The campus had begun to thin out by the time Jane left for her class. She gave Raye a quick hug before jogging off, shouting
"Don't let anyone mess with you, yeah?"
Raye waved faintly, managing a half-smile, but the weight in her chest didn't ease. The day had been exhausting — the explanations, the stares, the relief that still didn't feel real. Her throat burned from holding back too many words she couldn't say.
She was just heading toward the parking area, trying to breathe, when she heard his voice behind her.
"Raye."
Her steps faltered. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. The tone — low, smooth, a little rough — sent a wave through her stomach.
Kyle.
When she turned, he was there, leaning against a nearby pillar, hands in his pockets, his black hoodie slightly unzipped, his hair messy like he hadn't bothered to fix it. His gaze found hers immediately, steady and unreadable.
"Why haven't you been picking my calls?" he asked, his voice calm but clipped — like he was trying not to sound hurt.
Raye blinked, startled. "I—I just…"
Her voice trailed off.
What could she even say? That she'd been suspended? That she'd spent four days crying over something she didn't do?
He stepped closer, close enough that she could smell his cologne — something deep and faintly woody. "You just what?" he pressed softly.
Her lips parted, but instead of answering, a tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it. She quickly looked away, wiping it off with the back of her hand. "I didn't mean to ignore you," she whispered, voice breaking. "I just… didn't want you to see me like that."
Kyle's jaw tightened. He took another step toward her, eyes softening as he reached out and caught her wrist gently. "Like what?"
"Like someone who everyone thinks is a liar," she muttered, her throat tight. "Like someone who ruined things. Like a fool who trusted the wrong person."
He exhaled slowly, brushing his thumb over her wrist — a small gesture that made her heart thump unevenly. "Raye," he said quietly, "I don't care what anyone thinks."
She laughed weakly, bitterly. "That's easy to say."
He tilted his head slightly. "Then don't make me prove it," he said.
The look he gave her — steady, unwavering — made her chest ache in a new way. She wanted to look away but couldn't. Something in his eyes made her feel seen in a way that almost hurt.
"I hate crying in front of people," she murmured, wiping another tear.
"Then don't," Kyle replied, voice low as he stepped closer again. "But if you have to… then do it with me."
She looked up at him then, really looked — and the way he said it wasn't sweet or poetic. It was firm, real, like a promise she hadn't asked for but desperately needed.
He brushed a tear off her cheek with his thumb, his hand lingering longer than it should have. "You're stronger than this," he said. "Stop letting what they did mess with your head."
"I'm trying," she whispered.
"I know," he said, his tone softening. "That's why I'm here."
They stood there for a moment, the air thick between them — not with words, but with everything unsaid.
When she finally spoke again, her voice was small. "I just want to go home."
"I'll take you," he said instantly.
She started to protest — "You don't have to—" .
"Nope I have to " He muttered softly before moving closer to hold her hand.
Raye stiffened before she eventually relaxed her body as she followed him slowly to the car park .
The car purred to life before Raye could even finish gawking at it. A sleek black Ford Mustang GT—the kind of car that looked like it could eat other vehicles for breakfast.
Raye blinked, her hand hovering over the door handle. "You… drive this?"
"You expected a bicycle?"
She rolled her eyes, though her heart wasn't cooperating—it was too busy racing faster than the car's engine. The leather interior smelled faintly of cologne and danger, and the way the headlights cut through the fading afternoon sun made it feel like stepping into someone's world she shouldn't.
Raye hesitated at the curb, her gaze trailing over the sleek black Mustang parked in front of her. The car looked illegal in the sunlight—its deep paint glinting like wet ink, tires humming faintly as the engine purred low. The windows were tinted, the rims spotless, and she couldn't help thinking it looked like the kind of car people only saw in movies—expensive, dangerous, and completely out of her league.
She blinked twice.
"This is your car?" she asked again, turning to Kyle, her tone a mix of disbelief and awe.
He leaned casually against the door, one hand slipping into his pocket, the other running through his slightly messy hair. "Problem?" His voice was quiet slighty rolling his eyes ,deep—too calm for how fast her pulse suddenly picked up.
Raye shook her head quickly. "No. Just—wow. I didn't even know you owned something like this."
He opened the passenger door for her, his eyes flicking to hers briefly. "You don't know a lot of things about me."
That sentence… it hung between them.
And maybe it shouldn't have sounded as dangerous as it did.
Raye climbed in, her fingers brushing the smooth leather seat. The car smelled faintly of cedarwood and clean smoke—expensive and masculine, like him.
When she finally slid in, the seat hugged her like it had been waiting. He leaned over her to pull the seatbelt across, his hand brushing her arm briefly—enough to make her forget how to breathe.
Her gaze flicked to the sleek dashboard, the deep hum of the engine, and the way his reflection stretched across the tinted window.
Of course he'd drive something like this, she thought bitterly.
Loud. Fast.
Complicated.
Kyle smirked, catching the look on her face. "Don't stare too long, Raye. She gets jealous."
Raye scoffed, trying to hide the faint blush that crept up her neck. "Your car?"
He shifted the gear, that dangerous grin still lingering. "Maybe. Maybe not."
The Mustang roared as they pulled out of the lot, and Raye sank into her seat, clutching her bag tighter—half terrified, half thrilled.
He didn't say anything when he started the car. The low growl of the engine filled the silence, smooth and controlled.
Raye glanced sideways at him, watching the way his jaw flexed slightly when he turned the wheel, eyes locked on the road like he was escaping something invisible.
"You drive like someone who's used to being followed," she muttered under her breath, before realizing she'd actually said it out loud.
Kyle's lips twitched, just barely. "Maybe I am."
Her heartbeat stuttered. She didn't know if he was joking or serious—and that made it worse.
They drove for a while in silence, the kind that wasn't awkward but thick—weighted with unspoken things. Raye found herself sneaking glances at him, wondering about all the parts of his life she didn't know.
Where he stayed before.
Who he spent time with.
Why he was always alone even when people seemed to like him.
She realized, with a small shiver, that she'd never actually asked him much—never cared to. She'd only known the flirty side of him, the teasing tone, the quiet possessiveness when he looked at her. But this—this calm, unreadable Kyle—was something else.
Her voice softened. "Kyle… can I ask something?"
He kept his eyes on the road, one hand loosely gripping the steering wheel. "You just did."
Raye rolled her eyes faintly. "I mean—something real."
"Try me."
She hesitated. "Why do you care? About what they said… about me."
He didn't look at her right away. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles pale for a second before he spoke. "Because I don't like people touching what's mine."
Her breath hitched.
He turned to her just slightly—enough for her to see the flicker of emotion behind that calm, dark gaze.
She didn't know how to reply, so she didn't. She just sat there, pulse racing, lips parting slightly as her thoughts spiraled.
She didn't belong to him. She barely knew him.
But the way he said it… it didn't sound like a threat. It sounded like a truth he already believed.
The rest of the ride was quiet—except for the steady hum of the Mustang and her heartbeat echoing in her ears.
He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping.
"Get some sleep, Raye."
She nodded mutely, shutting her eyes close even though she knew she didn't want to sleep , she just wanted to find a little peace in this moment .
It's felt calm and she just wanted to enjoy it , wishing it would last forever.
Also for the first time in months , she realized she didn't really know Kyle at all.
And that scared her more than she wanted to admit.