The following days were a balancing act. Finals loomed over Ryan’s head like a dark cloud, while Kylie tried to focus on her own studies, both of them aware that a new life was quietly taking shape between them.

Yet, despite the stress, there were moments of sweetness that made everything feel real. Ryan would sneak into Kylie’s dorm during study breaks, dropping off coffee and snacks, their fingers brushing in passing, small smiles exchanged that said more than words ever could.

One evening, they sat cross-legged on the floor of his dorm, textbooks and notes spread around them. Kylie was scribbling in her notebook, making lists, tentative plans, while...