The hallways of Ridgewood International felt different after the library incident. Maya could feel eyes on her wherever she went, whispers following her like a shadow. Brooke tried to act casual, but even she was wide-eyed, clearly wondering what Liam Kingston had said in the library.
Maya wanted to pretend it didn't matter, to blend in and survive, but she couldn't shake the memory of his proximity, the way his cologne lingered in her nose, the way his voice brushed against her ear when he whispered that she was interesting.
She was running late for history when she rounded the corner and almost collided with him.
"Careful," Liam said, catching her by the shoulders. His grip was firm but not overbearing, and for some reason, her heart skipped.
"I'm fine," she said, blushing, trying to straighten her books and act like she hadn't just noticed how close he was.
"Are you?" he asked, tilting his head with a smirk. There was something teasing in his eyes, as if he could see every thought running through her mind. "Because you look like you're about to run for cover."
"I'm not," she said quickly, though the lie sounded weak even to her own ears.
He didn't press further, but the way he held her gaze made her chest pound. For a second, the noisy hall seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them. Then the bell rang, dragging them back to reality.
Maya rushed to class, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach. She barely noticed Vanessa approaching from the other side, her heels sharp against the floor.
"You two seem very… friendly," Vanessa said, her tone sharp. "Are you planning something, scholarship girl?"
Maya froze, not knowing what to say. She could feel Liam's presence just behind her, quiet but commanding.
"Nothing," she said, trying to sound casual.
Vanessa's smirk was ice-cold. "I'll be watching you." Then she swept past, leaving a trail of perfume that made Maya want to roll her eyes.
By the time Maya reached her seat in history, Liam had already taken his, leaning back with an expression that said he was amused by the whole situation. His eyes flicked toward her, and for a moment, the usual confidence returned.
During the lesson, she tried to focus on the teacher, but Liam was impossible to ignore. Every time she looked up, he was watching her with a faint smile, as if he had a secret only she was meant to know. Her pulse raced, and she could feel herself getting flustered.
At the end of class, he leaned over her desk. "Meet me after school," he whispered. His voice was low, smooth, and completely distracting. "The roof. Alone."
Maya's stomach dropped. "The roof?"
He nodded. "Best place to talk. Nobody can interrupt. I promise it won't be boring."
Her mind raced. Alone with Liam Kingston? On the roof? This could go horribly wrong. Yet the thought made her heart beat faster in a way that terrified her.
"Okay," she said finally. "I'll be there."
After school, Maya walked nervously toward the stairwell that led to the roof. Her backpack felt heavy, not with books, but with anticipation and anxiety. She tried to calm herself, telling herself that it was just a conversation, but when she reached the door and saw Liam leaning casually against the railing, all rational thoughts left her.
He was taller than she remembered, and the sunlight hit his hair just right, making the edges glow. He looked effortless, untouchable, and for the first time, dangerously real.
"You made it," he said, smiling faintly.
"I said I would," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
He gestured to the railing. "Come here. Trust me, it's better than standing awkwardly in the hallway."
Maya hesitated, then moved closer. The wind blew gently, tugging at her hair, and for a moment, the world felt suspended.
"I wanted to apologize for Vanessa," Liam said quietly, eyes on hers. "She's… complicated. Don't let her ruin your first week."
Maya shook her head. "It's fine. I expected people to be like that. I just… didn't expect you to defend me."
He shrugged, though his expression softened. "I don't defend everyone. Just the people who are worth noticing."
Her heart jumped. "Worth noticing?"
"Yes," he said, stepping a little closer. "You. Definitely you."
Maya wanted to say something witty, but the words stuck in her throat. He was close now, so close that she could feel his warmth. She caught herself staring at him, noticing the faint curve of his lips, the intensity of his eyes.
"You're impossible," she said finally, trying to hide the way her cheeks burned.
"And yet you still talk to me," he countered with a small grin.
For a few moments, they simply stood there, the wind tugging at Maya's hair, the city stretching out below them, and the tension between them thick enough to taste.
Then Liam leaned slightly closer, just enough for her to notice, just enough to make her breath catch. "Do you know how many people here would kill to have this moment?"
Maya shook her head, even though she did know. She could feel the truth of it in every glance she had endured, every whispered conversation.
"Don't think about them," he said softly. "This is ours, right now. Nobody else matters."
Her chest raced. "And if they notice?"
He smirked, that dangerous, infuriating smirk. "Then let them."
Maya's heart thumped as he stepped closer again. She could feel him, smell him, and in that moment, the rest of the school, the rumors, Vanessa's threats, all of it.. faded into background noise.
"I… don't know if I can do this," she whispered, partly warning herself and partly acknowledging the pull she felt toward him.
"You already are doing it," he said simply. "And I like it."
For a moment, the tension between them hung, electric and unspoken. Then Liam brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his fingers barely grazing her cheek, and Maya felt a shiver run down her spine.
"You're dangerous," she whispered.
"Maybe," he said, leaning in just enough for her to notice, for her to feel it in the pit of her stomach. "But I like the way you handle it."
The wind swept across the roof, carrying their words into silence. Neither of them moved closer, and yet the space between them felt impossibly intimate.
Finally, Liam stepped back slightly, his smile faint but knowing. "Same time tomorrow?" he asked.
Maya nodded, still caught between nerves and excitement. "Yeah. Same time."
As she walked away from the roof, heart racing and mind spinning, she realized one thing. Ridgewood International was more dangerous than she had ever imagined, but somehow, with Liam Kingston involved, it was also more thrilling than she had ever dreamed.
And she knew, deep down, that there was no turning back.