Old Dreams No Return (Serena) novel Chapter 13

< 13

13

Menu

Liam was notorious for being a loner at school.

After he realized I had completely given up on him, Liam seemed to lose all his drive.

Tiffany’s texts and calls still poured in relentlessly. His screen lit up again and again, carrying that kind of dependency he used to find flattering, but now only felt suffocating.

“Liam, wanna come to that lecture with me this afternoon?”

“How about dinner tonight? I found this super awesome sushi place!”

“Why aren’t you replying to my texts again?”

He glanced at the notification, swiped his finger, and instantly set it to ‘Do Not Disturb.’

So Tiffany would just show up outside his classroom or dorm. Always rocking a perfectly put-together outfit, flashing that impeccably sweet smile.

Liam would barely even glance her way, not breaking his stride for a second.

“I’m busy.”

“No time.”

“You go.”

His replies were always clipped, leaving zero wiggle room.

The light slowly drained from Tiffany’s face, leaving behind a stark expression of disbelief, wounded pride, and simmering fury.

He didn’t even register her mood. A wild, almost frantic idea erupted in his head, seizing control of his every thought with overwhelming force.

He had to go find me.

Immediately. No, now.

Once that thought sparked, it burned through him, impossible to put out.

He’d transfer. First, he’d move heaven and earth to track me down at UCLA.

It was the quickest, most direct way he could think of.

missio

He wasted no time. He was on the phone immediately, calling UCLA’s admissions and academic affairs offices, hitting them up repeatedly about the transfer process and what documents he’d need.

He dug out every certificate and transcript he could find, prepping all the necessary paperwork.

His family got wind of it pretty fast.

His dad’s voice, seething with anger, immediately blasted through the phone. “Liam! What the hell are you thinking?! NYU isn’t some place you just decide to walk away from! Do you think this is a game?!”

Then his mom’s voice, tearful and totally confused, chimed in. “Lia, what’s gotten into you? Did you and Rennie have a fight? Can’t you just talk things out? Does it really have to come to transferring?”

Liam stood on the balcony, gripping his phone, staring out at the dull, gray sky. His voice, raspy and more stubborn than they’d ever heard it, cut through. “I have to go.”

“A reason? Give me one that I’ll actually buy!”

His dad’s voice practically exploded.

Reason? Was he supposed to tell them he’d messed up, lost the girl he thought would always be there, and now he was throwing everything away to get her back? He couldn’t say that out loud. It wouldn’t be a valid reason to convince his parents.

“No reason.

I just have to go to UCLA.”

22·13

< 13

“You!”

His dad was so mad that he could barely speak. “If you mess this up, don’t ever expect another dime from us!”

“Whatever.”

Liam’s voice was cold and hard, filled with a do-or-die determination. “Even if you don’t support me, I’m still going.”

The argument was fierce and dragged on.

His parents took turns, talking about his future, the family’s reputation, practical pros and cons, and emotional ties.

Liam just listened in silence, then shut down all their pleas with one phrase: “My mind’s made up.”

He even started secretly contacting agencies, asking about loan possibilities, preparing for the worst-case scenario.

The family drama hadn’t even died down yet when Tiffany somehow found out he was transferring to UCLA.

Menu

She rushed up to him, her carefully drawn eyeliner smudged by tears, hysterically grabbing his arm. “Why? Liam, just tell me why?! Are you really that hung up on her? What’s so great about her anyway? She doesn’t even want you anymore! And you’re still chasing after her?!”

Liam roughly yanked his arm free, his eyes flashing with pure annoyance, cold as ice. “My life’s none of your business.”

“What do you mean, ‘none of your business’?!”

Tiffany shrieked. “I like you! I’ve been here for you this whole time! What can Serena even do besides throwing a fit and breaking up with you?!”

“Shut up!”

Liam snapped, cutting her off. His gaze, sharp as a knife, sliced right through her. “Tiffany, listen to me closely. There was never anything between us.

Never has been, and never will be.

Stop wasting your time on me.”

His words were a literal slap to the face, leaving Tiffany frozen, stunned where she stood. Her face went ghostly pale, her lips trembling, unable to utter

another word.

His mind was made up. Nothing could stop him.

The transfer process was a painful grind, hitting one snag after another.

But when he finally got offer from UCLA and boarded his flight to the West Coast, he leaned against the window. No lingering regret, no looking back. Just a desolate, all-or-nothing desperation, and a raw, burning urgency.

He couldn’t care less about checking out the new campus. The second he touched down, he started asking around for me like a man possessed.

Her dance program’s class schedule, the studios she usually practiced in, her likely dorm building… He frantically scoured for every possible clue.

Finally, one evening, he got a tip: the Dance Crew was having a small joint practice session with another club.

He practically sprinted there.

The studio’s huge windows glowed with bright, warm light.

Through the glass, his eyes immediately found the figure etched into his very being.

Serena.

I was in simple black dancewear, my hair loosely tied back, a few wisps falling around my neck.

I had my head tilted slightly, listening to someone next to me talk.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify