Pov: Jules
The hallway stretched endlessly in both directions, silent except for the faint buzz of overhead lights. I wasn't sure why I'd decided to wanderâmaybe I thought getting to know the layout of this enormous place would somehow make me feel less out of place. Spoiler: it wasn't working.
Turning a corner, I nearly tripped over a rug on the floorâor what I thought was a rug. Except rugs don't move or burst into laughter.
"Holy shit, she's real!" a voice exclaimed.
I froze mid-step. A group of four guys sprawled on the floor stared up at me like I was Bigfoot crashing their poker night. Snacks, cards, and a few crumpled dollar bills were scattered between them.
"I told you," one of them said, shoving the guy next to him. "Jackson wasn't lying."
"Seriously?" the one with dark curly hair said, sitting up straight. "There's actually a girl in the guys' dorms? I thought that was just some weird initiation story."
"Yeah, hi," I said, my voice wavering between awkward and defensive. "I live here. Apparently."
"Okay, hold up," said another guy, tall with sandy blond hair and a smirk that should've come with a warning label. "You're telling me you're the Dylan Wilder we've been hearing about? The one rooming with Nathan?"
"Well," I said, crossing my arms. "My middle name is Jules. Dylan is... complicated."
They stared at me like I'd just announced I was running for president.
"I knew it!" Jackson said, grinning. "Told you guys the housing office screwed up. Pay up." He held out his hand, and one of the guys groaned, tossing a crumpled bill in his direction.
"You made bets about me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Obviously," said the sandy-haired guy, shrugging. "This kind of thing doesn't happen every day." His eyes swept over me briefly, lingering just long enough to make me shift uncomfortably. "But hey, at least now we've got proof."
"Well, glad I could clear that up for you," I said, gripping the strap of my bag tighter.
"What's it like rooming with Nathan?" Curly Hair asked, grinning. "Bet he's already glared you into next week."
"Something like that," I muttered, inching toward the door at the end of the hall.
"Hey, Jules," Jackson called as I left. "If you survive the semester, we'll throw you a party."
"Thanks," I said over my shoulder. "I'll keep that in mind."
---
The dining hall was overwhelming in every way. The noise, the sheer number of people, the way everyone seemed to have a place except meâit was a lot.
I grabbed a plate of pasta and a piece of bread, then found a table as far from the chaos as possible. Sliding my headphones over my ears, I hit play on a random playlist and stared at my food.
My brain wouldn't shut up. Do people think I'm weird? Should I have tried harder to talk to those guys? Was it obvious I had no idea what to say?
I twirled the pasta around my fork and took a bite. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Mostly, it was something to do with my hands.
"Mind if I sit here?"
I looked up to see a girl standing by my table, her tray balanced on one hand and an easy smile on her face. She had long, chestnut brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail and bright, curious eyes.
"Uh, sure," I said, quickly pulling my bag off the chair.
She slid into the seat across from me, setting her tray down with a casual thud. "Thanks. I'm Harper."
"Jules," I replied, pulling my headphones down to rest around my neck.
Harper tilted her head, giving me a knowing look. "You're the new girl, right? The one in the guys' dorm?"
I groaned, my face heating up. "Is everyone talking about this?"
"Pretty much," Harper said, grinning. "But don't worryâit's not as bad as it sounds. Everyone's just curious. You're kind of a unicorn."
"Great," I muttered, stabbing at my pasta. "That's exactly what I wanted to be."
Harper laughed, her voice warm and easy. "Relax. The attention will die down in a week, tops. People here get bored fast."
I nodded, still feeling the weight of all the stares I'd gotten earlier.
"So," Harper said, leaning forward, "how's it been so far? Adjusting to Evergreen, I mean."
"It's... a lot," I admitted. "Big change from where I came from."
"Let me guess," she said, tapping her chin. "Small town, public school, way less ivy on the walls?"
"Pretty much," I said, laughing softly.
Harper grinned. "You'll get used to it. Evergreen's weird, but in a good way. And if you ever need a tour guide or someone to vent to, I'm your girl."
"Thanks," I said, smiling despite myself.
The rest of dinner passed in a blur of conversation. Harper had this way of filling the silence without making it feel forced, and by the time we finished eating, I felt a little less like an outsider.
---
When I got back to the dorm, Nathan still wasn't there. The room felt colder, quieter, like the chaos he carried had left a void in his absence.
I dropped my bag on the bed and sat down, staring at the suitcase I still hadn't unpacked.
"Great first day," I muttered to no one in particular.
The memory of the guys in the hallway flashed in my mind, along with their laughter and the way Sandy Hair had looked at me. I wasn't sure if he was being nice or just... noticing. Either way, it had been enough to make me wish I could blend into the walls.
I kicked off my shoes and flopped back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Maybe Harper had been rightâeveryone was just curious. Once the novelty wore off, maybe things would settle down.
Or maybe they wouldn't.
I grabbed my notebook from the nightstand and started scribblingâwords, doodles, whatever came to mind. It was the only thing that ever helped untangle the mess of thoughts in my head.
Halfway through a messy sketch of the dining hall, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it, hoping for somethingâanythingâfrom Mom or Dad.
It was a weather alert.
"Figures," I muttered, tossing the phone aside.
For now, this was my new normal.
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