The campus buzzed with noise, students laughing, phones ringing, chairs scraping against the cafeteria tiles. Desiree tried to block it all out, balancing her tray as she stood in line.

“I think I’ll just eat here today,” she told Lucas when he offered to grab food off campus. “We can meet up later, okay?”

Lucas frowned, hesitating. “You sure? The cafeteria’s usually packed.”

She forced a small smile. “I’ll be fine.”

He studied her for a moment longer, as if trying to ...