The next day, I woke up to the soft hum of the heater and the faint smell of peach soda in the room. For a moment, my brain did that automatic morning checklist—it was Sunday and so I didn’t have class today. Also, my coffee was probably still in the fridge from yesterday—Shit!And then I rolled over as I groaned out loud. And I almost screamed at what I saw. June was lying on the bed across from mine, hair sticking up like she’d fought a small electrical storm, boots still on from last night, one arm draped dramatically over her forehead. She looked like the cover photo for a chaotic band album, except the band had been forcibly disbanded at 3 a.m.As I continued to stare at her with wide eyes and opened mouth while wondering what the hell someone like that was doing here, it all came rushing back—the knock on my door last night, Ms. Finch’s ruler posture and June then stepping into my space I had guarded diligently with her spoon in her hair like she’d lived here her whole life.
I stood up from where I was sitting and I had barely taken two steps toward the door when the knock came again.It was not a soft, polite tap rather it was sharp and loud. Three more sharp knocks came then a pause, then two more, like whoever it was had rehearsed a rhythm.I frowned. Nobody I knew knocked like that.Still chewing the last bit of leftover bagel, I padded over to the door, swallowing quickly before opening it.And froze.Standing in the hallway was definitely not who I’d expected.On one side, Ms. Darla Finch, the dormitory supervisor—tall, mid-thirties, hair scraped back into the tightest bun you’d ever seen, posture like she’d been carved out of a ruler.On the other side… was a girl.And not just any girl.She looked about my age but dressed like she had gotten lost on her way to an indie rock concert in 2007. Baggy plaid skirt, fishnet tights, combat boots with red laces, and an oversized hoodie with “Trust No Duck” printed across the front.Her dark hair was piled
I closed my dorm door behind me with a soft click and let my back press against it for a second.The quiet felt almost too loud after the slow burn of the afternoon and evening. My legs carried me toward the bathroom on autopilot, shedding my jacket and bag along the way. Steam soon curled up around me as I sank into a hot shower, letting the water slide over my shoulders, loosening the stubborn knots in my muscles. The scent of my vanilla soap filled the space, wrapping me up in something warm and familiar. I lingered longer than I should’ve, maybe because I didn’t really want to step back into reality. At least not yet. When I finally padded back into the room, my hair damp and hanging over one shoulder, I rummaged through the mini-fridge for the leftover bagel and scrambled eggs from the morning. Not glamorous, but still soft and buttery when I reheated them. The eggs had gone a little rubbery in the microwave, but the sharpness of the cheddar melted into them made up for it. I
Finding Tara wasn’t as simple as walking into a hallway and spotting her relaxing against a locker with her fake smile and overprocessed hair. If anything, the damn girl was like smoke—annoying, suffocating, and impossible to hold on to unless you trapped it in a room.Problem was, she wasn’t in any room I knew.I started with the usual spots: the quad where the cheer squad liked to parade themselves during breaks, the east wing corridor where the vending machines never worked but made a great spot to gossip, and the library—though I knew Tara’s relationship with books began and ended with looking at the covers for Instagram aesthetics.Nothing.The day had begun cooling down, shadows stretching longer across campus, but my temper wasn’t cooling with it. My jaw had been locked since I left Skylar’s dorm. The things I wanted to say to Tara weren’t polite, and the things I wanted to make her understand… well, they weren’t up for discussion.By the time I passed the athletics building,
I didn’t know how long I’d been standing there with her in my arms but the second Skylar finally stepped back, I already missed the warmth. It was stupid, but nothing compared to this—being here with her, seeing her eyes soften like that, feeling like I was someone worth holding on to.She tilted her head, a small smile tugging her lips.“So,” she said, “what now? Are you going to stand there looking like you’re about to write me a sonnet, or are we actually going to do something?”I smirked. “A sonnet, huh? Tempting. But fine…what do you want to do?”Her eyes lit up and her lips curled up. “You ever just hang out in the art studio? I need to finish something.”Five minutes later, I was perched on one of the high stools, watching her spread out her pencils, brushes, and a battered sketchpad like it was her personal treasure chest. She tucked her hair behind her ear and bent over the page. I didn’t even try to hide that I was staring.“You know,” I said, “I didn’t peg you for the ‘seri
Saturday classes were the worst invention mankind had ever come up with, and that was saying a lot, considering pineapple on pizza existed.While muttering to myself under my breath non-stop, I was dragging myself across campus toward Harper Hall for my pre-law seminar, coffee in one hand, earbuds in, hoodie up. The only reason I hadn’t skipped was because Coach Donovan would roast me alive if my attendance dropped. Being Boston Thunders’ captain didn’t mean I got a free pass academically. At least, that was what he kept saying to me every two practice sessions.I get the fact that he was hell bent on seeing me succeed but sometimes, it could be tiring when on a day like this, I just wanted to relax in bed. Halfway to my seat, two girls from the back row slid into step with me. Both were the kind who wore oversized sweaters but somehow still looked like they were auditioning for a perfume commercial."Hey, Ryans," one of them drawled as she came into my personal space. "You going to