Chapter 14

Pov: Jules

The dining hall was packed, every table filled with groups of students laughing, talking, and occasionally shouting across the room. I hesitated near the entrance, gripping my tray tightly. Maybe I could sneak back to my room and claim I wasn't hungry.

"Jules! Over here!"

Harper's voice rang out over the noise, and I spotted her waving from a table in the middle of the chaos. She was sitting with two girls, both of whom glanced up curiously as I approached.

"Thought you'd ditch us," Harper teased as I slid into the seat she'd saved for me.

"I considered it," I admitted, setting my tray down.

"Don't worry, it's only mildly terrifying in here," she said with a grin. "Jules, meet Allie and Tess. Allie's a genius with sarcasm, and Tess is basically our group mom."

"Hi," I said, giving them a small wave.

"Hey," Allie said, her ponytail bouncing as she leaned forward. "So, how are you liking the guy's dorms? Brutal, right?"

"It's... interesting," I said, struggling to find the right words.

"You're brave," Tess said, adjusting her glasses. "I'd die of anxiety living over there."

"Same," Allie said. "I mean, do they even know what cleaning products are?"

I laughed nervously. "It's not that bad. Yet."

"Harper told us you're rooming with Nathan," Tess said, lowering her voice slightly. "How's that going?"

The question caught me off guard, and I fiddled with my fork. "We don't really talk much."

"Typical," Allie said, rolling her eyes. "Nathan Talon doesn't exactly scream approachable"

Harper smirked. "Don't let them scare you, Jules. Nathan's just... Nathan. Everyone knows him, but nobody really knows him."

"Sounds about right," I said, stabbing a piece of pasta.

Before I could say more, the room seemed to shift. A wave of movement and whispers spread as Nathan walked in, his tall frame cutting through the crowd like a blade. He looked tired, his hoodie rumpled and his expression unreadable.

He glanced in my direction, our eyes meeting for the briefest of moments before he moved on, heading toward a table near the back where Finn and a few others were waiting.

The knot in my stomach tightened.

Harper noticed. "Speak of the devil," she said, nudging me playfully.

I forced a smile, though my thoughts were anything but calm. What was I supposed to do if we ran into each other in public? Acknowledge him? Pretend I didn't see him? Living with someone didn't mean I understood them.

"So, Jules," Allie said, pulling me out of my spiral. "What classes to you have/"

The conversation shifted, and I managed to keep up, answering questions and laughing at their jokes. But part of me was still hyper-aware of Nathan sitting across the room, like a shadow I couldn't shake.

---

The room was still dark when my alarm went off, the sharp buzz cutting through the quiet. I groaned, fumbling to silence it before glancing at Nathan's bed. He was sprawled out like he'd been dropped there, his blanket half on the floor and his arm dangling over the edge.

I rolled out of bed as quietly as I could, grabbing my clothes and tiptoeing toward the desk. But when I opened the drawer, the sound of wood scraping against wood was louder than I'd expected.

Nathan groaned, turning his head slightly.

"Morning," I said softly, freezing in place.

"What time is it?" he mumbled; his voice rough with sleep.

"Seven-thirty," I said, pulling my shirt over my head.

He groaned again, throwing an arm over his face. "Too early."

"Not for me," I said, grabbing my towel and robe.

Nathan didn't reply, already drifting back to sleep as I slipped out the door.

---

The bathroom was empty when I arrived, and I let out a sigh of relief. The showers on the guys' floor weren't exactly comforting, but I couldn't put it off any longer.

I stepped into a stall, the hot water soothing against my skin as I tried to shake off the nerves twisting in my stomach. The first day of classes always felt like a test I hadn't studied for, no matter how prepared I thought I was.

Halfway through my shower, though, I heard voices.

"Man, I'm telling you, Nathan looked wrecked last night," said a familiar voice. Jackson.

"Wouldn't you be if you roomed with her?" said another voice—Eric, probably.

"Her name's Jules," Jackson said. "And she's... interesting."

"Interesting how?"

"Quiet. A little awkward. But not bad looking," Jackson said, and I felt my face flush.

Eric laughed. "Bet Nathan's loving that."

The sound of their voices faded as they left the bathroom, and I let out a shaky breath.

---

Back in the dorm, Nathan was still half-asleep, his blanket pulled up over his head. I dried my hair quickly, avoiding the mirror as my mind replayed the conversation I'd overheard.

"People are exhausting," I muttered under my breath, stuffing my notebook into my bag.

Nathan stirred as I left, mumbling something incoherent.

---

The classroom was bigger than I'd expected, with rows of desks arranged in neat lines facing a whiteboard that still had traces of the last professor's notes. I slid into a seat near the middle, clutching my notebook tightly.

Dr. Stevens introduced himself, his calm, steady voice contrasting with the chaos of my thoughts. The syllabus felt overwhelming, and I found myself zoning out as he talked about assignments and expectations.

"Jules Wilder," he called, pulling me back to reality.

"Here," I said quickly, my voice cracking slightly.

A few students glanced at me, but I stared at the notebook in front of me, pretending to be absorbed in my doodles.

When mr. Stevens asked for volunteers to read an excerpt from the assigned text, my heart leapt into my throat. Thankfully, someone else raised their hand, and I let out a shaky breath.

---

The dining hall was packed again, the noise level just as overwhelming as the night before. I spotted Harper near the window, her hand waving in the air like a beacon.

"First day going okay?" she asked as I slid into the seat beside her.

"Surviving," I said, poking at the salad on my tray.

"Barely," she teased.

"Pretty much," I said, managing a small smile.

______________________________

FIRST DAY AHHHHHHH

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