Chapter 21

Pov: Nathan

The rain drummed steadily against the windows, filling the quiet room with its rhythmic cadence. The glow of the candle had burned out hours ago, leaving only the faint light of the storm filtering through the drawn blinds. Jules was curled up on her bed, her head tilted slightly to the side as she slept. Both her blanket and mine were wrapped around her in a way that made her look cocooned, safe. Peaceful. For the first time since I met her, she didn't look like she was holding herself together by a thread.

I'd stopped playing my guitar a while ago, but my hands still rested on it, my fingers idly strumming muted strings. Every so often, I'd glance over at Jules, and each time I did, I found my thoughts wandering to places they shouldn't. Like how her hair fell messily over her face or how her lips parted slightly as she slept. She looked softer like this, less guarded. It made her seem... beautiful.

I shook the thought away quickly, muttering under my breath, "Don't get weird, Nate."

The storm outside intensified, the wind howling against the building. I leaned back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling as my thoughts drifted. Jules had surprised me earlier with her humor, her ability to deflect with ease. Most people didn't bother pushing past my sarcasm, but she... she held her ground. It was different. She was different.

A soft murmur broke the quiet, and I glanced over to see Jules stirring. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and heavy with sleep. She stretched lazily under the blankets, her voice groggy as she muttered, "You're still playing?"

I smirked, keeping my tone casual. "Didn't want to deprive you of your nap soundtrack."

She rubbed her eyes, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, I guess. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Don't worry," I said with mock seriousness. "It wasn't the first time someone's passed out at my shows."

Jules chuckled softly, her laugh light and warm. "You're terrible."

"Takes one to know one," I quipped. "You do realize you completely hogged my blanket, right?"

She looked down, her face flushing as she realized the truth. "Oh. Sorry about that."

I shrugged, smirking. "Figured you needed it more. You were shivering like a leaf earlier."

She muttered something under her breath, but her embarrassment was clear. "Still," she added softly, "thanks."

The storm outside showed no signs of letting up, the rain streaking the windows in heavy sheets. Jules sat up, wrapping the blankets tighter around herself. "Still going," she murmured, glancing at the window.

"Yeah," I replied. "Looks like we're stuck inside for a while longer."

She sighed, the sound resigned. "Guess that means no dining hall."

"We've got enough junk here to survive," I offered. "I've got ramen. What about you?"

Jules laughed softly, her voice still thick with sleep. "I think I have some granola bars and a questionable yogurt."

"Sounds like a feast," I said, standing up. "Let's pool our resources."

We raided our respective stashes, coming away with an assortment of ramen, chips, granola bars, and an unopened can of soda I'd forgotten I had. Jules stared at the mismatched spread, her lips twitching with amusement.

"This is the most gourmet meal I've ever had," she teased as I handed her a steaming bowl of ramen.

"Careful," I said with a smirk. "If you keep making fun of my cooking, I might take it back."

She grinned, the tension between us easing as we ate. Conversation flowed naturally, the storm outside fading into the background.

"So, you play guitar," Jules said, twirling a noodle around her fork. "How long have you been doing that?"

I shrugged. "Since middle school. I wanted something that was just mine, you know? No teams, no expectations—just me and the strings."

"So you used music to escape, huh?" she asked, her tone curious rather than teasing.

"Guilty," I admitted, leaning back against the wall. "What about you? Let me guess—always doodling instead of paying attention."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Not even close. I was the one doodling on my homework instead of actually doing it."

She placed her empty bowl on the desk and stretched before glancing around the room and groaning. "Okay, this is bad," she said, gesturing at the mess. "The storm may not have gotten us, but this mess might."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's not that bad."

She pointed at the pile of clothes on the floor and the stack of books precariously balanced on my desk. "Nathan, it looks like a tornado hit your half of the room."

"Technically, it's our room now," I said, smirking.

Her eyes narrowed. "Exactly why we need to fix this."

I sighed dramatically but stood up. "Fine. But if I find anything gross under your bed, I'm burning it."

"You're the one with the 'vintage' sock graveyard, remember?" she shot back, laughing.

We divided the tasks, Jules tackling under the beds while I worked on the closet. Her running commentary on the strange things she found kept the mood light.

"Nathan, why do you have an empty jar of peanut butter in here?"

"For emergencies," I said without missing a beat.

By the time we finished, the room looked almost livable. Jules flopped onto her bed, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, I take back what I said earlier. That was exhausting."

I smirked, leaning against the now-organized desk. "You act like we ran a marathon."

She threw a pillow at me weakly. "We might as well have. Dust monsters were involved. It was life or death."

I caught the pillow, tossing it casually onto my bed. "I'm pretty sure I did all the hard work."

"You're delusional," she said, but her tone held no bite.

As the rain continued outside, we settled back into our respective beds. I caught her glancing my way, her eyes soft in the dim light.

"Thanks for... tonight," she said quietly.

"Don't mention it," I replied, my usual sarcasm absent. And for once, I meant it.

Jules shifted, pulling my blanket closer before glancing down at it. "Oh, I almost forgot this was yours," she said, starting to untangle it from around her.

"Keep it," I said with a shrug. "You looked like you needed it more."

She shook her head, standing up and trying to hand it back. "Seriously, I'm fine now."

As she stepped forward, her foot caught on the corner of her bed, and she stumbled. I reached out instinctively, catching her arm before she could fall.

For a moment, everything stilled. Her wide eyes locked on mine, and her hand gripped my forearm for balance. The space between us felt charged, the air thicker than the storm outside. Her expression shifted slightly, a mixture of surprise and something softer that I couldn't quite place.

I could feel the warmth of her hand through the fabric of my sleeve, and for a second, I forgot about everything else—the storm, the mess, the guarded walls we both kept up. It was just her, close enough that I could catch the faint scent of something vanilla, and me, wondering how the hell this moment had snuck up on us.

Her voice broke the silence, a whisper that seemed loud against the quiet. "Sorry," she said, her blush deepening as she straightened up.

"No need," I replied, my voice softer than usual. My grip on her arm lingered for half a heartbeat longer before I let go.

"Careful," I murmured, my voice softer than I intended.

She straightened, a faint flush creeping up her cheeks. "Thanks," she muttered, quickly handing me the blanket and retreating back to her bed.

I watched her for a beat longer than necessary before shaking my head and sitting down. "You're welcome," I said, trying to ignore the way my chest felt lighter and heavier all at once.

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A/N

Nathan said Jules is beautiful... HELLO UNDERSTATEMENT!!

LOVE YOU GUYS! <3