tting into his car when another car pulled up behind us, its headlig

king a weird noise," she said, her voice a mixture of helple

dercurrent of concern in his eyes that he couldn't hide.

e a coincidence. It was a calculated move, a power pla

"I can't see anything wrong, but you probably shouldn't dr

, you don't have to do that! I can just ride with

front. I felt like a third wheel on my own date, an unwanted spectator in their drama. I stare

am told me you're an astrophysicist. That's so... niche. Do you ever get lonely, thinking about all that empt

t. "But space isn't empty. It's j

trying to maintain a fragile peace, to keep his two wo

y appetite. Then, I saw it. Under the table, his hand found hers. Their fingers intertwined, a secret, intimate gesture that they thought I couldn'

his voice laced with the same fake co

ophia looks a little tired. Maybe you should take her home. She has a big day tomorrow, I'm sure."

t Sophia, who was pouting slightly. He made his choice. "Yeah, you're right,"

se her

said, standing up. "I ca

to explode with fireworks. I found a spot on a nearby bench and waited. As the first firework shot into the sky, a brilli

rned. It was Liam. He had come bac

d through the gaps, I saw her. Sophia. Standing just a few feet away. And as another firework lit up the sky, I watched, through the frame of his fingers, as he lean