The rain drummed a relentless rhythm against the windows of the university corridor, turning the world outside into a blur of gray and neon. I waited for Julian in the shadow of a stone pillar, the cold dampness of the air clinging to my skin. I was wearing a dress that felt more like a suggestion than a garment—a slip of emerald silk that skimmed my curves and left my legs bare.
When he finally appeared, he looked frayed. His tie was loosened, his coat damp from the walk across the quad. He stopped a few feet from me, his eyes scanning the empty hallway before landing on me.
"You're late," he said, though his voice lacked any real bite.
"I was waiting for the right moment," I replied, stepping out of the shadows. "The moment where you stop pretending that this is just a series of lapse
