Chapter 7: Lillian Hayes
Lillian Hayes had never been good with people.
Not because she didn’t want to be, but because she never really understood how to be.
People were intimidating, and years of bullying and near-constant brushes with unwanted attention had only reinforced Lillian’s distrust.
Heck, she’d only made one friend since moving here three years ago... though, to be fair, it was more like Aria had forced their friendship on her.
But Lillian appreciated it anyway.
Even her other coworkers at Best Buy called her "quiet." Others called her "socially awkward," and they weren’t exactly wrong.
Talking to customers made her nervous. Not because she didn’t know her job, she did,but because speaking to strangers was terrifying for her.
She had long learned to keep her head down, work quietly, and not draw attention to herself. Making herself as small as possible.
Until him.
That morning had started like any other. She clocked in, tied her hair back neatly, adjusted her name tag, and made her way to the laptop section.
It was her favorite spot—her little safe haven. Odd, maybe, for a business student, but this section was quiet, and less crowded since many preferred a desktop to a laptop.