Chapter 28

As the final bell chimed, signaling the end of another long day at Summerfield University, D'Andre couldn't help but feel a gnawing unease in the pit of his stomach. Maiari occupied his thoughts, her absence from his life casting a shadow that he couldn't ignore.

Exiting the university grounds, he climbed into his car, a sleek black sedan that usually filled him with a sense of pride. Today, however, the vehicle's plush leather seats and polished interior felt empty, devoid of the laughter and conversations that usually accompanied his drives.

Traffic in the bustling city was its usual chaotic self, a seemingly endless sea of vehicles inching forward in an elaborate dance of impatience. D'Andre sighed and leaned back in his seat, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the rhythm of a song playing softly on the radio. But even the soothing melody couldn't chase away the turbulent thoughts that swirled in his mind.

The events of the day played on a loop in his thoughts, like a mov