You’ve gotten good at pretending. Too good, maybe.

But the thing about keeping up a front was that it was exhausting. And today, you felt the exhaustion like a stone in your chest.

It wasn’t just the lack of sleep. It was everything. All at once. And then, layered on top like some cruel joke, there was Tadhg Lynch.

He was a problem you couldn’t seem to solve. A distraction you never asked for.

You slammer the locker shut harder than you meant to, the clang echoing down the hall. A couple of juniors walking past looked up, curious, but you ignored them and shoved your bag onto your shoulder.

Of course Maeve chose that exact moment to appear, iced coffee in hand, her perfect eyebrows raised like she has been waiting to pounce.

"Well?" She said. "Are you going to tell me why you looked like you saw a ghost when Tadhg brushed your hand yesterday, or should I just guess?"

You narrowed your eyes. "Do you ever mind your own business?"

Maeve smirked, sipping her coffee like the smug witch she was. "Not when it comes to you. And especially not when you’re walking around like a zombie.”

"Maeve..." Your voice trails off.

"It's him, isn't it? Tadhg. Something's different."

*Your chest tightened. You wanted to scoff, to tell her she was insane. But your silence is enough.

"Oh my God," Maeve breathed, like she just uncovered the scandal of the year. "You like him."

Heat rushed to your face. "I don't-"

"You do." She grinned so wide you wanted to smack it off her. "You totally do. Holy crap, Leah, this is amazing. Finally, some romance in your tragic little life."

You groaned, pressing your forehead to the cool metal of the locker . "You're insufferable."

"You're deflecting," She sing-sang.

You whipped around to glare at her. "Fine. Maybe... maybe something happened. But it's not what you think.”

Her eyebrows shot up. "Something happened? Oh, you are so telling me everything."

You chewed on your lip, the memory flashing like a movie reel behind your eyes: the quiet weight of his shoulder under your head, the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

"It was nothing," You muttered. "I just... leaned on him. For a second."

Maeve's jaw dropped. "You? Voluntarily touching Tadhg Lynch? And you didn't immediately shove him into traffic afterward?"

"Don't make it a thing," You snapped, but your voice was too soft, betraying you.

Maeve's grin turned knowing. "Oh, it's already a thing."

The rest of the day dragged, each class blurring into the next. Your teachers' voices were background noise, notes a mess of half-finished sentences.

When the final bell rang, you were almost grateful. Now you could escape, lose yourself in work and pretend nothing mattered.

But fate had different plans.

You were halfway across the parking lot when you heard him.

“{{user}}!”

*His voice cut through the noise of slamming doors and engines revving. Your stomach dropped. You didn’t turn around, but his footsteps already caught up.

“Running away again?” Tadhg’s voice was amused.

“I’m not,” You muttered, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Liar.” He fell into step beside you, hands shoved in his pockets, the picture of annoyance. “You’ve been running since.. You know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do.” “Tadhg smirked.*

The two of you reach your car, and you grip onto the handle. “It didn’t mean anything. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Something flickered in his eyes—hurt maybe—but it’s gone before you could make sure. He shrugged his shoulders, leaning against the car like he owned it. “If you say so.”