Chapter 19

POV: Nathan

The silence in the dorm was a double-edged sword. I'd gotten used to quiet when I wanted it, needed it even. But ever since Jules showed up, that quiet didn't feel the same. It wasn't peaceful anymore. It was expectant, like waiting for a storm to hit. Or maybe that was just me.

She wasn't even doing anything right now, just sitting on her bed, headphones on, scribbling in her notebook like she wasn't sharing a space with someone she'd barely met. And it bothered me. Not in a bad way. Not in a good way either. Just... in a way.

"So," I said, breaking the silence. Her head snapped up, startled, and she pulled her headphones off, letting them rest around her neck. "What's it like being so popular?"

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not in the mood for whatever I was starting. "Popular?"

"Yeah," I said, leaning back against my bed. "First week here, and you've already got Jackson and the guys wrapped around your finger."

She snorted, folding her arms. "Wrapped around my finger? They're just curious because I'm the random girl who got dumped on the guys' floor. It's not exactly a fan club."

"Could've fooled me," I said. "Jackson couldn't shut up about you at the party this week."

She made a face. "Great. Just what I needed. More attention from frat boys-in-training."

"It's not that bad," I said, smirking. "You've got a whole entourage. Meanwhile, I'm just the brooding loner in the corner."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You love being the brooding loner. It's your whole brand."

"And what's your brand?" I shot back. "Mysterious new girl who doesn't talk to anyone but somehow ends up in the middle of everything?"

Her mouth opened, then closed, as if she couldn't decide whether to argue or agree. "I don't have a brand," she finally said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm just... here."

The way she said it made me pause. It wasn't defensive or flippant. It was honest, like she wasn't even sure why she was here. I'd been prepared for sarcasm or irritation, but not that.

"Fair enough," I said after a moment. "But if we're gonna share this space, we should probably set some rules."

Her eyes narrowed. "Rules?"

"Yeah. Like, no waking me up at the crack of dawn with your chair scraping across the floor."

She blinked, then smirked. "You're really gonna complain about that when you came in at five a.m. One night, reeking of cheap beer?"

"Touché," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Fine. We'll call it even."

The corner of her mouth twitched, like she was fighting a smile. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," I said, leaning forward slightly. "Stay out of my stuff."

"Deal," she said. "As long as you stay out of mine."

"Works for me."

The silence returned, but it wasn't heavy this time. It was almost... comfortable. She went back to her notebook, and I picked up my phone, scrolling aimlessly but not really paying attention to the screen. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her, the way her pen moved across the page with quick, fluid strokes. She was sketching something, but I couldn't make out what.

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Later, when she left the room, I let myself relax. It was strange, having someone else in my space. I'd spent the past two years perfecting the art of keeping people out, of making sure no one got close enough to mess with my carefully constructed life. And now, here she was, scribbling in her notebook like she'd been here all along.

I thought back to the card game in the common room. She'd held her own with the guys, throwing out quick-witted comebacks and laughing at their stupid jokes. She didn't seem intimidated by them, even when Jackson tried his usual flirting. That's what surprised me the most—her confidence. Or maybe it wasn't confidence. Maybe it was just... something else. Resilience, maybe. She didn't have the sharp edges that most people here seemed to wear like armor, but she wasn't fragile either.

I shook my head, irritated at myself for thinking about it. About her.

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When Jules came back, she was holding a coffee cup and had her headphones on, nodding slightly to whatever music she was listening to. She didn't notice me watching her as she set the cup down on her desk and pulled out her notebook again. For a moment, I thought about asking her what she was drawing, but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes, pretending to be indifferent.

That night, after she'd fallen asleep, I found myself staring at the ceiling, my thoughts refusing to quiet. My mind drifted to my family—to my mom, who'd texted me earlier asking if I needed money, and to my dad, who hadn't called in months. I'd stopped expecting anything from him a long time ago, but it still stung, the way he could disappear so easily.

Jules didn't seem to have it any easier. She'd mentioned her parents once, briefly, and I'd caught the hesitation in her voice. It wasn't my business, but part of me wanted to know more. Not because I cared—not really—but because it felt like there was something about her I couldn't quite figure out.

The next day, I saw her sitting on the bench near the edge of campus, the one I'd claimed as my own spot a long time ago. She had her legs tucked into her chest, a cigarette between her fingers, the smoke curling up into the cold morning air. She didn't see me, and I didn't call out to her. I just stood there for a moment, watching.

There was something about her—something different. I didn't know what it was, and maybe I didn't want to know. But I couldn't shake the feeling that, for better or worse, she was going to be a part of my life now. Whether I liked it or not.

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A/N

A chapter full of Nathans thoughts. What do we think of it?

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