Cole’s POV

It was past 11 PM, and Emily still hadn’t returned.

I wasn’t supposed to care.

She had made it clear…so damn clear…that she wanted nothing to do with me. That she hated me. That whatever we were, whatever could have been, was impossible. She didn’t love me. She didn’t even like me.

So, I did what she wanted. I started avoiding her.

At first, it was torture. Every time I saw her, it was like something sharp lodged itself in my chest, making it hard to breathe. But I forced myself to look away, to act like I didn’t notice the way she hesitated whenever she saw me....