As the evening unfolded, the lighthearted chatter in the lodge slowly turned into a quiet hum, with students retreating to their rooms after a long day. Abigail and I had just finished getting ready when there was a sharp knock at the door. I opened it, half-expecting one of the group leaders to deliver some last-minute instructions, but instead, I was greeted by a staff member holding a clipboard."Room assignments for the night," he said, his tone efficient, as he handed me the paper. "Please make sure to double-check your names."I nodded and took the paper, my eyes skimming over the list, until they stopped dead."Olivia Millstone..." I read aloud, my stomach sinking. I continued down the list, my gaze moving over the names until it landed on my own. "Julie Harper."My heart seemed to stop for a moment as I blinked in disbelief. Olivia and I—roommates? In Room 206, no less. I reread the paper, sure that I was seeing things, but no. There it was, in black and white: Olivia and me,
Abigail, sensing the tension in the air, quietly excused herself, giving us the space we needed. I watched as she walked toward the door, leaving me alone with Jamie. My heart was still racing from the intensity of everything that had happened today. My ankle hurt, but it was nothing compared to the whirlwind of emotions I felt inside.Jamie slid into the seat next to me, close enough for me to feel the warmth radiating off him. There was a quiet, heavy pause before he spoke, his voice low and full of concern.“Julie,” he said, his tone soft but urgent, “you’ve been avoiding me. Why?”I sighed, turning my gaze to the fire crackling in front of us, unsure of how to put my feelings into words. The last thing I wanted was to be vulnerable, especially with everything that had happened. But Jamie was persistent, and he wasn’t going to let me hide forever.“I just… don’t want any trouble, Jamie.” I shrugged, trying to keep it light, but it wasn’t that simple. “Seeing what happened today wit
I was just starting to enjoy myself. The crisp air, the rush of adrenaline, and the fact that—for a little while—I had managed to forget about Jamie’s existence. That was, until the universe reminded me that peace was never truly an option.I was gliding smoothly down the slope when, out of nowhere, someone cut right in front of me. A blur of expensive ski gear and blonde hair—Kathryn.Before I could react, she deliberately swerved into my path, forcing me to lose control. My ski slipped on a patch of ice, and the next thing I knew, my body went crashing into the snow. A sharp, searing pain shot up my ankle as I tumbled, my ski pole flying out of my grip.I let out a pained gasp, gripping my foot. The cold snow did little to numb the ache that pulsed through me.Laughter.I looked up through the blur of white to see Kathryn standing a few feet away, her arms crossed, a smug smirk painted across her perfect face."Oh no," she drawled in mock sympathy. "You should really be more careful
The sound of my alarm blaring jolted me awake. I groaned, burying my face into my pillow, but then I remembered—today was the ski trip.I had completely forgotten about it last night with everything that happened at the party. And now, I was going to be stuck on a bus… with Jamie."Julie, wake up!" Abigail’s voice rang from the hallway. "We’re gonna be late!"I forced myself to sit up, my head still a little fuzzy from last night's whirlwind of emotions. Abigail was already dressed in warm layers, her excitement evident as she bounced into my room."Come on, girl, get up! You need to shake off whatever that was last night because today, we hit the slopes!"I sighed but smiled at her enthusiasm. "Fine, fine. Give me ten minutes."Once we arrived at school, the parking lot was packed with students, all excited for the trip. Abigail and I quickly found our assigned seats on the bus, but as soon as I spotted Jamie boarding, I immediately turned my head and stared out the window.I wasn’t
"Julie," he murmured, his voice husky. "Will you be my girlfriend."As Jamie’s words hung in the air, I stood there frozen, not knowing how to respond. His gaze was intense, waiting for me to say something, but my mind was racing. I couldn’t process it all. The feelings I had for him, the questions I had about what this meant, the uncertainty of rushing into a relationship—everything seemed too overwhelming."Julie," Jamie repeated, his voice softer this time, "I want you to be my girlfriend."I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I didn’t know what to say. My heart pounded in my chest, and my mind was a blur. I didn’t have answers, and I didn’t know if I was ready for what he was asking.The silence between us felt suffocating. I needed air. I needed space. Without even thinking, I turned and bolted toward the party's front door. I didn’t care if I was being rude—I just needed to get out.When I reached the living room, I spotted Abigail by the snacks table, talking to
As the song changed, I was about to pull away from Jamie when I noticed Kathryn making her way toward us. Her body language screamed confidence, and the smirk on her lips told me she had a goal in mind—Jamie."Hey, Jamie," she purred, stepping right between us, effectively cutting off our moment.I blinked, stunned at her boldness.Jamie sighed but didn't step back. "Kathryn."She ran a manicured finger down his arm. "Didn't know you'd be here tonight."I clenched my jaw. Seriously? She saw us dancing, yet she had the audacity to slide in like I wasn’t even there?Jamie didn’t immediately push her away, which only irritated me more.My heart clenched in frustration. I had no right to feel this way—I wasn’t his girlfriend—but the sudden tightness in my chest told me I was definitely feeling something.Not wanting to stand there like an idiot while she blatantly flirted with him, I turned on my heel and walked off. I refused to be that girl—the one who just stood by and let someone else