***
As I made my way down the hallway towards my room, deep in thought, I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling my name. I turned and saw Ryder, leaning casually against the wall with a soft expression on his face.
"Hey, Ava," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine concern. “Why do you look so upset? What happened?”
“It’s nothing,” I replied quickly. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, as if trying to figure out what exactly was going through my mind. The smile on his face slowly disappeared as he leaned forward, lowering his voice as his eyes held mine.
"I wanted to apologize for what you had to witness yesterday,” he said. “It wasn't fair to put you in that position. I never knew Ethan would try something like that."
I nodded, appreciating his sinc
