*What intentions can be successful if the universe plays against it? None, I suppose.*

"Why are you here?" Jessica held Liam's hand and offered him to sit beside her. Liam frowned and sighed as he sat himself down, leaning against the couch. He was weary, with his eyelids drooping low. Jessica opened her mouth to say something, then decided not to. Ryan had slowly faded into the background for all three of them present there. He was dismayed yet patiently observed the two people in love in front of him. He told himself it was wrong. All of what he felt was wrong. That it would be him who would be the annoying side character of their story who was trying to break them apart, if he ever confessed any of it to Jessica. He watched as Jessica made Liam turn towards her and gently pecked his lips in an attempt to comfort him. But it was not enough. No matter how Ryan tried to accept it, he felt nothing more than jealousy. It wasn't just Liam who was affected by Larry's death. Yet all Jessica could see was him.

No.

Ryan abruptly got up and left. Without anyone noticing, apparently, because he did not hear anyone call after him. He needed time. And space. To clear his mind and process all of his emotions that he endured right then.  

"Ryan!"

Just before he could have unlocked his car, he heard Jessica's voice. Something gushed inside his chest. A warm, happy feeling which he was sure was never there a moment ago. In that feeling there was hope. There was a desire to be limerent. Perhaps he was limerent already by then. He tried again. To hold back and choke whatever emotions came to him. And things would have been different, if he was anywhere close to being successful.

"Ryan!" Jessica was right behind him. "Why did you come out? You were saying something."

Ryan glanced at Jessica. Just one second. He felt like a criminal for even looking at her, by this point. He placed his hands over her shoulders and assured her it was alright.

"It's really okay. Liam needs you at this time, more than anyone. He lost his only brother. Be with him. We'll talk some other time." 

Jessica saw him drive off. She just hoped he would be fine. 

Ryan, had made his decision. He'd move away. And he'd never ever say what he had planned to say to Jessica that night. He's move away from everyone he knew, towards a new life, in a new city.

**********

It was a week left for graduation. Time had passed like ever-floating light cloud of nothingness it was. Liam's wound for Larry still hurt, but he could move now. The void was not filled up, but the internal, deep wound was now covered up by new skin. For Jessica, Kiana and Ryan, another major chapter of their lives would be closing soon enough, and they were all ready to embrace it. 

They were back in the usual cafeteria, talking about the plans they had made for the future. It was strange how none of them would be working a job using the degrees they had studied for, while the rest of the college was all for placements and companies and jobs 9 to 5. It was not bad, it was standard, and it paid you handsomely well. 

"I'd be moving to Connecticut. Back to college."  Kiana chirped in happily. "I've always wanted to study psychology." 

"Good for you." Ryan raised a coffee-toast to her. "Your plans are pretty obvious too, Jessica."

Jessica gave a sly look to Ryan. "Yeah. I'll be having a lot of new... achievements? I guess? I don't know. I feel like I'd embarrass myself a lot. I am not sure if I am built for that. But we'll see how it goes. Anyway, I've Liam to support me even if I fail. " She shrugged.

"Don't ruin the feminist efforts missy." Kiana corrected her. "You'd better depend on yourself, like it or not." 

"Yeah. Besides, I am sure you'll be amazing at anything you do." Ryan added.

"Anything you do, Jessica." Kiana laughed. "Anything like making babies with Liam." 

Jessica smacked Kiana and she laughed more. 

Ryan could only force a smile and tighten his grip on the coffee mug. He had a long way to go, I guess. 

"What's your plan, Ryan?" Jessica snapped her fingers in front of his face, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Me? I think I'll go and tour the world for a while."

"You have the money?"

"Yeah. I mean, I still have to figure that one out."

"You want to be an explorer." Kiana eyed him suspiciously. "How come you never mentioned it before?"

"Not even once. " Jessica agreed.'Inm

"It was a last moment plan, guys." He tried explaining himself. "In my defense, I only realized a few days back how precious life is, I just want to live every moment."

"We know it's hard." 

"Nah. I'll be in his place too, someday. But that's not the point. I've said what I plan on doing. Just waiting for the graduation to be over." 

"Yeah-"

"Kiana!" Two girls waved at Kiana from afar, inviting her to join them.

"Hey! Wait I'm coming." Kiana packed her stuff quickly. "I gotta go guys. See ya." 

Jessica smiled as she saw her leave. 

"What are you thinking?"

"About how things were when we came here, initially."

"Are they any different?"

"Couldn't be more." Jessica replied truthfully. "I remember how you were always with your group of boys and girls. And how much you hated me."

"Is that all you remember about me?" Ryan placed his hands over his chest, pretending to be hurt. 

"Yeah. If we go further back, I remember bad, worse things from school."

"About how I gave that letter and texts of yours to the teacher?"

"Yeah." Jessica nodded carelessly. "And how you and your friends made sure the entire school made fun of me. And those messages and chats that you got printed and stapled before you handed them over to the authorities-" Jessica chuckled. "-I honestly developed a love hate thing for you. I really, really liked you back then, Ryan. And it hurt so much, I was affected for way longer than I ever showed the world."

"Even after Liam."

"Yeah. Back then he was a salt on my wounds. But, I kind of used him to get over those obsessive thoughts I had about you. At least he was not half as bad as you back then." Jessica said jokingly.

"Yeah." Ryan muttered to himself. "I'm sorry. I was being an asshole."

"No, no. I too said a few reaaallly mean things." Jessica continued. "I even called you a rapist." She shook her head apologetically. "We were dumb. Let's laugh it off and leave it behind. I've had decently good days after we came on talking terms."

It felt strange how it was Jessica who started the talk and ended it. And none of it caught Ryan more than her confession that she liked him at a time. Really, really liked him. He recalled how he hated her more than anything back then. And it was rightfully so. Had it been anyone, they would have done the same. Jessica thought too highly of Ryan. At that time, she would always find herself consumed by his thoughts, be it eating or sleeping. She thought she was not good enough for him, so never really accepted the idea that she desired to be with him. She was annoyed when he did not reciprocate, and her constantly pestering Ryan had also started to interfere with his daily life. It got obnoxious at a point, and that was when Ryan gave out all of the secret ordeal that happened between them. Jessica was that girl of the class, who'd sit in a corner with just one or no friends by her side. So, her texting Ryan, or talking to him was only known to him. And Ryan used that. A lot of cemented trust was shattered like a thin piece of glass back then. It was thus justified for things to be the way they were back then. Even if Ryan did accept Jessica's feelings, their relationship would never be as mature as that of Liam and Jessica. It would be pure toxicity mixed with the silliness and impulses of teenage.

Understanding all of that, further fueled Ryan decision to leave. Destiny was just not in favor of them, because they met everywhere, all the time, but it was all wrong. The timings and the places and the way they met, were all wrong. They were parallels lines who always ran together, but it is a rule that only intersecting lines are allowed to meet. And they simply could not.