(Michelle Lui's POV)
By Friday, I was… hopeful.
Stupidly hopeful.
Physics Lab used to be nerve-wracking — three entire hours trapped in a room with simmering tensions, confused friendships, and equations I pretended to understand.
But today?
Today felt different.
Steven had walked me to the car yesterday.
He'd texted me goodnight.
He was gentle, warm, steady.
He had talked to Lara.
And I believed — maybe naively — that things would finally, finally settle.
That this class would feel normal again.
That we could breathe.
So when I stepped into the cold lab room, inhaling the faint scent of metal and alcohol wipes, I actually smiled.
"Morning," I whispered to Steven.
His eyes softened. "Morning."
And God help me, I felt lighter.
We took our usual lab table — me on the left, Steven on the right — and Lara walked in a few minutes later.
She looked tired, yes.
Paler.
But her expression was calm. Composed. Almost… blank.
