Chapter 2

My application to live off campus wasn't approved on the spot.

Hallie said she needed to contact my parents, the dormitory administration, and the college to confirm the procedure.

When Nathan heard that she planned to contact my parents, he looked ready to burst into tears.

He pleaded, "Don't tell my mom. She'll think that I've caused trouble for someone again."

Someone at the door felt sorry for Nathan and spoke up for him. "Ms. Zimmer, why don't you let them go back and talk it out first? Letting a student live off campus right after college starts may cause some speculation and gossip. They're guys. They can just talk things through."

Hallie looked at me. From her eyes, I could tell she wouldn't readily take my side. She was caught in a difficult position.

College procedures moved slowly, but emotional outbursts happened quickly.

Nathan understood that all too well.

Clutching the electric mosquito swatter, he spoke just softly enough for everyone to hear. "Aiden, I just wish you weren't so hostile. Mosquitoes are so tiny. They can't even fight back. If none of us protect them, what are they supposed to do?"

In my previous life, those words had made me back down. I'd thought that since it was the first day of college, I shouldn't ruin our relationship right away. So, I'd followed him back to the dorm.

That night, he'd opened the windows and turned off the fan. He'd claimed the wind was too strong and would make the little creatures lose their way.

Mosquitoes had bitten me until 4:00 am, and that was when my throat started tightening. I'd gone to get my medicine, but he'd said with reddened eyes that the smell would drive the mosquitoes away.

Later, I'd knelt on the floor gasping for breath. I'd dug my fingers into the edge of the bed as my vision repeatedly went black.

This time, I placed my phone on the desk and pressed the recording button.

I said, "Ms. Zimmer, I'm willing to undergo the required procedure. But until my application to live off campus is approved, I won't stay in my original dorm room. If the college can't temporarily assign me another bed, please give me a written statement about the reason.

"It should state that I submitted documentation of my allergy and that someone in the dorm is currently deliberately obstructing normal mosquito protection measures."

The office fell silent once more.

Nathan no longer looked aggrieved. The way he looked at me turned unfamiliar.

After a few seconds of silence, Hallie picked up the phone and called the dormitory supervisor's office.

"Could you send someone over to take a look at Room 503 of Sycamore Block 2? A student reported that they're not allowed to kill mosquitoes or put up mosquito nets in the room."

The person on the other end said something.

A complicated look crossed Hallie's face. "Yes, I'm not joking."

Nathan rushed over to me all of a sudden. "Why do you have to make such a big deal out of this?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was just loud enough for the people outside to hear.

"We could've taken our time and learned to understand each other," he stressed.

Phones were raised to record us again.

I took a step back. "Don't touch me."

Nathan bit his lip and immediately looked aggrieved again. "I didn't touch you. Why are you so afraid of me?"

The electric mosquito swatter in his arms suddenly made a sound. He must have accidentally pressed on the switch. The bluish-purple grid crackled with electricity.

Nathan screamed and flung the swatter away. It struck a male student's suitcase by the door, leaving a white crack across the plastic shell.

The guy's face went pale. "That's my suitcase!"

Nathan hurriedly crouched down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

The guy trembled with anger. "Just because you didn't mean to do it doesn't mean you don't have to pay for it!"

Nathan looked at me, his eyes reddening again. "Aiden, you scared me just now."

Everyone's eyes turned to me again.

I looked at the cracked suitcase and suddenly found it funny because it had been the same every time in my previous life.

When he'd poured out my mosquito repellent, it had been my fault for leaving something that killed living creatures on the desk.

When he'd torn down my mosquito net, it had been my fault for provoking him.

When I'd gone to the campus clinic with a high fever, they'd said I was simply too weak. They had all said that Nathan shouldn't be blamed for being kind.

Hallie spoke in a lowered voice. "Nathan, we'll document the damaged property first. You'll compensate him for it."

Nathan's aggrieved protests caught in his throat. "Ms. Zimmer, I really didn't mean to do it."

The guy whose suitcase had been damaged lost his temper. "Are you going to pay for it or not?"

Hallie closed her eyes for a moment, then said, "Let's go to the dorm first."