Theo's fingers thread through mine, firm and unyielding, as he pulls me behind him. His body is all coiled tension, the kind that promises violence if provoked.

"Sutton," he grits out, voice sharp enough to cut.

Jake has the audacity to laugh, leaning just enough to catch my eyes over Theo's shoulder. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Dwyers," he taunts, that smug smirk still plastered across his face. His gaze flicks to me, lazy and possessive. "See you later, babe."

Before he can spew out another word, Theo moves. Not with hesitation—no, never that—but with purpose. His grip tightens, and then I'm being dragged away, his long strides forcing me to keep up.

We don't stop. Not when we pass the soccer field. Not when we push through the side entrance of the gym. Not until we're tucked into a quiet alcove, away from prying eyes, away from Jake's bullshit.

Theo turns, his palm still wrapped around mine, anchoring me to him. His eyes sweep over me, dark and searching.

"Are you okay, Luna?" His voice is low, rough, like he's barely keeping his temper in check.

My heart is still racing, my pulse a frantic drum against my ribs. I nod, but it's not exactly convincing.

Theo sees right through it. Of course, he does.

"You sure?"

His thumb brushes over the back of my hand, slow and deliberate. His other hand comes up, skimming along my jaw, tipping my chin up so I have no choice but to meet his gaze.

"Because if you're not, I need to know now before I go back and finish what I should've started."

The heat in his eyes is lethal. Not just anger—something deeper. Something far more dangerous.

My breath catches, and for a second, all I can do is stare at him. At the sharp cut of his jaw, the way his chest rises and falls like he's trying to keep himself from snapping.

"I'm fine," I whisper, even though I'm not sure that's true.

Theo's jaw ticks, his thumb still tracing slow circles along my skin. "He touched you."

It's not a question. It's a statement. A fact that's now sitting between us like a live wire, humming with electricity.

"He grabbed my arm," I admit, because there's no point lying to him. He already knows. He always does.

Theo exhales sharply, like he's barely containing the urge to turn around and hunt Jake down. "That won't happen again," he says, his voice low and sure. A promise. A threat.

I don't doubt him for a second.

Theo is still staring at me like he's memorizing every single inch of my face, like if he looks away, I might disappear. His grip on my hand is firm but not demanding, his thumb still skimming slow, steady circles along my skin. The warmth of it should be grounding, should pull me back into the moment. But my head is spinning.

Jake

His voice, his smirk, the way he said my name like he still had some kind of claim over me. Like the past few months hadn't happened. Like he hadn't destroyed everything and expected me to just forget.

Theo shifts, and his fingers tighten slightly around mine. "Luna," he murmurs, voice rough. "Why did you want to meet up?"

Shit.

My mind is too scrambled, too tangled up in everything that just happened. The real reason—the reason I practically ran here—is sitting right on the tip of my tongue, but I can't say it. Not now. Not when I can still feel the ghost of Jake's grip on my arm.

I need to deflect.

I force a breath, shake my head like I'm clearing my thoughts.

"I, uh—" I clear my throat. "I wanted to ask if you were coming to dinner at mine this Saturday. My mum asked if you were coming."

Theo doesn't react at first. He just stares at me, his gaze flicking over my face, reading between the lines of what I'm not saying.

A muscle ticks in his jaw.

I should've come up with something better. Something less obvious. Theo knows me too well to believe that's the only reason I asked to meet up.

But he doesn't call me out on it. Not yet.

Instead, he exhales, running a hand through his damp hair. "Your mum asked if I was coming?"

I nod, gripping onto the excuse like it's my saving grace. "Yeah. She, uh... she just assumed, I guess."

Theo studies me for another second, then slowly nods. "Alright."

"Alright?"

His lips twitch, but there's no humor behind it.

"Yeah, Luna. I'll come."

His voice is softer now, but there's still something simmering beneath the surface—something he's not saying. It lingers between us, thick and heavy, wrapping around my throat like a vice.

I shift my weight, suddenly feeling exposed under his gaze.

"Okay," I say, nodding a little too quickly. "Good. Cool. I'll tell her."

Theo tilts his head slightly, watching me like he's waiting for me to crack.

I don't. At least, not yet.

Instead, I force a small smile, pretending like my heart isn't still slamming against my ribs. Like Jake Sutton's voice isn't still ringing in my ears.

Theo doesn't push. He just squeezes my hand once before letting go, his warmth vanishing like a ghost.

"Come on," he murmurs. "I'll walk you back."

And just like that, the moment shifts. But the tension? The tension is still very much there.

*****

"What the fuck do you mean Jake has transferred to Harrington U?"

Becca nearly jumps off my bed, her eyes wide and incredulous as she catches up to speed with everything that's happened in the last 24 hours.

I curl deeper into my desk chair, knees tucked to my chest, arms wrapped tight. Like if I hold myself together hard enough, the weight of today won't crush me.

Spoiler alert: it's not working.

"I mean exactly that," I mutter, voice flat, drained. "He's here. On campus. Like some kind of bad fucking omen I can't shake."

Becca's face twists, a storm of rage and disgust  brewing.

"No. Absolutely not. Harrington is our place. He doesn't get to just waltz in here and—"

"He already did," I cut her off, sharper than I mean to, but I can't help it. "He's here, Bec. And he's not going anywhere."

She stares at me, breathing hard like she's barely keeping herself from marching out of this room and tracking him down for a fight. Honestly? I wouldn't put it past her.

But then, just as fast, her expression softens. She crosses the room in two strides, perches on the edge of my desk, and grips my knee.

"You okay?"

I exhale slowly, shifting in my chair as she slides to the floor beside me, legs stretched out, arms folded over her chest.

"I mean... yeah." It's a lie.

"Bullshit," she deadpans.

I huff, dropping my head back against the chair.

"It's just so fucking annoying."

Becca tilts her head. "Right. Because 'annoying' is exactly how I'd describe the guy who obliterated your heart and now gets to breathe the same air as you again."

I shoot her a look. "You're not helping."

She smirks. "I'm not trying to."

I groan, rubbing my hands down my face. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Avoid him and hope he gets bored?"

She snorts. "Oh yeah, because Jake Sutton is totally the type to get bored and leave."

My stomach twists. He's not. He never was.

Becca exhales, watching me. "Alright, then. If we can't erase him from existence, let's focus on something actually fun."

I peek at her through my fingers, already knowing where this is going.

"You were finally gonna confess your feelings to Theo, and you wussed out," she sing-songs, eyes gleaming with way too much amusement.

I groan, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes. "Can we focus on the actual crisis here?"

Becca scoffs. "Please. Jake showing up is a plot twist. You and Theo? That's the slow burn we've all been waiting on, and I'm losing patience."

I let out a slow, suffering exhale, dragging my hands down my face. "Not everything in my life is a romance novel, Bec."

She raises a brow. "Yeah? Then why does it feel like I'm stuck watching the most infuriating will-they-won't-they of all time?"

I roll my eyes, but the mention of Theo has my stomach twisting in that all-too-familiar way. That way that tells me she's not wrong. That way that reminds me of how close I got to telling him last night—how the words sat heavy on my tongue, begging to be spoken.

But then Jake walked back into my life like a ghost I never invited, and now everything feels messy.

Becca nudges my leg with her foot, gaze softer now.

"Look, I know Jake being here is a mindfuck, but you can't let him derail you. You were ready to tell Theo. That means something."

I swallow hard. "It doesn't matter now."

She gives me a flat look. "Bullshit."

I let my head fall back against the chair, staring at the ceiling. "It's just... a lot, Bec. I don't have the energy to deal with both of them in my head at the same time."

"Well, lucky for you, I'm excellent at prioritizing," she says, sitting up straighter.

"So here's what we're gonna do: One, we figure out how to make Jake's life as inconvenient as humanly possible."

A small, involuntary smirk tugs at my lips. "And two?"

She grins, eyes gleaming. "You stop being a coward, a.k.a little bitch, and tell Theo how you feel before I do it for you."

I snap my gaze to hers, heart lurching. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, babe," she sing-songs, standing and stretching like she hasn't just sent my nervous system into a tailspin. "Try me."

I glare at her as she heads for the door. "You're the worst."

She winks. "And yet, you'd be lost without me."

The door clicks shut behind her, and I exhale, my chest tight.