BLURRED LINES
A fiercely independent and highly disciplined art student, known for her intense focus and guarded nature, is meticulously planning her final thesis exhibition – a project she sees as her only path to healing from a past betrayal that left her emotionally scarred.
Her carefully constructed world is upended when a plumbing disaster in the dorms forces her into a temporary, shared apartment with the university's star rugby captain.
He's a charismatic, powerful 'golden retriever' type, known for his easy charm and protective instincts, but also carries the weight of his own family's expectations.
Initially, she views him as a loud, distracting presence, leading to clashes over shared space and differing lifestyles. However, the rugby captain is 'immediately obsessed' with her quiet intensity and the raw emotion in her art.
He actively seeks to understand her, offering unwavering support and protection, especially when her past trauma threatens to derail her artistic process.
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Chapter: CHAPTER FIVE: TENSION By the time I reached the café, my thoughts were tangled and loud that it overpowered that of the annoyingly loud coffee machine. The familiar scent of coffee grounds and baked sugar wrapped around me like a different kind of survival. “Lan!” Marcus, my very loud co-worker, called from behind the counter. “You’re late.” “Existential crisis,” I replied, tying my apron. “Valid.” He said and signaled towards the impatient woman in front of him, “later before I get my ears beaten off.” The café at sunset is warm; golden light slipping through wide windows, conversations layered softly over the hiss (annoyingly loud as hell sound) of the espresso machine. I like it here but the people… not so much. Orders are simple but people are very complex. Milk is steamed to temperature and no one moves my canvases at the back shelf of the store room which everyone; by everyone I mean; myself, Marcus, Hilda but currently hasn't been to work in days and Sam, our manager, who calls it O
Last Updated: 2026-03-18
Chapter: CHAPTER FOUR: SHIFTS I didn’t see him for days which is impressive, considering we live in the same apartment. It became like a silent sport. I left early and he left earlier. I came back at odd hours, his shoes would be gone and his gym bag would disappear. The kitchen would smell faintly of something edible and smug. It was like living with a ghost who protein-shakes. And I hated that I noticed but happy I was, some peace and quiet at least. I just finished having my afternoon lectures, and I was walking towards the grass to sit down and get some air and inspiration, when Karl spotted me before I could pretend I hadn’t seen her. She was sprawled dramatically across the grass outside the humanities building, notebook open on her stomach, pen between her teeth like she was auditioning for a tortured-poet documentary. “Olandria!” she called, squinting at me. “You look…combustible.” “I am peaceful,” I said, dropping my bag beside her. She stared. “You look like someone who lost an argument to
Last Updated: 2026-03-18
Chapter: CHAPTER THREE: BOUNDARIES It's the weekend and three days since I've been breathing the same air with Mr. Smug face. I took a day off from work to arrange myself into my new space. I stacked my sketchbooks on the small shelf by the door, color-coded because order was the only thing keeping my brain from short-circuiting with the awareness of his smug face across the hall. The apartment was quiet, almost peaceful…just the way I like it. Too peaceful. Suddenly I felt a presence followed by Ernest clearing his throat behind me. “So,” he said, casually as if he didn't just barge into my space unannounced in that infuriatingly confident way of his, “we should probably set some ground rules.” “I didn't let you in,” I said, stilling from my arranging. “The door was literally open and.. I'm not in yet or do you want me to…” I could hear his footsteps advancing inwards and I turned. He raised his hands, leaning on the doorframe. “stand the hell there,” I said, carefully measured, now facing him fully with my
Last Updated: 2026-03-18
Chapter: CHAPTER TWO: SNEAKY MOUSE “I’m homeless,” I muttered, lazily transferring my anger absentmindedly onto the paper I was holding. We just finished our class and for the first time, I wasn't able to even grasp what was taught, which was unusual considering my mind is always preoccupied every now and then with my final thesis and work; but I couldn't just because of that stupid smug face. Karl didn’t even look up from her notes,“you are literally seated.” “I share a room with a man.” That got her attention. I hadn't told her about the verdict after seeing the dorm manager concerning the plumbing issue. She turned slowly, and blinked once. Then twice.“…A man-man?” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Karl. A male. XY chromosomes, deep voice, annoying laugh, Smug face.” Her pen clattered on the desk. “Oh my God,” she breathed, leaving her seat, hands covering her mouth dramatically as she settled on my desk. “Is he ugly?” I lifted my eyes from my sketching just enough to glare at her. “That’s your first concern?” S
Last Updated: 2026-03-18
Chapter: CHAPTER ONE: BOY IN MY ROOM I should have just worked on that forsaken toilet when the issue was milder, if I had, I wouldn't be in this bloody mess. But there I was; halfway down the hall, arms filled with sketchbooks and rolled canvases, my brain still locked inside the charcoal-smudged anatomy sketch I had abandoned in Studio B in a haze to settle into my new dorm, and muttering to myself like a woman possessed. “I swear, if my temporary roommate is loud, I will lose my mind. I cannot deal with noise. Not at this crucial mo…” Thump! My body collided with something solid. My glasses slid down my nose and Mother Gravity chose violence. “Oh…” A hand, not so delicate, caught mine almost immediately, saving my head from what would have been a nasty hit. The contact jolted straight up my arm, sharp and electric, like my nervous system had been personally offended. I blinked. Twice. But I was still hazy, I let the hand pull me upright. “Careful,” a voice said. Low and seemingly amused. “You were abou
Last Updated: 2026-03-18
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