Chapter 2The Milk Spill, The Bully, and the Boy Who Chose the Wrong Path

There were a lot of students walking by.

If you didn't look closely, they were hidden in the shadows of the alley, making them hard to spot.

A lazy, arrogant smile played on Liam's lips.

"So, what do you owe me today?"

"A deal is a deal."

Maya's face was flushed red. She wouldn't look at him.

She went up on her tiptoes and quickly kissed his cheek.

"Holy shit! What?!"

My desk mate was dumbfounded.

She couldn't help but gasp out loud.

That single gasp made Liam turn his head. His eyes locked directly with mine.

Our gazes collided, and the air instantly froze.

My desk mate finally realized what she had done and covered her mouth.

"Sorry! You guys keep talking! I didn't see anything!"

Then she bolted like her life depended on it.

I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, honestly not knowing what to say.

I gave a cold, detached smile.

"What a coincidence. I'm heading home too."

Liam's gaze rested heavily on me.

He didn't say a word.

We stood there in a silent standoff for three long seconds.

As I turned to leave, I heard Maya's voice.

"Liam... is she mad?"

"Don't worry about her."

My heart felt a sudden, agonizing squeeze.

I forced it down and walked faster.

I had known Liam for nineteen years. Suddenly, I realized he was no longer the boy I remembered.

Three days ago, when I found out he had started targeting Maya, I specifically went to talk to him.

"I don't care about stuff like that."

"But I do."

His expression had been completely serious as he enunciated every word.

"Your health isn't great. I won't let anyone bully you."

We grew up together. That was the sentence he had said to me more than any other.

But it was that exact same day.

I saw him cornering Maya against the wall of the auditorium.

Maya was crying and hiccuping.

"If I... if I kiss you, will you let me go?"

Liam dropped his usual cold, unapproachable demeanor.

He gave a lazy, arrogant smile. "What do you think?"

I don't remember how I walked away from the auditorium.

My legs felt stiff, and my chest was so tight I couldn't breathe.

For the rest of the afternoon, I didn't absorb a single word the teachers said.

Eventually, I managed to convince myself: people change.

If we were no longer walking the same path.

Then we shouldn't walk together anymore.