After lunch, Penelope found Julian outside by the bike racks, sketchbook open, pen unmoving. He didn't look up when she approached.
"I heard what Lila said," she murmured.
He didn't respond right away. Just tapped the corner of the page. Hard. Like he was trying to draw something he couldn't name.
"I used to be friends with her," he said finally.
Penelope blinked. "You what?"
Julian looked at her then, expression unreadable. "Back when I first transferred here. Before I really talked to Ethan. Before… everything."
There was something heavy in the way he said everything.
"She liked me. Or she liked that I didn't talk much. She'd fill the space. Make me feel like I wasn't alone."Penelope sat down on the bench beside him, careful. "What happened?"
"She tried to kiss me once," he said. "And I didn't let her. She told people I led her on. That I was cruel and broken and using everyone."
He shut the sketchbook.
"I didn't defend myself. I didn't know how."
Penelope's throat tightened. "You just let them believe it?"
He gave a humorless laugh. "When everyone already thinks you're the weird quiet guy, it doesn't take much to make it worse."
Penelope was quiet. Then—
"She's not going to do this again. Not to me. Not to us."
He looked at her, a flicker of something new in his eyes. Not fear. Not pain.
Surprise."You're not scared off yet?"
She leaned in, gently touching his jaw. "No, Julian. I'm just getting started."
In the distance, a teacher yelled about someone skateboarding down the science wing stairs. The bell rang.
But in that moment, behind the bikes and graffiti and a few clumsily parked scooters, Penelope made a decision.
She wasn't just falling for him.
She was standing for him.