The quiet did not last.
It never did.
Maya felt it first in the way Liam's body stiffened slightly against hers, like he had heard something she had not yet registered. A distant echo of raised voices carried down the corridor, sharp and hurried.
Someone was coming.
Liam lifted his head, his eyes scanning the hallway before settling back on her face. We should move, he said softly.
Maya nodded, though part of her wanted to stay frozen right there, wrapped in the safety of his presence. He took her hand this time, fully, not hesitating, and led her toward the side exit near the trophy hall.
They stepped outside just as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the grounds. The air felt cooler, heavier. News traveled fast at Ridgewood, and whatever calm existed now was temporary.
They walked in silence for a few moments, their hands still linked.
Do you regret it? Maya asked quietly.
Liam glanced at her. Regret what?
What you did. Leaking the footage.
He slowed his steps, stopping near the oak tree at the edge of the field. Students usually crowded the place during lunch, but now it stood empty. He turned to face her fully.
No, he said without hesitation. I regret that it had to happen at all. But not that the truth came out.
Maya studied his face. The calm in his eyes unsettled her, not because it felt cold, but because it felt deliberate. Protective. Controlled.
You planned this, she said.
I anticipated it, he corrected gently. There is a difference.
Her lips parted, then closed. She was not sure whether to be impressed or afraid.
You are not scared? she asked.
Liam's mouth curved faintly. I learned a long time ago that fear only works when you give it power.
Something in his words stirred a strange warmth in her chest. Liam had always seemed distant to everyone else. Untouchable. And yet here he was, steady and present, choosing her again and again.
What happens now? Maya asked.
Now the school investigates. Vanessa faces consequences she cannot talk her way out of. And you get to breathe again.
Maya looked out across the field. Breathe again. She did not realize how tightly she had been holding herself together until the idea loosened something inside her.
What if they blame me? she whispered. People love turning victims into villains.
Liam stepped closer, his hand rising to cup her cheek. They can try. But they will not succeed. Not while I am here.
Her heart stumbled at the certainty in his voice.
Why me? she asked suddenly. Of all people. Why do you care this much?
His thumb brushed lightly against her skin, slow and grounding. Because you never tried to become someone else to survive. You stayed kind when the world rewarded cruelty. And because when they tried to break you, you stood back up anyway.
Her throat tightened. No one had ever seen her like that before.
Liam leaned in, his voice dropping. And because the moment I saw you look at me without fear, I knew I was already lost.
The confession hung between them, fragile and dangerous.
Maya's breath caught. Liam…
Before she could say more, a sharp voice cut through the air.
There you are.
They turned.
Vanessa stood several feet away, her posture rigid, her face stripped of the arrogance that once defined her. Her eyes were red, her perfect hair undone, her hands clenched at her sides.
The sight of her sent a chill through Maya, instinctive and deep.
Liam shifted slightly, placing himself half a step in front of Maya without making it obvious.
You should not be here, Liam said calmly.
Vanessa laughed, but the sound cracked. Do not act like you did not expect this. You think I would not figure it out?
Figure out what? Maya asked, forcing her voice to stay steady.
Vanessa's gaze snapped to her, sharp and burning. You won, she said. Congratulations. You got exactly what you wanted.
Maya shook her head. I did not want this.
Vanessa scoffed. Please. Girls like you always pretend to be innocent.
Liam's voice hardened. Walk away, Vanessa.
Her eyes flicked to him. You think you are untouchable. You think because people admire you, you can destroy me and walk free.
You destroyed yourself, he replied evenly.
Silence fell.
Vanessa's chest rose and fell rapidly. For a moment, Maya almost felt sorry for her. Almost.
This is not over, Vanessa said quietly. You will see.
She turned and walked away, her steps uneven, her shoulders shaking.
Maya exhaled only when she disappeared from view.
Her legs felt weak. Liam's hand found hers again, firm and reassuring.
You okay? he asked.
She nodded. I think so.
Good. Because whatever comes next, we face it together.
She looked up at him, really looked at him, and realized something with startling clarity.
Liam was not just standing beside her.
He was choosing her.
And for the first time, Maya understood what it meant to be owned by someone's eyes without ever losing herself.