The hallway outside Professor Langley's office smelled like old books and lemon disinfectant. Aria Bennett sat on one of the plastic chairs, her legs crossed at the ankles, fingers twisting together in her lap. The noise of the school faded here no laughter, no lockers slamming, just the distant hum of an air conditioner and the faint scratching of a pen from inside the office.
She hadn't expected the summons.
When the message came earlier Professor Langley would like to see you after your last class her stomach had tightened instantly. She already knew what it was about. She just didn't know what to say.
"Aria?" Professor Langley's voice called gently.
She stood, smoothing the invisible wrinkles from her skirt before stepping inside.
The office was neat in the way only a strict academic could manage. Books lined the shelves in perfect rows, framed certificates hung straight on the wall, and a small potted plant sat near the window, barely alive but still trying.
Professor Langley tall, glasses perched low on his nose gestured for her to sit.
"Thank you for coming," he said calmly. "I won't take much of your time."
Aria nodded, her expression polite, guarded.
"I'll get straight to it," he continued, folding his hands together. "Your grades. They've been slipping."
There it was.
She stared at the edge of his desk, listening as he explained what she already knew. Missed assignments. Average test scores. A lack of focus that hadn't been there before.
"You're capable of more than this, Aria," he said, not unkindly. "I've seen your work. This isn't like you."
She swallowed.
"I know," she replied quietly.
"Is something going on?" he asked. "Anything affecting your concentration?"
The question hung in the air.
So many answers rushed to her mind everything, nothing, I don't even know anymore. But none of them felt safe enough to say out loud.
"I'm fine," she said finally. "I just… need to do better."
Professor Langley studied her for a moment, clearly unconvinced, but he didn't push.
"Alright," he said. "But understand this if things don't improve, it will start to affect your academic standing. I'd hate to see that happen."
"I understand," she said.
When she left the office, her chest felt heavy, like something invisible was pressing down on her ribs.
Outside, the campus was alive. Students laughed, couples walked hand in hand, the basketball court buzzed with leftover excitement from the earlier match. Everything looked normal.
She didn't feel normal.
By the time Aria got back to her apartment, the sun was already sinking low in the sky, painting the walls in soft orange light. She dropped her bag by the door, kicked off her shoes, and walked straight to her bedroom.
The silence wrapped around her like a blanket.
She lay back on the bed without changing, staring at the ceiling as thoughts tangled in her head school, her parents' disappointment, the rumors, Liam.
Liam.
She turned onto her side, hugging a pillow close, and before she realized it, sleep pulled her under.
Her phone vibrating woke her.
She groaned softly, blinking against the dim light, then reached for it.
Liam:
Come over tonight.
She stared at the message.
Another buzz.
Liam:
I want to see you.
She hesitated. Part of her wanted to say no, to stay curled up in bed and pretend the world didn't exist. But another part the part that still softened whenever his name lit up her screen won.
Aria:
Okay.
Liam's house sat at the edge of the city, tucked away behind tall gates and a long, quiet driveway. Aria stared out the window as the car rolled forward, her breath catching slightly when the house finally came into view.
It wasn't just a house.
It was a mansion.
Wide, elegant, glowing softly under the evening lights, with glass walls and clean architectural lines that screamed money and privacy. A swimming pool glimmered in the backyard, water reflecting the sky like a mirror.
She stepped out of the car slowly, unsure.
Liam met her at the door.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.
She nodded. "Yeah. Just… didn't expect this."
He smiled faintly. "It's quieter when my family's not around."
"So you live here alone?" she asked as they walked inside.
"Mostly," he replied. "There's just one guy helps around the house. My parents are out of town."
The inside was just as impressive as the outside modern furniture, wide open spaces, soft lighting that made everything feel intimate instead of cold.
He offered her a drink, something light, and they sat for a while, talking about nothing important. School. Random jokes. Small moments that filled the silence easily.
For a while, Aria almost forgot the heaviness she'd been carrying all day.
Then Liam stood, glancing toward the back of the house.
"Do you want to swim?" he asked casually. "It might help you relax."
She blinked, surprised.
"Swim?"
"Yeah," he said, smiling. "The pool's heated."
She hesitated only for a second.
"…Sure."
He showed her to a guest room and told her where she could change. When the door closed behind her, Aria leaned against it, exhaling slowly.
She opened the wardrobe.
Inside hung a swimsuit.
Her size.
She frowned slightly.
That's… weird, she thought but brushed it off almost immediately. Maybe he guessed. Maybe the housekeeper handled it. She didn't want to overthink it.
She changed quickly, the fabric hugging her curves perfectly, almost too perfectly. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she barely recognized the girl staring back.
Confident. Soft. Beautiful.
She wrapped a light robe around herself and stepped out.
The night air hit her skin as she walked toward the pool.
Liam was already in the water.
His arms rested on the edge, muscles relaxed, eyes lifting the moment he saw her.
And then he froze.
For a second, he forgot to breathe.
Aria stopped at the edge of the pool, suddenly aware of every inch of her body, every way his gaze lingered.
"Wow," he murmured without thinking.
She laughed softly, embarrassed. "What?"
He shook his head slightly, like he was pulling himself back to reality.
"Nothing," he said. "Just… come in."
She slipped the robe off, stepping closer.
Liam couldn't look away.
The water shimmered between them, the night quiet except for the gentle ripple of the pool.
And for the first time that day, Aria felt something loosen inside her chest.
Something warm.
Something dangerous.