She had hated Lucas Powell for so many years, yet never had she loathed him quite as much as she did in this exact moment.

The next morning, a torrential downpour forced the school to cancel the outdoor orientation ceremony. The director ordered students to complete their registration paperwork on their own, with classes officially starting that afternoon.

At lunch, Eden went to the cafeteria alone. The hall was dim and packed with a sea of students. As she stood in the sluggish line, her gaze kept drifting toward the boys’ side of the cafeteria, searching for a glimpse of Lucas.

"Lucas gave me his meal card to give to you, and he just bought you a coffee," Shelby Rivera said to Molly Lee, who was standing in a different line nearby. "God, when am I going to find a free meal ticket? I'm so jealous."

"Lunch is on me today, use my brother's card—swipe whatever you want!" Molly laughed, waving the card in the air.

"Nah, I'm cutting carbs," Shelby said, dropping off the items before turning and heading out of the cafeteria.

The room was a deafening roar of chatter, but Shelby and Molly’s voices cut through the noise like a blade, landing perfectly in Eden’s ears.

Were they talking about Lucas? The same Lucas she knew? Was the "neighbor's brother" Molly kept mentioning actually… Lucas?

Eden stood frozen, her mind going blank. The people around her blurred into shapeless shadows. The only thing in focus was Molly, sipping the hot coffee and laughing as she chatted with the girl next to her.

"I saw Lucas during registration this morning. He’s incredibly handsome. No wonder he was the campus heartthrob at our old middle school. I get why you're so into him," the other girl said.

"He's the best, obviously. He’ll be the heartthrob here, too," Molly replied, smiling. "He's been the most popular guy since grade school. Before he moved into the city, he was even the class president back home!"

"Why do you keep calling him 'brother'?" the girl teased. "You’re not actually related."

"Keep it down—the school is super strict about dating right now," Molly giggled. "I’m playing it low-key."

"You should probably stake your claim, honestly. With how popular he is, you'll be crying if someone else snatches him up."

"Not possible. He only has eyes for me. We spent every day together for three years in middle school. He never gave any other girl the time of day."

The back-and-forth between the two girls felt like needles being driven into Eden’s heart—in, out, and back in again.

So, Lucas had found someone else?

He really had forgotten about the Eden who used to be glued to his side every single day.

Eden, what are you doing? Why did you give up half your life just to get into this school to find him? What was the point? Lucas had told her—he was gone, and he wasn't coming back.

He wasn't coming back for her.

Her nose stung, and her vision clouded over. She spun around to leave; she had no appetite left. But the cafeteria was a labyrinth of moving bodies and clattering trays. She wiped at her wet eyes, trying to force her way through a narrow gap in the crowd.

"Brother!" Molly’s voice rang out, closer than ever.

It sounded like a hallucination, yet it was painfully real. A group of rowdy boys shoved past them, slamming into Molly and sending her stumbling. The hot coffee in her hand splashed directly onto Eden’s white uniform shirt.

The fabric turned a muddy, dark brown, sticking to her skin with a searing, burning heat. Eden looked down, horrified to see the outline of her undergarments visible through the damp, translucent material. She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, feeling utterly humiliated.

"Eden? Oh my god, I’m so sorry!" Molly gasped, eyes wide with panic. She started frantically digging through her pockets for tissues.

"It’s fine," Eden choked out, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"What happened?"

A familiar voice cut through the air.

Eden’s entire body went rigid. She didn't have the courage to look up. Was this how their long-awaited reunion was going to go? Standing here, looking like a total wreck? Was she really such a coward now, afraid to even meet his eyes?

"Brother, someone bumped into me, and I accidentally spilled my coffee on a classmate," Molly said, her voice dripping with guilt.

"Eden?"

After three years of silence, he spoke her name again.

Eden shivered.

"You guys know each other?" Molly asked, surprised.

"Are you okay?"

Another voice, urgent and breathless, broke the tension. A pair of boys' gym jackets were thrust toward her. It was Julian Smith, a classmate she’d met at summer cram school.

Like a drowning person grabbing a life raft, Eden snatched a jacket, threw it on, and bolted without a word.

She ran until her lungs burned, the freezing drizzle biting at her skin. She didn't stop until she reached the dorms.

It was empty. She peeled off her stained clothes and dropped them into a basin, then stood at the sink, cranking the faucet to the max. The water was icy, but the tears streaming down her face felt like liquid fire.

Outside, the storm intensified, thunder shaking the windows. Her head was a loop of agonizing replays: Molly’s sweet, smug tone; Lucas asking "what's wrong"; Lucas calling her name; Lucas handing over his jacket.

Even without looking at him, she had caught a glimpse. He was taller now, thinner, his face sharper, more mature. His eyes were still that same deep, clear black, but they belonged to a new, unrecognizable version of him—a Lucas who had a girlfriend, a Lucas who had moved on.

She hated him. She had hated him for years, but she had never hated him as much as she did right now.

She didn't stay in the dorm. She couldn't even bring herself to wash the clothes; she just grabbed her bag and headed back to the classroom, desperate to escape. But there was no running away from Molly.

As soon as Eden sat down, Molly slid into the empty seat beside her.

"Are you okay, Eden?" Molly asked, all concern.

"I'm fine," Eden said, forcing a smile while her throat tightened again.

"I heard from my brother—you guys were in elementary school together?"

Eden stiffened. "Yeah."

"What was he like back then? Was he the same as he is now?"

"We weren't… that close," Eden said stiffly.

"Really? No wonder." Molly looked confused. "I asked him what you were like as a kid, or if you had a lot of guys chasing you, but he wouldn't tell me anything. He just said he couldn't really remember much about those days."

Eden’s heart felt like it had been pierced by a shard of glass.

"Eden, a guy from the tenth grade sent this for you," Shelby said, walking over and setting a milk tea on Eden’s desk.

"You already have guys buying you drinks on the first day? I’m so jealous!" Molly reached for the cup.

Shelby swiped it away and shoved it back toward Eden. "Keep your hands off, Molly. Tell Lucas to buy you your own."

"Hmph!" Molly pouted at Shelby. "I'll make him buy me ten tonight! And I won't share a single drop with you!"

"Whatever, keep drinking. See if I care when you pop."

As the two of them bickered, Eden felt a sharp, hollow ache in her chest. She grabbed her gym jacket, stood up, and muttered, "I need to go return this."

She walked toward Class 7, knowing that was where Julian and Lucas were. When she arrived, she asked a boy near the door to call for Julian.

"Hey, isn't that Eden? The straight-A student, the campus beauty?"

"She is. Who is she looking for? Don't tell me she's here for Lucas."

Eden ignored the whispering, waiting by the windowsill.

"Eden!"

Julian and Lucas were coming up the stairs, basketballs in their arms. Julian shouted her name, but Eden’s eyes were locked on Lucas. He looked so carefree, so completely untethered from the past, that it made her want to scream.

She forced her gaze away and walked toward Julian, offering a polite, distant smile.

"Thanks for earlier," she said, handing him the jacket.

"Don't mention it," Julian said warmly.

Eden turned to leave, but Julian stepped forward. "Heading back to class? My dad's office is on the way, walk with me."

"Sure," Eden said.

Julian handed his basketball to Lucas. "Catch you later, Lucas."

Lucas acknowledged him, and Eden could feel his eyes on her. She stared straight ahead, focusing all her energy on pretending he didn't exist.

As she and Julian walked down the hallway, Julian leaned in and whispered, "I thought you two knew each other?"

"We aren't that close," Eden said, her voice cold and loud enough to carry, ensuring the boy walking behind them heard every word.

She wanted the whole world to know. Especially the boy she hated the most.