Chapter 20

Pov: Jules

The wind howled outside, rattling the thin windows of my dorm room like they might shatter any second. I sat cross-legged on my bed, my homework open in front of me. The pen hovered above the page, but the words wouldn't come. My thoughts felt just as chaotic as the storm brewing outside—scattered, loud, and impossible to pin down.

The campus announcement system crackled, making me jump. "Attention all students," a distorted voice began. "A severe storm warning has been issued for our area. Please remain indoors. All activities are suspended until further notice. Thank you."

Great. So much for escaping the confines of this tiny room. I glanced across the space at Nathan, who was lounging on his bed with his arms crossed behind his head. His posture screamed boredom, but the smirk tugging at his lips suggested he was enjoying the chaos.

"State-of-the-art precautions," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Stay inside and hope for the best. Real inspiring."

I rolled my eyes, but my fingers tightened around my pen. Something about the storm unsettled me, though I wasn't sure if it was the wind outside or the fact that I was stuck in here with Nathan.

As if on cue, the lights flickered once, then twice, before plunging the room into darkness.

"Seriously?" Nathan muttered, sitting up. "This place can't even handle a little wind?"

"A little wind?" I asked, fumbling for my phone. "It sounds like the building's about to blow over."

The emergency lights in the hallway flickered to life, casting the room in an eerie, dim glow. I turned on my phone's flashlight and aimed it toward my desk. Nathan sighed, reaching into his bedside drawer and pulling out a candle and a lighter.

"Prepared much?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a guy with a lot of shit," he said with a smirk, the flame casting shadows over his face. "A candle always comes in handy."

The glow from the candle softened the room, making the space feel smaller, more intimate. I tried to focus on the light instead of the growing unease twisting in my stomach. The wind outside howled louder, shaking the windows in their frames.

"Well," I said, trying to lighten the mood, "it's officially creepy in here."

Nathan snorted. "You scared of the dark or something?"

"No," I said, though my voice came out higher than I'd intended. "I just prefer when the walls don't feel like they're closing in."

"Noted."

The silence stretched, broken only by the relentless wind. I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of the room pressing down on me.

"So," I said, desperate to break the tension, "what do you do for fun when the power's out? Besides brooding."

Nathan tilted his head, considering me for a moment. "Usually? Nothing. But I'm open to suggestions."

"Well, that's helpful," I said, rolling my eyes. "We could..." My mind drew a blank. "I don't know. Talk?"

Nathan's smirk deepened. "Talk?"

"Yeah, you know. Words? Conversation? It's this thing people do sometimes."

"Fascinating," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Alright, Jules. What do you want to talk about?"

"I..." I faltered, caught off guard by his willingness to play along. "I don't know. Where are you from?"

"New York," he said simply. "You?"

"California," I said.

"Small town?"

"Very. What about you?"

Nathan shrugged. "Big city. Lots of noise. Not much else to say."

I raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I don't believe that."

"Believe what you want," he said, leaning back against the wall. "Your turn."

"My turn for what?"

"To say something equally boring about yourself," he said with a smirk.

I laughed despite myself. "Fair enough. I like to draw."

Nathan's eyebrows lifted, genuine curiosity flashing in his eyes. "What kind of stuff?"

"Mostly nature," I said, surprised he'd asked. "Trees, animals. Sometimes people, if they're interesting enough."

"Am I interesting enough?" he asked, a teasing edge to his voice.

I pretended to think about it. "Not even close."

His laugh was soft, almost reluctant, but it was there. The sound of it warmed the room more than the candlelight ever could.

"What about you?" I asked. "Any hidden talents?"

He hesitated for a beat, then smirked. "I play guitar. Sometimes."

"No way," I said, genuinely intrigued. "What kind of stuff do you play?"

"Mostly my own thing," he said, his voice softer now. "It's... a way to clear my head."

"You'll have to play for me sometime," I said, leaning forward.

"We'll see," he said cryptically, and before I could press further, a loud crash echoed through the dorm building, shaking the walls. I jumped to my feet, my heart racing.

"What the hell was that?" Nathan muttered, already grabbing the flashlight.

"Should we check it out?" I asked.

Nathan hesitated, his frown deepening. "Or we could stay here and not get crushed by falling debris."

"Come on," I said, tugging at his sleeve. "What if someone's hurt?"

He sighed but followed me into the hallway, his flashlight cutting through the dim emergency lights. The sound of the wind was even louder here, a constant roar that made it hard to think.

When we reached the common room, the source of the crash became clear. A massive tree branch had smashed through one of the windows, scattering glass and debris everywhere. Rain poured in, pooling on the floor as the wind whipped through the opening.

"Shit," Nathan muttered, his eyes scanning the damage. "We need to block that off."

"With what?" I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

He pointed to a heavy couch near the wall. "Help me move that."

Together, we pushed the couch against the broken window, using it to block out most of the wind and rain. Nathan grabbed duct tape from a nearby maintenance closet, securing the edges as best as he could.

By the time we were done, I was soaked and shivering, my heart still racing from the adrenaline.

"Well, that was fun," Nathan said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

I managed a weak laugh, sinking onto the couch. "If this is your idea of fun, I'm terrified to see what you consider boring."

Nathan smirked but said nothing, sitting down beside me. The storm raged on outside, but in here, it felt almost peaceful. I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to ward off the chill.

"You're soaked," Nathan said, glancing at me.

"Thanks for the observation," I said, my teeth chattering. "I'll go change."

Back in our room, I grabbed some dry clothes and looked at him. "Turn around."

He rolled his eyes but complied, muttering, "Not like I'd peek anyway."

"Good," I said, shivering as I changed quickly into some sweats. "Okay, done."

When I sat back down, I still couldn't shake the cold. Nathan noticed and sighed, pulling his blanket off his bed. "Here."

"I'm fine," I said stubbornly.

"You're shivering, Jules. Just take it."

"I don't need your pity blanket," I shot back.

"It's not pity. It's practical. Don't be stubborn."

I glared at him but finally relented, wrapping the blanket around me. "Fine. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said, smirking. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Don't push it," I warned, though I couldn't help the small smile that crept onto my face.

"No promises," he said, leaning back against the wall with a self-satisfied grin.

The storm continued outside, but in the glow of the candlelight, the room felt warmer, almost cozy. Nathan reached for his guitar, strumming softly. The music filled the silence, and I found myself relaxing for the first time that night.

As I watched him play, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was more to Nathan Talon than met the eye.

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A/N

Them stuck together>>>>

This was honestly so cute.

Don't forget to vote, LOVE YOU GUYS! <3