Pov: Jules
Back in the dorm, the weight of Chloe's words still clung to me, heavy and suffocating like an unwanted hug. My body moved through the familiar routineâdropping my bag, tossing my hoodie onto my chairâbut my head was a mess. I caught my reflection in the mirror over my desk, eyes slightly red, mouth pressed into a thin line. I looked... shaken. Not that I wanted to admit it.
Nathan was still here, sprawled across his bed, scribbling something in a notebook, his expression closed off. He looked up briefly, gave a nod in my direction, and then went back to whatever he was working on without a word. Part of me felt relievedâno awkward small talkâbut part of me felt weirdly alone.
He stayed for a while longer, and I tried to pretend like I wasn't bothered by the fact that he was just... there. Eventually, he pushed himself off his bed and grabbed his jacket, muttering something about needing fresh air before he disappeared out the door. The silence that followed was both a relief and unsettling.
I settled onto my bed; my knees pulled close to my chest. I grabbed my notebook, the one I always kept nearby, and flipped it open. The pages were filled with messy doodles, fragments of poems, random thoughtsâanything that had ever threatened to drown me. Today, I needed it more than ever. The pen hovered over the page, but my mind kept replaying Chloe's words. The way she laughed at me, the way her voice had twisted Nathan's name as if she knew everything about him and I knew nothing.
Maybe that was true. I hardly knew him. But it didn't matter. I'd dealt with girls like Chloe before. Katie had made sure of that.
I closed my eyes, taking a shaky breath. It wasn't about Nathan. It was about me. Chloe didn't know me, and she had no right to make me feel like that. My fingers tightened around the pen, and I started writing, the words coming out sharp and fast.
"Not your type."
"Nathan doesn't do relationships."
"You'll end up hurt, sweetie."
My hand trembled slightly as I wrote the last word, and I let out a huff of frustration. Why did I care? Why did it bother me? It shouldn't. I never even thought of Nathan like thatânot as someone to be in a relationship with. He was just a guy I got stuck sharing a room with. Nothing more.
And yet, the seed was planted now, thanks to Chloe's poisonous words. The thought, the possibility, lingered in the back of my mind, uninvited and unwanted.
I closed the notebook abruptly and tossed it onto the desk, the sound of it hitting the surface echoing through the quiet room. The silence was deafening, and I knew I needed to get out of here, away from the stillness and the overwhelming thoughts in my head. I stood up, grabbing my jacket and slipping into my shoes. My feet led me out the door before I could second-guess myself.
---
The night air was sharp against my face, the campus eerily quiet. I didn't really have a destination in mind, just the need to move, to get out of my head. I found myself wandering toward the bench I'd discovered before. It felt like the only place on campus that was mine.
As I approached, I froze. There was someone already sitting there
Nathan.
He was leaning back, one leg stretched out in front of him, his head tilted slightly back like he was lost in thought. He didn't have a cigarette in his hand, but I could tell from the way his fingers tapped against his cigarette pack that he probably wanted one. He looked up, his eyes catching mine, and there was a flicker of something in themârecognition, maybe even curiosity. He didn't say anything, just raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't expect anyone to be here," I said, stepping closer despite myself.
Nathan shrugged, shifting slightly to make more room on the bench. "It's quiet here. Helps me think." He paused, then nodded to the empty space beside him. "You can sit if you want."
I bit my lip, debating for a moment, then finally moved forward and sat down on the other end of the bench, leaving enough space between us. We sat in silence for a while, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the wind
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my own pack of cigarettes, shaking one out. I caught Nathan's raised eyebrow as I lit it.
"You smoke?" he asked, the hint of surprise in his voice clear.
I took a drag, exhaling slowly. "Yeah, sometimes. Helps me deal with... stuff." I glanced at him, curious. "What, surprised?"
He shrugged, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me. "Kind of. You don't seem like the type."
I let out a small laugh, the sound harsher than I meant it to be. "Guess I'm not what people expect."
Nathan gave a half-smile, nodding. "Fair enough. Doesn't really fit the whole 'new girl' vibe, though."
"Yeah, well," I said, taking another drag, "I'm not here to fit into anyone's idea of who I should be."
"Good," he said simply, and there was something in his voice that almost sounded like respect
We sat in silence for a few more minutes, neither of us sure what to say next. The smoke curled around us, and I watched as Nathan leaned back, his gaze flicking upward toward the dark sky.
"Rough day?" he asked eventually, his tone casual.
I snorted, pulling my jacket tighter around me. "You could say that.
"Chloe?" he asked, as if he already knew.
"Yeah." I leaned back, closing my eyes for a second. "She's... persistent."
Nathan let out a humourless laugh. "That's one way to put it."
I glanced at him. "You didn't have to step in, you know. I could've handled it."
"I know," he said, his tone light, almost teasing. "But it was kind of entertaining."
I rolled my eyes. "Right. Because watching someone get torn apart is fun."
"Not that part," he said, flicking ash from a cigarette he'd lit without me noticing. "The part where you stood your ground. Most people just back down when Chloe gets like that."
His words caught me off guard, and I looked down at my hands. "Well, guess I'm not most people."
"Yeah, I noticed," he said, and there was something in his voice that made me pause, something real.
We sat in silence for a few more minutes, the night air wrapping around us, less cold now that we weren't strangers. There was something almost comfortable about it, as if we both understood something about each other that didn't need to be said.
I flicked my cigarette to the ground, crushing it under my shoe. "We should probably head back. It's getting late."
Nathan nodded, standing up as well. "Yeah. Let's go."
We walked in silence, the cold air biting at my skin. But for once, it didn't bother me. It felt... okay. We fell into step together, neither of us speaking, but it felt less awkward than it would have just a week ago.
When we got to the dorm, we both hesitated at the door, as if unsure what to do next. I opened it and stepped inside first, glancing back at him. He followed, and we moved toward our sides of the room.
I grabbed my pyjamas and hesitated. I turned to see Nathan watching me with an arched brow.
"Turn around," I said, waving my hand.
Nathan smirked, but he turned without protest. "Yeah, yeah."
I quickly changed, slipping into my worn but comfortable pyjamas. "Okay," I said, pulling the blanket back on my bed.
Nathan turned around, giving a slight nod before he pulled his own shirt over his head, tossing it into a pile on his desk chair. I turned my back to him, giving him a little privacy as I settled into bed. It was strange, this casual cohabitation with a guy I barely knew. But there was something reassuring about it too, like maybe I wasn't as alone as I felt.
"Goodnight, Jules," Nathan said, his voice softer now, almost like he was trying not to break whatever calm had settled between us.
"Goodnight, Nathan," I replied, my voice a little hesitant.
The room fell into silence, but this time, it wasn't awkward or heavy. It was just... there. I closed my eyes, my body relaxing into the mattress. The words Chloe said still echoed in the back of my mind, but they felt less sharp now, less real.
Maybe things would be okay here. Maybe this was the fresh start I needed.
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AWHHHH bonding momentt!!!! And a cute good night?!?!!? My knees are too weak for this.
Don't forget to vote! LOVE YOU GIRLYS <3