Aurora hid behind a tree and waited until he left before slipping inside.
She leaned against the door, pulse pounding in her ears.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't okay.
Ethan wasn't letting go.
Later that evening, desperate for distraction, Aurora found herself back at the library.
She wandered the shelves aimlessly until a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey."
She turned…. and there he was.
Lucas.
Leaning casually against the end of the shelf, a book tucked under one arm, that same crooked smile tugging at his lips.
Aurora smiled back before she could stop herself.
"Hey," she echoed.
He pushed off the shelf and fell in to stand beside her. "Looking for anything special?"
Aurora shrugged. "Just... something to lose myself in for a while."
Lucas nodded like he understood that perfectly.
"Come on," he said, tilting his head. "I know a secret section."
Intrigued …and maybe just a little reckless . Aurora followed him deeper into the maze of shelves.
They went through some dimly lit corridors until Lucas stopped in front of a hidden dusty shelf filled with old, forgotten books.
"This is where they keep the best stuff," he said.
Aurora ran her fingers along the dusty books. "It feels like another world back here."
Lucas smiled, softer this time. "Maybe that's what we need sometimes. Another world."
Aurora pulled out a thin, battered novel and turned it over in her hands.
"How do you always seem to know exactly what to say?" she asked before she could stop herself.
Lucas's smile faltered just for a fraction of a second before he masked it with a casual shrug.
"Good guesswork," he said lightly.
But something flickered in his eyes. Something almost... guilty.
Aurora tucked the book under her arm and pretended not to notice.
They sat cross-legged on the floor of the secret shelf, telling each other stories, favorite lines from books, and dreams that they were half-afraid to say out loud.
Aurora found herself telling Lucas things she hadn't told anyone including Mia …..about the dreams she had sacrificed for Ethan, about the loneliness she carried like a hidden scar.
And Lucas listened.
Really listened.
At one point, Aurora looked up and found him watching her with an intensity that made her breath get caught in her throat.
"I'm glad you found me," Lucas said quietly.
Aurora felt her heart pump harder.
She should have been scared. Should have backed away.
But all she felt was warmth. A dangerous, intoxicating warmth.
Maybe it was loneliness.
Maybe it was hope.
Maybe it was something deeper, curling in her chest like a flame.
"Me too," she whispered.
For a moment, the world felt like it was just them, the forgotten books, and the space between their heartbeats.
Then Aurora's phone buzzed; a harsh, annoying sound that broke the silence and intensity.
She glanced at the screen and she felt her stomach turn.
'Ethan. Again!.'
Missed calls.
Texts.
"Come outside. I just want to talk. Please, Rory."
Her hands shook.
Lucas saw the panic flicker across her face.
"Everything okay?" he asked gently.
Aurora forced a smile that felt brittle. "Yeah. Just... someone who can't take a hint."
Lucas's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Instead, he stood and offered her his hand.
"Come on," he said. "I'll walk you back."
Aurora hesitated.
"I don't want to drag you into my mess," she said.
Lucas's fingers closed lightly around hers, grounding her.
"You're not dragging me anywhere," he said. "You're not alone, Aurora."
Something inside her cracked open at those words.
Maybe for the first time in a long time, she believed it.
They stepped out into the night together.
The campus was mostly empty, the air full with the smell of rain.
Lucas kept a careful distance beside her …close enough to reassure, far enough not to smother.
Aurora appreciated that more than she could say.
Halfway across the courtyard, a movement caught her eye.
A figure stepped out from behind a lamppost blocking their path.
It was Ethan.
His eyes locked on Lucas, then flicked to Aurora,giving a look which burned with a possessive rage that made her skin crawl.
"Aurora," Ethan said, in a low and strained tone. "We need to talk."
Aurora's heart hammered painfully.
"There's nothing to talk about," she said, amazed that her voice sounded stronger than she felt.
Ethan took a step closer, ignoring Lucas completely.
"I messed up," he said. "I know I did. But you can't just throw everything away. We're meant to be together."
Aurora shook her head, tears stinging her eyes.
"Meant to be?" she repeated bitterly. "You cheated on me, Ethan. Over and over. That's not love."
Ethan's face twisted. "He doesn't know you like I do," he spat, jerking his chin toward Lucas.
Lucas stepped forward then, quiet but firm.
"She said there's nothing to talk about," he said calmly.
Ethan's hands curled into fists. "Stay out of this."
Aurora stepped between them, trembling but fierce.
"Enough," she said. "I'm done, Ethan. This is over."
For a moment, Ethan just stared at her, stunned.
Then something ugly flashed in his eyes.
"This isn't over," he hissed. "You'll see."
He turned and walked off into the night, leaving a trail of anger behind him.
Aurora stumbled against Lucas, all the strength draining out of her.
Lucas caught her before she could fall, his arms strong and steady around her.
"You're safe," he murmured into her hair. "I've got you."
Aurora clung to him, blinking back tears.
For the first time in a long time, she let herself believe it.
But somewhere deep inside, a whisper of doubt remained.
Because she didn't know what to expect yet.
Lucas wasn't just her safe harbor.
He was probably a storm of his own, waiting to be unleashed.
Aurora stood frozen, her hand still gripping Lucas's, her heart racing as Ethan stormed off. The world around her seemed muffled, her mind scrambling to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions and events that had just happened.
"I... I can't believe he just said that," Aurora muttered, her voice shaky.