After that evening, Aria couldn't stop thinking about Liam.
It wasn't the kiss alone, or the way he had looked at her like she was something rare and fragile at the same time. It was the quiet certainty that had settled in her chest after he left something she hadn't felt in a long time. Calm. Safety. A sense that, for once, she didn't have to overthink every emotion.
For the first time in weeks, sleep came easily.
She didn't toss or turn. She didn't wake up with that familiar tightness in her chest or the weight of unanswered questions pressing against her ribs. Instead, she slept deeply, peacefully, like someone who had finally exhaled after holding her breath for too long.
Morning light crept through the thin curtains of her apartment, soft and golden, brushing against her skin. Aria stirred slowly, stretching beneath the covers, a faint smile tugging at her lips before she even realized it was there.
Liam.
The thought of him came before anything else.
She rolled onto her side, staring at the wall, replaying small details from the night before his voice, low and steady, the way his hand had rested at her waist as if it belonged there, the promise in his eyes that felt unspoken but heavy with meaning.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table.
She reached for it, heart fluttering before she even saw the name.
Liam.
Good morning, beautiful. Hope you slept well.
Aria smiled to herself, biting her lower lip as she typed back.
I did. For the first time in a while.
There was a pause. Then another message came through.
That makes me happy. I'll see you later, yeah?
She stared at the screen for a second longer than necessary before replying.
Yeah.
That single word carried more weight than she wanted to admit.
Aria pushed herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The cool tiles grounded her as she turned on the shower, letting the warm water cascade over her skin, washing away the last traces of sleep. She stood there longer than usual, letting her thoughts drift not to the past, not to what she had lost, but to what was slowly, carefully forming in front of her.
After her bath, she wrapped a towel around herself and returned to her room, opening her wardrobe with a sense of intention she hadn't felt in a long time.
She didn't dress to impress anyone.
But she dressed like someone who felt good.
She pulled on high-waisted, fitted trousers that hugged her just right, paired with a simple crop top that revealed a sliver of skin without trying too hard. Her hair fell naturally around her shoulders as she adjusted it absentmindedly, glancing at her reflection.
She looked… confident.
Not forced. Not performative. Just real.
When she stepped outside later that morning, the air felt different lighter somehow. As she walked across campus, she could feel eyes on her, but for once, it didn't make her uncomfortable. She moved with quiet assurance, her head held high, her steps steady.
By the time she reached the basketball court, practice was already underway.
The sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor echoed through the space, mixed with laughter, shouted instructions, and the rhythmic bounce of basketballs. Aria leaned casually against the railing, scanning the court until her eyes landed on Liam.
He was in motion focused, intense, completely in his element.
And the moment he noticed her, everything shifted.
His movements slowed just slightly. His attention wavered. His gaze locked onto her like the rest of the world had faded into the background.
Aria felt it immediately the way his eyes traced her, the way his posture changed, like he suddenly became aware of himself in a different way.
Liam jogged over during a brief break, breathing lightly, sweat clinging to his skin, a grin spreading across his face when he reached her.
"You came," he said, like he hadn't expected anything else but still felt the need to say it.
"I said I would," Aria replied, smiling.
Without overthinking it, without making a show of it, Liam leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
It wasn't dramatic.
It wasn't exaggerated.
It was gentle. Brief. Intentional.
Public.
The world didn't stop, but something definitely shifted.
A few heads turned. Conversations paused. Someone on the court let out a low whistle before being elbowed by a teammate.
Aria's heart raced not from fear, but from the sudden awareness that this was no longer just theirs.
Liam pulled back slightly, his thumb brushing against her hand like it was second nature.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded. "Yeah."
And she was.
Practice resumed, but Liam's attention kept drifting back to her. Every time their eyes met, there was something unspoken passing between them a shared understanding that neither of them was ready to define just yet.
After practice, they walked side by side across campus.
Not touching at first.
Then Liam's hand brushed against hers.
Once.
Twice.
And then his fingers laced with hers, slow and deliberate, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to.
She didn't.
The simple act sent a ripple through her chest, grounding and exhilarating all at once.
They weren't dating.
No labels. No announcements.
But they weren't hiding either.
Students passed them, glancing twice, whispering softly. Aria caught fragments of conversations her name, his name, questions hanging in the air without answers.
Liam didn't seem to care.
He walked like someone who had made a decision and was standing by it.
Somewhere across the courtyard, Chloe stood still, watching.
Her smile was forced, frozen in place as her eyes followed the way Liam's hand held Aria's, the way he leaned closer to say something that made Aria laugh softly.
Disappointment was written plainly across Chloe's face.
Not anger.
Not jealousy at least not openly.
Just the quiet realization that something she expected to happen… hadn't.
And maybe never would.
She turned away without saying a word.
Aria didn't notice.
Not yet.
All she felt was the warmth of Liam's hand in hers, the steady presence beside her, and the strange awareness that people were beginning to see them as something whether they were ready for that or not.
Julian was gone.
But his absence had created space.
And Liam was stepping into it, not aggressively, not recklessly but with intention.
As they reached the edge of campus, Liam slowed, turning to face her.
"I'm not trying to rush anything," he said, his voice low, sincere. "I just want to be… here. With you."
Aria looked at him for a long moment, studying his face, the honesty in his eyes.
"I know," she said quietly. "And I like that."
That was all it took.
No promises.
No declarations.
Just two people standing at the edge of something new, aware that once the world started watching, there was no going back.
And for the first time in a long while, Aria wasn't afraid of where it might lead.