[JASMINE – POV]
I thought I could bury the past. Lock it up in a box and pretend Ayo didn't exist. But now that he was here—in my school, in my space—I couldn't escape the memories.
Everywhere I went, I felt his stare.
Watching.
Waiting.
Even Lucas's arms around me didn't drown it out completely.
"You sure you don't want to stay home today?" my cousin Zara asked as we walked through the front gate.
I shook my head. "He doesn't get to run me out. Not again."
But as we stepped into the hallway, Ayo leaned against my locker.
Of course.
"Miss me already?" he said with a grin.
Zara stepped forward, but I touched her arm. "I got this."
I faced him, calm on the outside. "You're not worth missing, Ayo. You're just a warning label now."
His smile twitched. "You're still mad. That means you still care."
I didn't respond. I just shoved past him and opened my locker.
But deep inside, I hated that part of me did still care—care that he broke me, care that he could waltz in and pretend like he hadn't.
And worse—I hated that Lucas might see that and think he had something to worry about.
Because he didn't.
He was everything Ayo wasn't.
[LUCAS – POV]
I saw them talking by the lockers—Jasmine and Ayo—and even though she didn't look happy, it still made my chest twist.
Jealousy was ugly. But I couldn't help it.
Later, during lunch, I couldn't focus. My mind kept going back to the look in her eyes. Not scared, not in love… just haunted.
And I hated it.
She slid into the seat beside me at our usual table.
"You've barely touched your food," she said, nudging my tray.
I shrugged. "Wasn't that hungry."
"You're not mad, are you?"
"No," I said. "Just… trying to figure out how to fight ghosts."
Her eyes softened. She placed her hand on mine.
"You don't have to fight him, Lucas. You just have to believe me. I'm not confused about who I want."
I looked at her.
Really looked.
There were still cracks in her heart. But she was letting me see them. And that meant everything.
"Okay," I whispered.
And when I kissed her right there in the cafeteria—ignoring every stare—I knew I'd do anything to keep her safe from the past.
Even if it meant getting my hands dirty.