The afternoon sun hung low over the campus. Students filled the walkways. Groups clustered near benches.
Others heading toward the parking lots. Conversations overlapping. Laughter. The occasional shout across the quad.
Kelvin yawned. Wide. His mouth opening so much his jaw cracked. He stretched his arms overhead. "Man, that class was boring as hell."
Liam walked beside him. Wearing a dark blue sweater. Grey Joggers.
His backpack slung over one shoulder.
His hands crossed behind his head. Relaxed. Casual.
"You were sleeping in class," Liam said. His tone teasing. "How are you still tired?"
Kelvin looked at him. Raised an eyebrow. "Liam. My friend. It’s the fact that I need more sleep just from being on school premises. That should explain a lot."
’Of course he has sothing stupid to say.’
Liam smirked. "That you like school more than anywhere?"
Kelvin matched his energy without missing a beat. "You’re wrong. I love school more than anywhere."
Both of them laughed. The sound genuine. Easy.
They kept walking. Passing other students. A girl waved at Kelvin. He waved back. Didn’t stop walking.
"I’m going to the gym today," Kelvin said.
Liam glanced at him. Confused. "Really?"
"Yeah. Want to co with?"
Liam thought about it for a mont. Then shrugged. "Okay. I’m in."
He ran through his ntal checklist. ’There’s nothing new going on. Shay has the gang handled. Elsa’s running the business. Everything’s fine.’
Then he looked down at himself. At his sweater. "But I’m not really dressed for it though."
Kelvin grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Don’t worry, I got you."
Liam scoffed and shook his head, but he was smiling.
They kept moving through the parking lot, weaving between cars as students got into their vehicles around them.
Kelvin’s black Range Rover ca into view near the end of the row, clean and polished with the sun reflecting off the hood.
Kelvin moved toward the driver’s side. His hand already reaching for the door handle.
Liam walked around to the passenger side. His fingers wrapping around the handle.
"Liam Hart."
The voice ca from behind him.
Liam stopped. Turned around.
Rachel.
She was standing a few feet away. Arms crossed. Her sleek bob framing her face. Glasses perched on her nose.
She was wearing a green hoodie, black leggings, and white sneakers. Pretty and cute, but her expression was anything but friendly.
Above her head floated [10/100].
Liam blinked. "What’s up?"
Rachel’s eyes narrowed and she uncrossed her arms, taking a step closer. "What’s up?" She repeated the words slowly, like she couldn’t believe he’d just said them. "What’s up?"
Liam frowned. "Yeah?"
She took another step. Closing the distance. Now she was right in front of him. Maybe two feet away.
Then she kicked him.
Hard.
Right in the dick.
"Ohhhh—" Kelvin’s voice ca from the other side of the car. He winced. Hard. His whole body folding slightly.
His hand instinctively moving down to grab himself. Like he’d felt it.
Liam’s legs crossed. Instinct. His knees bending slightly. But he stayed standing. Sohow. Every nerve in his body screaming.
Pain radiating outward from the impact point. His leg shaking. Trembling.
"What was that for?" His voice ca out strained. Tight.
Rachel’s expression didn’t change. "I should do it again. Right after you made a date with and didn’t bother telling you were cancelling."
Liam’s hand moved down. Grabbed himself gently. Trying to ease the pain. "Sothing ca up."
"I don’t care." Rachel’s voice was sharp. Cold. "You could have told . A text. A call. Anything. But you just didn’t show."
’I totally forgot about her the mont I saw Grace’s text.’
Liam swallowed. "I’m sorry."
Rachel scoffed. "I don’t want your pity apology. I shouldn’t have believed you in the first place."
"I’m really sorry," Liam said again. His voice more genuine this ti. "At least you got your revenge, right?"
Rachel stared at him. Then shook her head. "I haven’t. Not really. The hate just grew even more."
She turned. Started walking away. Her footsteps sharp on the pavent.
Liam watched her go. Didn’t say anything. Just stood there. His hand still holding himself. The pain still throbbing.
’It hurts so much.’
Kelvin ca around the front of the car. Walked over. Stopped beside Liam. "You okay, man?"
Liam looked at him. "I’m not sure I am."
Kelvin tried to hold it in but failed, a smile tugging at his lips before he laughed. "She should join the football team with that kick. Damn."
Liam glared at him. "I’m glad this is funny to you."
Kelvin raised his hands. Defensive. But still smiling. "I couldn’t help myself."
Liam shook his head. Looked back toward where Rachel had disappeared. She was gone now. Lost in the crowd of students.
Kelvin’s expression shifted. More serious. "You still good to go to the gym? Or..."
Liam let out a breath. Slow. "I don’t think so anymore."
Kelvin nodded. Understanding. "Yeah. Totally get it." He gestured toward the car. "Co on. Get in. I’ll drop you ho before I head to the gym."
"Thank you."
Liam reached for the door handle again. Pulled it open.
Then his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He paused. Pulled it out. Looked at the screen.
A ssage.
From Miss Kelly.
*Miss Kelly~ Left work early. I’m ho now. Miss you so much.*
Liam stared at the ssage. His mind working.
’I don’t think I’d be able to do anything to make her happy with what’s wrong with right now.’
He started typing.
*Liam~ I’ll have to see you later. Sothing ca up.*
He stopped. His thumb hovering over the send button.
Then he paused.
’Wait. What if she can actually fix this? Make feel better?’
He deleted the ssage. Started typing again.
*Liam~ I’ll be right there.*
He hit send.
Kelvin was already sitting in the driver’s seat. Looking at him through the open door. "What’s up?"
Liam pocketed his phone. Closed the passenger door without getting in. "Don’t worry about it. I need to go sowhere right now. I’ll just book a ride."
Kelvin’s smile returned. Slow. Knowing.
Liam pointed at him. "Don’t start."
Kelvin raised his hands. Innocent. "I’m not doing shit."
He started the engine. Put the car in reverse. The backup lights ca on.
Liam stepped back. Watched as Kelvin backed out of the parking spot. Then shifted into drive. Rolled down the window.
"Have fun," Kelvin said. Still smiling.
Liam flipped him off.
Kelvin laughed. Drove off. The Range Rover disappearing down the row of cars.
Liam stood there for a mont. Alone in the parking lot. The pain still throbbing but manageable now. Fading slowly.
He pulled out his phone. Opened the ride app. Entered Miss Kelly’s address. The screen showed a car nearby. Two minutes away.
He confird it.
Then he looked up at the sky. The sun was lower now. Casting long shadows across the pavent.
"Kelly," he muttered to himself. "Here I co."
---
He found a spot near the exit of the parking lot and waited.
The campus was still busy around him. Students streaming past. Bags over shoulders. Phones out. Conversations he wasn’t listening to.
He stood to the side, out of the flow of foot traffic, one hand in his pocket and the other still very occasionally pressing against himself when the pain flared back up.
Two minutes passed.
A white Toyota Camry rolled up slowly. The driver leaned across the center console and looked out the passenger window. Middle-aged. Baseball cap. Reading glasses pushed up on his forehead.
"You the one who booked?"
"Yeah," Liam said. "That’s ."
The driver looked at his phone screen. Read out the price.
Liam nodded once. "That’s fine. Alright."
He opened the back door and got in. Closed it behind him. The car slled faintly of air freshener. Sothing artificial. Vanilla.
The driver pulled out. rged into the slow crawl of campus traffic. Other cars ahead. A speed bump. Then another. Then the main gate and the open road beyond it.
Liam sat back against the seat. Stretched his legs slightly. The pain had dulled to a steady ache now. Present but no longer sharp. He shifted his weight, trying to find a position that didn’t aggravate it, and settled with one knee slightly raised.
He closed his eyes for a mont.
The car moved smoothly. Traffic was light for this ti of afternoon. The driver didn’t talk. Just drove. Music playing low from the front speakers. Sothing soft. Forgettable.
Liam rested his head back against the headrest.
Then his phone buzzed.
He opened his eyes. Pulled it out.
Miss Kelly.
He opened the ssage.
There was a photo attached.
He stared at it.
His dick got hard imdiately. He winced. The pain and the reaction hitting at the sa ti, which was its own special kind of misery.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror. "You good back there?"
"Fine," Liam said. His voice coming out slightly strained. "I’m fine."
The driver looked back at the road.
Liam looked back at his phone. At the photo. Then he locked the screen and dropped it face down on the seat beside him.
’She’s going to pay for that,’ he thought. The corner of his mouth moving despite everything.
He shifted his weight again. Settled back against the seat.
Outside the window the streets rolled past. The sun dropping lower. Long shadows stretching across the pavent.
He watched them go.
Not long now.
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