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Claire sat in the back corner of Room 3B, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The chair creaked under her, but she didn't care. Her eyes were fixed on the clock, counting down the minutes until she could leave and disappear back into the shadows where she belonged.
Her hoodie was pulled up, the fabric covering most of her face, blocking out the world. She didn't want to look at anyone. Didn't want to acknowledge the fact that she'd been given this punishment, just like every other mistake she'd made.
But the worst part?
Liam was sitting two rows in front of her.
He didn't look at her. Didn't speak. He was bent over his notebook, scribbling something, lost in his own world. But she could feel him there, like an electric current between them, a space where tension coiled and snapped.
He had followed her, even when she'd shut him out. He'd come after her when she needed space the most, and the last thing she wanted was to think about it.
But she couldn't help it.
It was too quiet. Too still.
And then, it happened.
Liam's chair scraped against the floor as he stood up and walked toward her. Claire stiffened, but she didn't look up. She couldn't.
"You okay?" His voice was low, cautious.
Her throat tightened. She wanted to scream at him. Tell him to leave her alone. But all that came out was a shaky breath. She shook her head, just slightly.
"I didn't mean to mess things up," he said, quieter this time, like he was trying not to break something that was already fragile.
Claire swallowed hard, trying to focus on anything other than the way her heart started to race. "You didn't," she lied, but it didn't feel right. It never did.
He lingered for a second, standing there in front of her, waiting for something. Waiting for her to look at him, to feel something for him. She could sense it, even without looking up.
But she didn't want to.
"Claire," he said softly, taking a step closer. "I don't want to be just another guy who messed things up. You deserve better than that."
His words hit harder than they should have, and Claire felt the weight of them settle in her chest. You deserve better than that.
But she didn't want better. She wanted to be left alone. To be invisible again. To not feel this connection that she couldn't explain, couldn't handle.
"I don't need saving," she said, voice barely above a whisper. She could hear the tremor in her own words, and it made her angry. She hated being this exposed.
Liam was quiet for a long moment, and for a second, she thought he'd finally understood. But then he spoke again.
"You're not broken, you know," he said, his voice softer, like he was trying to convince both of them.
The words felt wrong. Claire opened her mouth to argue, but no sound came out. Instead, she just pressed her lips together tightly, trying to control the whirlwind inside her.
"I'm not trying to fix you," Liam added quickly, as though he could read her thoughts. "I just want to make sure you're okay."
The last thing Claire wanted was someone else trying to "fix" her. She was tired of people seeing what they thought was broken, when all she wanted was to be left in peace.
"I'm fine," she said, more firmly this time, meeting his gaze for the first time since he'd walked over. "Just leave me alone."
Liam stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he nodded, taking a step back. "Okay."
He turned, walking back to his seat, but Claire could still feel his presence. Still feel the weight of his words in the air between them.
The rest of detention passed in silence, but it wasn't the same. There was something unspoken now, a tension that wrapped around them both, thick and suffocating.
Claire knew she was trapped. Trapped in a game she didn't know how to play, with someone who seemed determined to understand her when she couldn't even understand herself.
The bell finally rang, and Claire bolted out of her seat, eager to escape, but she didn't make it far before she felt a hand on her arm.
Liam.
"Hey," he said, his voice softer now. "If you ever need to talk…"
Claire didn't wait for him to finish. She jerked her arm away from him, feeling a spark of anger flare up inside her. She turned and walked away, not looking back.
She didn't need anyone. Not now. Not ever.
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