Desiree stood outside his apartment door, her heartbeat thrumming against her ribs like a trapped bird.

She didn’t even know how she’d gotten there. Maybe it was anger. Maybe it was the fact that she felt heartbroken. Or maybe it was the unbearable silence that had stretched between them all week, a silence that felt heavier than any argument.

For days, Roman had been avoiding her again. No texts. No calls. In class, he treated her differently, eyes cold, words clipped.

And Desiree was ...