Chapter 2 FORCED PROXIMITY

Ava sat at the farthest corner of the campus library, fingers drumming lightly on her laptop. She had been there for nearly an hour, hoping-foolishly-that Liam wouldn't show. But deep down, she knew he would. Guys like him always liked control. He wouldn't let her take over the project, even if she wanted to.

She'd chosen a seat by the window, partly to avoid distractions, mostly to have an escape plan.

Her phone buzzed.

Liam: "You ghosting me already, hoodie?"

Liam: "I'm at the door. Let me in before I start knocking like a maniac."

Ava sighed and walked to the door. Sure enough, he stood there, grinning like he was on the cover of some bad-boy romance novel.

"I thought you'd bail," he said as he stepped inside.

"I hoped you would," she muttered.

He dropped into the chair opposite hers, stretching his long legs out under the table. She caught herself pulling her own legs in.

"Okay," he said, clapping his hands once. "Let's get this over with. What's our topic again?"

"You didn't read the brief?"

"I skimmed it. That counts."

Ava pinched the bridge of her nose. "We're supposed to pick a controversial societal issue and prepare a two-part presentation. One half presenting facts, the other-personal perspective."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "So, like... politics and pain?"

She gave him a flat look. "That's one way to put it.

She was annoyingly efficient.

Ava had already created a color-coded outline, highlighted the deadlines, and even reserved slots for research. Liam didn't usually do group projects-he found a way to either charm his way through or do the bare minimum. But something about Ava made him want to prove he wasn't just a slacker.

Still, old habits died hard.

"So... wanna make it about love vs. lust?" he asked with a smirk.

She didn't look up. "Do you always turn everything into a joke?"

"Nope," he said, leaning back. "Just the things that scare people."

That got her attention.

Her eyes locked onto his, curious and cautious. "You think love scares people?"

He held her gaze. "I know it does."

For a moment, the air between them shifted. Less snark, more something else. Ava looked away first.

"I don't want to make this personal," she said, pulling up a document. "Let's pick a topic we can both handle without drama."

He shrugged. "Fine. What about 'forgiveness in modern society'? Everyone talks about cancel culture these days. Might be interesting."

She paused. "That... actually works."

He smirked again. "Told you I've got range."

She rolled her eyes, but he saw the corner of her mouth twitch. Just a little.

Later That Night

They worked for nearly two hours without killing each other. To her surprise, Liam had decent ideas-when he wasn't trying to be funny. He had a strange mix of sarcasm and insight. He spoke like someone who had opinions buried under layers of deflection.

As he packed up, she finally asked, "Why forgiveness?"

He froze for a second, then casually slung his backpack over one shoulder.

"Because people love to judge. But they hate to admit when they've been the villain."

Then he walked out, leaving her staring after him.

The Next Morning,

Liam sat on the edge of his bed, scrolling through old photos on his phone. He paused at one-him and his sister at the beach two summers ago. Before everything fell apart.

He hadn't told anyone what happened. Not at school. Not in his old circle of friends. Definitely not someone like Ava.

But something about her unsettled him. Not because she was annoying or uptight-but because she seemed to see through him. And for the first time in a long time, he wondered if it was okay to let someone look.

He shook the thought off and grabbed his keys.

Later that day, Ava watched Liam from across the quad. He was laughing with a group of guys, spinning a story with exaggerated hand motions and animated expressions. The usual Liam-confident, loud, magnetic.

But she caught a flicker in his eyes when he turned away from the group. Like he wasn't really there.

Like he was acting.

And Ava Carter knew acting when she saw it.

Because she did it every day.

Ava wasn't used to sharing her space. Her world had always been a quiet one-books, headphones, scribbled thoughts in journals she never let anyone read. Her silence was armor, and she wore it proudly. So having Liam West sit across from her, tapping his pen rhythmically against the table, felt like a minor invasion.

They'd agreed-well, more like she told him-to meet in the library to plan their project. She figured a public space might keep his smart mouth in check.

She was wrong.

"You ever blink when you're in focus mode?" Liam asked, breaking the silence after ten full minutes.

Ava didn't even look up. "You ever stop talking when no one's listening?"

"Ouch." He smirked. "See? That's the kind of banter people fall in love over in movies."

She shot him a glare. "We're not in a movie. And if we were, you'd be the throwaway character from the first ten minutes."

He laughed, loud enough to earn a shushing from a nearby librarian.

"You say that, but I know I'm growing on you."

Ava slammed her laptop shut. "Can we just focus on the project?"

Liam leaned forward, expression shifting. "Okay, serious mode. Let's go."

She opened the laptop again, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. Not because she liked him-God no-but because for the first time in a long time, someone was persistent enough to get under her skin.

And she hated how easily it was happening.

Liam couldn't remember the last time a girl told him to shut up without secretly wanting his attention. Ava was different-sharp, guarded, low-key intimidating. And that intrigued him. Most people either admired him or avoided him. She challenged him. It was kind of hot, if he was being honest.

They were sitting on the floor now-somehow the chairs weren't cutting it, and Ava insisted sitting cross-legged gave her more "mental flow." He still had no idea what that meant, but he didn't argue. Watching her tuck her legs under herself, curl her hair behind one ear, and dive deep into research reminded him of something he couldn't name.

She was... comfortable in discomfort. And he didn't know why that bothered him.

"I still think forgiveness is a risky topic," she murmured, eyes scanning the screen. "It gets too personal, too fast."

"Maybe that's the point."

She looked at him. "You want to spill your trauma on stage in front of 30 people?"

Liam shrugged. "Better than faking interest in, like, the ethics of TikTok."

Ava chuckled-a soft, unexpected sound. "Okay, fair."

It was the first time she laughed in front of him. Not a sarcastic breath or a bitter scoff. A real laugh. It made something in his chest shift.

"Why are you so into this project?" she asked suddenly.

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You're not like... a school guy. I've seen your type." His jaw tightened a little. "You don't know my type." She tilted her head. "Prove me wrong."

Liam leaned back, running a hand through his hair. His voice was lower now, quieter. "Let's just say... I owe someone an apology I never gave. And this project-it kind of makes me think about what I'd say if I had the chance."

The words hung there for a moment. Ava didn't push. She just nodded slowly.

"Okay," she said. "Let's make it real then."

Later That Week,

They'd met twice more after that. Coffee shop on Thursday. Study hall on Friday. And with every hour they spent together, the line between forced partner and almost friend began to blur.

Ava was still cautious