Chapter 97 Aslan
Aslan
I didn’t have a second to sit with anything.
Not with Garrett. Not with what he had said. Not with what I had felt. Not with the fact that I had broken down in front of him and, holy shit, cried… in his arms.
I shoved it all aside. I couldn’t afford to think about it right then.
In the span of two days, we had two major finals, our regular classes, and the riding exam—all before everyone left for the most anticipated school trip of the year to Canada.
The entire campus felt like it was running on adrenaline and caffeine. Everyone was exhausted, half-dead during lectures and somehow fully alive the second the conversation shifted to the trip. It was the only thing keeping people going—fantasizing about a week of freedom, chaos, and absolutely zero consequences.
Everyone seemed to be coping the same way.
Except James, who had taken it as a personal mission to thrive.
“Umm, you are taking more outfits on that plane than what I own for the school year…” I raised my eyebrow, trying to hold a laugh.
James seemed shocked. “I need to be prepared! I can't afford to fall wearing the wrong thing…” He stated it as if it were so obvious.
“So… falling is part of your master plan?” I shook my head with a grin.
“Darling, no hunk can resist a James in distress,” he said, holding up what looked like his third outfit change of the morning, giving me a dramatic wink. “I may hate skiing, but I refuse to look anything less than tragic and irresistible while doing it.”
I huffed a laugh, barely looking up from my notes.
“Actually,” he added, lowering his voice conspiratorially, “my sexy hunk will be there. I’m planning on kidnapping him and locking him in my room for the entire week.”
I finally looked at him. “Do you really like this guy, then?”
He stilled for a second, something softer slipping through the cracks of his usual chaos. “I could…” he murmured, almost to himself.
“He won’t let himself go for it?” I asked, recognizing the tone.
A small, quiet shake of his head. “I think I’m the one not letting myself. Every time I start to feel something… the past just—” He exhaled. “It holds me back.”
I frowned slightly. “You never talk about that past, James. Are you okay?”
Just like that, the moment vanished.
He smiled, bright and effortless again, waving it off. “Yeah, of course. Just one of those lame days, you know?”
I nodded, reaching over to squeeze his hand briefly. “I know. Our ghosts can be a bitch sometimes.”
Mine had followed me all the way from Maine. They always did.
For a moment, neither of us said anything. Then James shifted, his voice dropping just enough to feel real.
“Speaking of ghosts… you and Aitor seem to be getting really close.” He studied me. “Are you moving on from Garrett?”
The question came out of his mouth, hanging heavier between us than I expected.
“I’m trying to,” I admitted quietly. “Aitor is… incredible. And I feel more with him every day.”
“Do you love him?” James asked.
I let out a short breath. “It’s too soon. I really care about him, and I told myself that maybe that’s enough. That I could be with him.”
“Aslan,” James said gently, “love isn’t someone you can be with. It’s the one you can’t be without.”
I swallowed.
“I’m not there yet,” I said. “But I could be.”
He didn’t look convinced.
“Can you live without Garrett?” he asked.
I forced a small smile, already gathering my things. “I am living without him, James.”
Was I?
As long as Garrett was still there—present, trying, tempting, refusing to let go—he would never really be gone. And I didn’t know what it meant to live without him when a part of me was still waiting for him to stay.
I stepped out into the hallway, merging with the flow of students, all of them buzzing with energy I couldn’t quite match. Laughter, plans, last-minute packing, gossip—it all blurred together into something that felt distant.
Carefree. Easy.
I wondered what that felt like.
Trisha was practically putting on a fashion show at this point, parading every new outfit she’d bought for her “honeymoon” with Garrett, and I couldn’t help but wonder how that was going to play out if he actually followed through with whatever version of “the truth” he planned on telling her.
I doubted it would be the romantic getaway she was expecting. Then again, when it came to Garrett, nothing was ever predictable.
And on the other side of that chaos, there was Linnea.
I’d heard she was part of the performance Aitor had been invited to. Just the opening act, people said, but I didn’t care about the technicalities. I cared that she would be there. That they would share a space again. A stage.
A history.
I told myself it didn’t matter.
That I trusted him.
Still, something in my chest tightened at the thought.
I guess I was just… insecure.
About everything.
Myself included.
By the time I stepped out of my art history final, my brain felt like it had been wrung dry, but I was smiling.
It had gone well. Better than I expected.
Aitor was waiting just outside, leaning casually against the wall like he hadn’t just walked out of his own exam. His expression softened the second he saw me.
“Well?” he asked.
“I think I nailed it,” I said, unable to hide the relief in my voice.
He smiled. “I’m not surprised.”
“How was yours?”
“Survivable,” he said. “But I probably aced it.” He bumped my shoulder with a wink.
I laughed, stepping closer without thinking.
“One more to go,” I said. “And then we’re free for now!”
“Not entirely,” he pointed out. “You still have your internship.”
“Yeah,” I admitted, “but it’s different. It’s something I actually want.”
His gaze softened.
“Still,” I added, “it’s almost break, and then we are going home for a few days. That counts for something.”
“It does,” he said quietly. “But I'm gonna miss you, angel.”
There was a pause.
Then, softer—
“Maybe we should do something tonight.”
I looked at him. “What kind of something?”
“A proper end-of-semester celebration,” he said, his voice low, warm. “And… a I’m gonna go crazy without you, night.”
Something in my chest shifted.
“I’d really like that,” I said.
His eyes lingered on me for a second too long.
“Are you nervous about the equestrian test?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I’ve been riding for years. I’ve trained with one of the toughest horses here. After that, everything else feels like child’s play.”
He stepped closer, his hand brushing my waist, grounding me in a way that felt dangerously easy to get used to.
“Good,” he murmured.
I leaned into him without thinking, my hand resting lightly against his chest.
“I can’t wait until it’s over,” I said quietly. “So I can properly say goodbye to you.”
His gaze darkened just slightly, something warm and deliberate flickering beneath the surface.
“Then let's get this test over with.” He held my hand, walking me to the arena before he took a seat among the audience.
It didn't take me long to spot the Williams in the first row. A shiver ran down my spine.
Next to me, a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.
“Good luck, cub,” Garrett smiled as he whispered without making eye contact.
My heart leaped inside my chest. And just then, I knew he was going to need it way more than I did.