A Late Arrival

Torn Between Two

The night air was so cool, but Taylor's face was flushed with heat—frustration, confusion, and something else she couldn't quite name. She watched Cassidy's figure fade into the shadows, her heart still racing from the intensity of the moment.

Taylor stood there, rooted to the spot, her thoughts spinning in every direction. Cassidy's abrupt interference with Ezra felt like a tidal wave crashing into her world, stirring up emotions she didn't fully understand. She couldn't just let it go so easily, not like this. Cassidy had no right to step in, to assume she knew what was best for her.

Especially when Taylor was still trying to figure out what she wanted herself.

Taking a deep breath, Taylor's mind replayed the scene over and over—the way Cassidy's cold gaze had cut into Ezra, the possessive tone in her voice, the way she had practically claimed Taylor in front of him. And now Cassidy had just walked away without offering so much as an explanation.

Why the hell did she care so much?

Frustration bubbled up inside Taylor as she made up her mind. She wasn't going to just shrug this off like nothing had happened. She needed answers, and she wasn't going to wait around for Cassidy to give them to her on her own terms.

Without giving herself time to overthink it, Taylor turned and started walking toward the dorms, her pace quickening as she followed the path she knew Cassidy had taken. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say, but the knot of emotions in her chest was pushing her forward.

It didn't take long for Taylor to catch up with Cassidy. She spotted her just outside one of the older dorm buildings, leaning against the brick wall with her phone in hand, as if nothing had just happened. Cassidy was always so calm, so in control—like she never let anything get to her.

But Taylor wasn't going to let her slip away this time.

"Cassidy!" Taylor called, her voice more forceful than she intended as she closed the distance between them.

Cassidy looked up, her expression unreadable as always, but her eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Taylor?" she said, pocketing her phone. "What's up?"

Taylor stopped in front of her, her breath coming a little faster than usual. For a second, her nerves threatened to choke her, but she pushed through it. She wasn't going to let Cassidy intimidate her this time.

"What was that?" Taylor demanded, her voice quieter now but filled with frustration. "Back there with Ezra. Why did you do that?"

Cassidy's expression didn't change, but Taylor could see the subtle shift in her posture—the way her body tensed, just slightly. "I was just looking out for you." Cassidy said, her tone nonchalant, as if that was enough of an answer.

Taylor frowned, her frustration growing. "Looking out for me? From what? He literally wasn't doing anything wrong"

Cassidy's eyes flickered with something—annoyance, maybe, or impatience—but she stayed silent for a moment, as if weighing her words carefully. "Ezra's trouble, Taylor." she said finally, her voice cool but firm. "Trust me, you don't want to get involved with him."

Taylor's heart raced, and she could feel her frustration bubbling over. "But that's not your call to make! I barely know him, and I don't know if I want to get involved with him or not, but you didn't even give me the chance to figure it out for myself"