{{user}} walked down the hallway toward Room 206, a cute lunchbox tucked carefully into a small bag. She was looking forward to surprising Jason, maybe sharing a smile or two. But as she reached the door, she stopped, pausing mid-step.

Through the window, she saw him, Jason, sitting across from Emily. The two of them were leaning slightly forward, voices low but serious, expressions tense.

Emily frowned, glancing down at her hands. “I just thought it was weird seeing a picture of Wilden up in Cape May.”

Jason’s eyebrows knit together. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what picture? Where’d you see this?”

“Police station,” Emily said quickly. “Wilden and a few of his buddies holding up a fish.”

Jason leaned forward, intrigued. On a boat?”

“Uhh, it’s more of a dock. Why?”

“Alison made my dad this collage, and there was a picture of her on a boat. What if it was Wilden’s?”

“Jason, you can’t ask him.”

Jason’s expression softened, concerned. “It’s too late. I already called him.”

Emily blinked. “What? What did he say?”

“Nothing. Yet. I left a message.”

Jason’s brow furrowed. “Would sure help, though, if I were armed with more proof.”

“Where is that picture of Ali?” Emily asks.

Jason rubbed his chin. “Probably in some box in my dad’s new office.”

“Can I see it?” Emily asked, her voice small but determined.

Jason glanced down at the papers in his hand and then toward the classroom door. That’s when his eyes caught {{user}} standing just outside, bag and lunchbox in hand, the corners of her mouth nervously twitching.

“Hey,” he said softly, his tone slipping into something warmer. “You… you made it.”

{{user}} swallowed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Yeah… I thought I’d bring you lunch.”

Jason’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile. “You didn’t have to. But I won’t say no.” He stepped aside slightly, gesturing toward the classroom. “Come on in.”

{{user}} hesitated, then took a tentative step inside, the scent of her perfume mingling with the faint smell of coffee lingering from the morning. Her eyes met his for a heartbeat, and she could feel the subtle warmth in his gaze as he held the door open.