Things between Michelle and Steve had finally started to settle after the photo scandal. Their relationship was no longer a secret. They walked through campus hand in hand. She smiled more. He teased her less when she blushed — only a little.
It was Friday afternoon when the complication arrived.
Michelle was sitting alone in the dorm lounge, scrolling through her phone while waiting for Steve to finish basketball practice. Lila had gone to the art building, and the campus was unusually quiet.
Her phone buzzed with a message.
Unknown Number:Hey, Michelle. It's been a long time... I saw your name pop up in a story. Looks like you've moved on fast.
Her heart skipped.
She stared at the message. For a moment, it didn't register. And then it hit her.
Ryan.
Her ex.
The boy who had left her heart shattered months before college started. The one who ghosted her after a two-year relationship, no closure, no goodbye. Just silence.
Michelle's chest tightened. She hadn't heard from him since.
She typed, How did you get my number?
Ryan:You didn't block me. Guess that means some part of you wanted to talk.
She closed the chat immediately. Her hands trembled slightly. She felt her world tilt — not violently, but enough to shake her.
Steve entered the lounge minutes later, sweaty from practice, all energy and boyish charm.
"Hey, babe," he said, dropping beside her on the couch and leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You okay?"
Michelle nodded too quickly. "Yeah. Just tired."
He noticed her hands. "You're shaking."
She shoved her phone deeper into her pocket. "Cold fingers."
He didn't push. He just wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "Want to grab food?"
She nodded again. But her stomach was twisting.
That night, lying in bed, Michelle stared at the ceiling, Ryan's message replaying in her mind. She hadn't told Steve. Part of her didn't know why. Maybe she didn't want to make it real. Maybe she didn't want to open the past and risk bleeding into the future.
But something told her this wasn't over.
And she was right.
Because the next morning, there was another message.
Ryan:We should talk. I'm on campus.