Chapter 20

• The change in Isabelle wasn’t immediate, but it was noticeable. At first, it was small things—she started declining our usual study sessions, opting to work alone instead. Then she began making excuses to leave early, brushing off any plans with a vague, “I just have a lot to do.”
• At first, I didn’t push. Maybe Isabelle was just overwhelmed with finals, trying to keep up with everything before graduation. Or maybe she had to go home early because of something with her father. Either way, she had been pulling away, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it than just school or family obligations. But the more I noticed her absence, the harder it became to ignore the feeling that something was off.
• One afternoon, I finally decided to confront her.