“Wow, Faye, you look like a panda,” Cole teased, leaning against the classroom doorframe. His grin was wide, and the playful glint in his eyes made my headache worse. “Did you sleep? Those eye bags are huge.”

I shot him a glare, feeling the sting of his words, even though I knew he meant them in jest. “Shut up,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes and trying to ignore the exhaustion weighing me down.

I hadn’t slept well in days, and it wasn’t just because of work or school. The image of Michelle and Edward kept replaying in my mind, spiraling my thoughts every time I tried to rest.

Cole raised...