The rest of the day passes in a blur of tense glances and hushed whispers as they navigate their way through the remainder of the school day. But once classes are finally over, shoewithcoofee pulls her aside and leads her out of sight, toward a quiet corner of the campus where they can talk in private.

"So," he begins, his voice steady despite the tension rolling off him in waves, "what do you think we should say to Brad?"

She purses her lips thoughtfully, considering their options. "

"I think we should tell him that he made a mistake," she says slowly, "and that we don't appreciate him interfering in our relationship." Her fingers drum against her thigh as she continues, "But we should also explain that if he ever does anything like that again... well, let's just say it won't go so well for him next time."

shoewithcoofee nods thoughtfully. "I agree," he says finally, his grip on her hand tightening ever so slightly. "