The classroom slowly grew louder as the afternoon passed.
The faint scratching of pencils against the wall was no longer the only sound. Conversations began to rise here and there, chairs moving, footsteps crossing the floor, someone opening a window to let in the cooling evening air.
Aiden continued drawing quietly.
The smell of fresh paint and pencil shavings lingered in the room, mixing with the warmth of the setting sun spilling through the tall windows.
But the quiet around him didn't last long.
One by one, people started drifting toward the section of the mural where Lily was working.
At first it was just one boy.
Then another.
Soon three or four of them were standing nearby, watching her draw.
Aiden didn't look up immediately.
He kept his pencil moving across the wall, adding careful lines to the part he was responsible for.
But he could hear them.
"Your shading is really good."
"How did you learn to draw like that?"
"Did you take art classes before?"
Their voices overlapped, curious and impressed.
Aiden's eyes shifted slightly toward the side without turning his head.
Lily stood in the middle of them, still holding her pencil.
Her posture was the same as always.
A little stiff.
Her shoulders slightly drawn inward.
She nodded politely when someone spoke to her, answering quietly without meeting their eyes for long.
Even from a distance he could see the faint color appearing across her cheeks again.
She's not comfortable.
That part was obvious.
Still, she answered them politely, Softly.
Meanwhile,The girls in the room kept their distance.
None of them came closer to look at the drawing.
Instead they slowly gathered near Aiden's side of the mural.
One of them leaned slightly against a desk while watching him.
"Aiden," she said casually.
He didn't respond immediately.
His pencil continued moving.
"Why aren't you drawing the main figures?" she asked.
Her voice carried a faint edge.
"Why is she doing the main part? Isn't she just a junior?"
She glanced toward Lily with a small roll of her eyes.
Another girl beside her nodded quickly.
"That's right," she added. "Aiden is the artist we wanted for this project. Not that—"
"It's Lily."
The words came calmly.
But there was nothing warm in his voice.
The girl stopped mid-sentence.
"…What?"
Aiden slowly lowered the pencil from the wall.
Then he turned his head toward them.
"I said her name is Lily."
His gaze settled on the girl who had spoken. It held no anger, no edge. Only a quiet, steady focus.
Cold enough that the air around them seemed to shift slightly.
For a moment no one spoke.
Then the girls quickly looked away, suddenly interested in their own work again.
"Right… of course," one of them muttered awkwardly.
Aiden watched them for another second before turning back to the wall.
A quiet breath left him.
Then his eyes drifted toward Lily again.
The group of boys was still there.
They stood a little too close around her.
Asking questions.
Talking over each other.
Lily continued drawing, though her pencil moved slower now.
Her gaze stayed mostly on the wall.
Avoiding theirs.
Didn't she say she's not good at talking to boys?
The memory surfaced in his mind.
Yet here she was, surrounded by several of them.
Answering politely.
Still, Something about the scene didn't sit well with him.
A faint irritation stirred somewhere under his calm expression.
It wasn't logical.
They were only asking about her artwork.
The feeling lingered, soft but impossible to ignore.
Aiden placed his pencil down on the nearby desk.
The soft click of wood against the surface sounded louder than expected.
Then he walked toward her.
The boys noticed him first.
Their conversation slowed.
One of them stepped aside.
Another cleared his throat awkwardly.
Within seconds the small circle around Lily began to break apart.
None of them said anything.
They simply moved away.
Lily didn't notice immediately.
She was still focused on the mural, her pencil carefully shaping the curve of a figure's arm.
Aiden stopped just behind her.
Close enough to see the delicate lines forming under her hand.
For a moment he simply watched.
Then he leaned slightly forward.
Lowering his head near her ear.
"Winslow."
Lily jumped a little.
Her shoulders lifted in surprise as she quickly turned her head.
Her brown eyes widened when she saw him standing so close.
For a brief moment their faces were only a small distance apart.
Aiden noticed the tiny intake of breath she took.
The faint warmth rising across her cheeks again.
Without realizing it, a small smile touched his lips.
"Let's go home."
His voice was quieter now.
"That's enough for today."
Lily blinked.
Then she looked around the room as if searching for something.
Aiden followed her gaze.
The boys from earlier were already gone.
"Your new friends left," he said calmly, gesturing lightly toward the empty space.
Her cheeks grew even warmer.
Aiden reached toward the pencil she was still holding.
"Let's go, Winslow."
As he gently took it from her hand, their fingers brushed.
The contact lasted less than a second.
But he noticed it.
Her skin felt unexpectedly soft against his.
Lily seemed to notice too.
Her hand pulled back quickly.
Aiden placed the pencil on the desk beside the wall.
Then he started walking toward the exit.
Lily followed quietly.
The hallway outside had already begun to empty.Most students were leaving for the day.The air outside the building felt cooler.
Evening had begun settling over the campus.
"Do you take the bus home?" Aiden asked casually as they walked toward the main gate.
"Yes," Lily replied softly.
"Which one?"
"Bus twenty-three," she said. "It stops near my street. Otherwise I have to go around a lot."
She gave a small smile as she spoke.
Aiden slipped one hand into his pocket while walking.
"I used to take that one too."
Lily looked up at him.
"Before I got my car."
He glanced at her sideways, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Too bad I have a car now."
The teasing tone was subtle.
"Otherwise," he added lightly, "I could have gone with you."
Lily reacted immediately.Her face turned red again.
Aiden looked away quickly before the smile on his face became obvious.
Her face turns red so easily.
The thought amused him more than it should.
They reached the campus gate.
The sky above them had changed colors.
Soft orange fading into gold.
Purple shadows stretching slowly across the clouds.
Evening light touched Lily's hair, giving it a warm glow.
Aiden stopped walking.
"I'll take you home," he said.
"Come with me."
Lily hesitated.
Then she shook her head quickly.
"No… it's okay. I have somewhere to go."
She gave a small polite bow of her head.
"Thank you for today."
Then she added quietly, "Goodbye."
But she didn't move immediately.
She stood there for a moment.
As if something else was on her mind.
Then—
"…Aiden."
The name came out softly.
Almost uncertain.
Before he could respond, Lily turned and hurried away.
Her steps quick.
Her hair moving lightly behind her.
She didn't look back.
Aiden remained standing near the gate.
For a moment he simply stared after her.
The sound of the name echoed faintly in his mind.
Aiden.
He lifted his hand to cover his mouth.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Then a slow grin spread across his face.
"So now…"
His gaze remained on the path where she had disappeared.
"…I have to say her name too."
End of. Chapter 32