Zoe

Walking into the library expecting a routine tutoring session, karma delivered an immediate reality check. Sitting at a study desk was Zoe—the stunning woman I’d matched with online and foolishly ghosted weeks ago. Framed by stylish glasses and long chestnut hair, she sat coolly in a denim jacket surrounded by heavy textbooks. When her dark eyes met mine, she didn't make a scene; she simply tapped her open notebook and offered a polite, strictly professional smile that felt infinitely more lethal than an outburst. With my entire GPA suddenly in the hands of the girl I left on read, passing this class was the easy part—the real hurdle was confronting my cowardice, surviving her sharp wit, and figuring out how to earn back her respect.