The autumn leaves scattered across the grounds of Riverside High School as Sophie Marcus made her way to the library, her camera bag slung across her shoulder. Photography was her escape, her language, the one way she could express things her voice couldn't quite manage.
She didn't notice the boy leaning against the oak tree near the entrance until he called out to her.
"Sophie! Wait up!"
She turned to find Liam Ashford jogging toward her, his athletic frame unmistakable even after the summer break. Liam had been her neighbor, her partner-in-crime, her constant companion since childhood. They'd met at age four in a sandbox, bonded over their shared love of adventure and mischief, and had been inseparable ever since.
"I've been looking for you all morning," he said, falling into step beside her. "You weren't at our usual spot."
"I was taking pictures by the lake," Sophie replied, adjusting her camera. "The light was perfect at dawn."
"You should have woken me." There was something in his tone—a hint of something deeper than friendly concern—that made Sophie's stomach flutter. She pushed the feeling away.
"You needed the sleep. Basketball tryouts have been intense."
"Yeah, well, nothing's as intense as missing my best friend." He bumped his shoulder against hers, a gesture so familiar it had become second nature.
This was their rhythm—Liam and Sophie, Sophie and Liam. Inseparable since they were toddlers, they'd grown up sharing everything. Liam had held her hand when her parents divorced in middle school. Sophie had been there when his older brother had gotten into trouble with drugs. They knew each other's secrets, dreams, and fears.
But something was shifting, like sand slipping through fingers.
At lunch, Sophie found Liam waiting at their usual table in the cafeteria, two trays of food already set out.
"Turkey and avocado sandwich, no tomato, extra mayo," he recited as she sat down. "Just how you like it."
"You've been getting my order right for so long, I think you could do it in your sleep," Sophie teased.
Liam didn't respond with his usual quip. Instead, he watched her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. Before she could ask what was wrong, a shadow fell across their table.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Sophie looked up to see a boy she'd never seen before—tall, with striking features and an air of confidence that seemed to fill the entire cafeteria. He had dark hair styled perfectly, clothes that looked designer-made, and eyes that seemed to assess everyone with calculated interest.
"I'm Marcus Sterling," the boy said, not waiting for an answer before pulling out a chair. "Just transferred here. My father's company relocated, and here I am in small-town Connecticut."
"Sophie Marcus," Sophie offered politely. "This is Liam Ashford."
"The basketball star." Marcus's smile was confident as he looked at Liam before his gaze settled on Sophie. "But I'm more interested in you, actually."
Liam's fork paused halfway to his mouth.
"I saw some of your work in the art exhibit last year," Marcus continued, his full attention on Sophie now. "The series on urban decay was exceptional. Raw, emotional, honest. Not many photographers can capture that kind of vulnerability in abandoned spaces."
Sophie felt a warmth bloom in her chest at the compliment. Most people didn't pay attention to her work. "Thank you. That's really kind of you to say."
"It's not kindness—it's honesty. You have a gift." Marcus leaned forward, his interest seemingly genuine. "I was actually looking for someone to document a new photography project. We're starting a visual arts initiative at my family's foundation. Paid position, very flexible schedule, exposure to the art world. Would you be interested?"
Before Sophie could respond, Liam interjected. "Sophie's pretty busy with school and everything."
"I wasn't asking you, Liam," Marcus said smoothly, his tone casual but with an edge underneath. His eyes remained on Sophie. "So, what do you say? Want to hear more about it?"
Sophie glanced at Liam, noting the tightness around his jaw, the way his hands clenched on the table. Something was definitely wrong. But Marcus's offer was too good to pass up.
"I'd love to hear more," Sophie said.
---
Over the next few weeks, Marcus became a constant presence in Sophie's life. He appeared between classes with coffee in hand, invited her to lunch at the new upscale café in town, and even showed up at her photography sessions with genuine interest and thoughtful questions.
"The way you frame your subjects," Marcus said one afternoon as they reviewed Sophie's portfolio in the school's darkroom, "it's like you're telling their story without words. You make people see the beauty in things they normally overlook."
"That's what I'm trying to do," Sophie admitted, spreading her photographs across the light table. "I feel like words always get in the way of what I really mean to say."
"Then we're kindred spirits." Marcus's hand brushed her shoulder, lingering a moment longer than necessary. "You know, there are some incredible photography programs in New York. Columbia, NYU, Parsons—they're all looking for artists with your unique perspective."
Sophie's heart raced. "You think I could actually get into places like that?"
"I know you could." Marcus pulled up a chair, sitting close enough that she caught the scent of his expensive cologne. "My mother's on the board of several art institutions. I'd be happy to make some calls, put your name forward. With the right connections and portfolio, you could have your pick of schools."
It was everything Sophie had dreamed about—a path forward, a way out of the small town where everyone had always known her as Liam's best friend. A chance to become something more.
"That would be incredible," Sophie breathed. "Thank you, Marcus. Really."
"Don't thank me yet." He smiled, and there was something almost possessive in his gaze. "First, we need to make your portfolio absolutely perfect. Which means we'll need to spend a lot of time together. I hope that doesn't bother you."
"No, of course not. I appreciate the help."
"Good." He stood, offering her his hand to help her up. "I have a feeling we're going to become very close, Sophie. Very close indeed."
---
When she told Liam about Marcus's offer, something shifted between them.
They were at their rooftop spot—the old water tower they'd discovered in high school that had become their sanctuary—when she brought it up.
"Marcus's mother thinks I could get into Columbia or NYU," Sophie said excitedly, her legs dangling over the edge as she looked out at the town below. "Can you imagine? A photography degree from one of those schools? Liam, this could change everything."
Liam was quiet for a long moment. He sat rigid beside her, not relaxed like he usually was in this space. "That's good," he finally said, his voice tight. "That's really good for you."
"You don't sound happy."
"I am." But he wasn't. Sophie could hear the lie in every syllable. "I just... do you trust him? Marcus, I mean?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Sophie turned to look at him. "He's been nothing but helpful."
"That's exactly the problem." Liam ran a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "Do you know anything about him? Where he's from, what his family actually does, anything real?"
"His father's company relocated here. His mother's involved with the arts. That's all I need to know."
"Is it?" Liam's voice had an edge she'd never heard before. "Sophie, there's something about him that doesn't feel right. The way he's always around, always offering things, always inserting himself into your life. The way he looks at you..."
"The way he looks at me?" Sophie bristled. "He looks at me like I'm talented, Liam. Like my work matters. What's wrong with that?"
"Because—" He stopped himself, his jaw clenching so hard she could see the muscle flex. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."
"No, tell me. If something's bothering you, I want to know." Sophie turned to face him fully, crossing her arms. "We've never kept things from each other, Liam. Don't start now."
Liam was quiet for so long she thought he wouldn't answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was raw, stripped of its usual easy confidence.
"Because I'm afraid of losing you," he said quietly. "Is that what you want to hear? I'm terrified that you're going to get these amazing opportunities, go to these incredible schools, and realize you've outgrown this—outgrown me. That I'm just the boy from your hometown who can't offer you anything but memories and basketball games and a future that goes nowhere."
Sophie's breath caught. She'd never heard Liam sound so vulnerable, so afraid.
"That's not true—"
"Isn't it?" He stood abruptly, walking to the edge of the platform. "You're going to leave, Sophie. You're going to become this amazing photographer, and you're going to look back at this place and wonder why you spent so much time here. Why you wasted time on someone like me."
"Liam, you're not a waste of time. You've never been—"
"I'm not enough for you. I can see it. Marcus can give you things I can't. Connections, opportunities, a path into the world you want to be part of. What do I have? A scholarship offer from a state school? A future coaching basketball in a town we've wanted to escape our whole lives?"
"I don't care about any of that!"
"You should care!" His voice rose, raw with emotion. "You should care about your future, about being with someone who can actually help you achieve your dreams. Not someone who's just trying to hold you back because he's terrified of being alone."
The words hung in the air between them, cruel and true and devastating.
"Is that what you think?" Sophie whispered. "That you're holding me back?"
Liam looked at her, and she saw the war happening behind his eyes. She saw him struggling with something he couldn't quite articulate, something that went deeper than jealousy or fear of abandonment.
"Just... be careful with Marcus, okay?" he finally said, his voice exhausted. "Please. I have a bad feeling about him."
He left before she could respond, climbing down from the water tower with quick, jerky movements. Sophie sat alone in the gathering darkness, her heart aching in a way she didn't fully understand.
For the first time since childhood, Liam had pushed her away.
And it hurt more than she could bear.