she expected.
She wasn't used to this. Not from him. Liam had always been. Close. And now he felt like a stranger.
Lunch break. This time, Mandy didn't hesitate. She stood up immediately. And walked straight toward him.
Liam noticed her footsteps. But he didn't look up. "…Liam," she called.
"…What is it?" he replied calmly. Still not looking at her. Mandy frowned slightly.
"Can we talk?" "…We're talking right now." "…I mean properly." There was a small pause.
Then.
"…About what?" Mandy hesitated. Because that was the problem. She didn't even know where to start.
"…About you," she said quietly. That made him look up. For the first time. Their eyes met again.
But this time. There was something different in his gaze. Something colder. "…I'm fine," he said.
Mandy shook her head immediately. "No, you're not." Students around them continued talking, laughing.
Completely unaware of the tension building between the two. "You've been avoiding me," Mandy continued.
"…I haven't." "You have." Her voice was firm now. "…You won't even look at me." Liam looked at her for a few seconds.
Then slowly. He stood up. "I have something to do," he said. And started walking past her.
Mandy's eyes widened slightly.
"…Liam, wait—!" She reached out and grabbed his sleeve. The movement was small.
But it stopped him.
For a second. "…What?" he asked quietly. Mandy's grip tightened slightly. "…Just tell me what's wrong."
Her voice softened. Almost pleading. "…Did I do something?" Liam froze. That question again.
The same one from yesterday. And again. He didn't know how to answer it. Because the truth…
Would only make things worse. "…You didn't do anything," he said. "Then why—?" "Because it doesn't matter."
Mandy's eyes widened. "…What?" Liam gently pulled his sleeve away from her hand. "…It just doesn't matter anymore."
The words hit harder than he expected. Because even to him. They didn't feel completely true.
But they were easier to say. Easier than the truth. Mandy stood there, stunned.
"…What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Liam didn't answer immediately. He looked away.
"…I just don't think we need to talk like before," he said quietly. "…That's all."
Simple words. But they created a distance that felt impossible to cross. Mandy's chest tightened.
"…Why?" That single word carried everything she couldn't understand. Liam clenched his hand slightly.
"…Because things change." And with that. He walked away.
This time. He didn't stop. Mandy stood frozen in place. Her hand slowly dropped to her side.
"…Things change…?" She repeated his words quietly. But they didn't make sense.
Not to her. Not like this. "…That's not a reason." Her voice was barely a whisper now.
Around her, the classroom continued as if nothing had happened. But for her.
Everything felt different. At the back of the room. Mark had seen everything.
From the moment Mandy walked over. To the moment Liam left. "…So that's how it is," he muttered.
His eyes narrowed slightly. Not in anger. But in realization. Something was definitely going on.
And whatever it was. It involved all three of them. Outside the classroom. Liam walked down the hallway alone.
His steps were faster than usual. "…That was enough," he muttered. He didn't stop.
Didn't look back. "…Just keep going." Even if it meant leaving things behind. Even if it meant hurting someone. Because staying. Would only hurt more.