Pov: Jules
The door clicked shut behind me, and I finally let myself exhale. This guy was officially the most insufferable person I'd ever met. His attitude, that smug little grin, and the way he looked at me like I was trespassing on his personal kingdomâit was all infuriating.
But if I was being honest, I had surprised myself back there too. Normally, I'm not the type to talk back. I'm a classic case of shy extrovert. I love people, and I want to connect with them, but I don't have the courage to put myself out there. Most of the time, I'd be more likely to smile awkwardly and keep quiet than to stand my ground. Yet with Nathan, I'd met his attitude head-on. Maybe it was because he seemed so irritatingly sure of himself, or maybe I just couldn't help pushing back against his cocky little smirk.
I felt a grin tug at my lips. For once, I hadn't held back.
I glanced down at the paper Mrs. Wheeler had given me with the dorm information printed on it. "Dylan Ivy Jules Wilder." There it was, in bold letters. I thought my name would make a good impressionâkind of unique, right? Apparently, it was unique enough to cause a serious misunderstanding. Since my name Dylan is often a guy's name, I'd been placed in the East Quadrant with the boys. I couldn't believe they hadn't caught this mix-up sooner.
Sighing, I headed down to the office. Mrs. Wheeler, the assistant headmistress, was my last hope of fixing this situation. A little bubble of dread formed in my chest as I tried to picture myself actually living in the same room as Nathan. Sure, he was...well, there was no denying he was attractive. In a broody, aloof kind of way. But he was also frustratingly full of himself, with that "my way or the highway" look he'd flashed at me more than once already. It was all so ridiculous. I mean, it was barely day one, and I was already tangled up in this mess.
The office was quiet when I got there. Mrs. Wheeler sat behind her desk, reading through a stack of papers with her glasses perched low on her nose. She looked up as I entered, a warm smile softening her otherwise serious face.
"Ah, Miss Wilder," she greeted, gesturing to a chair. "How can I help?"
I took a deep breath, sitting down and clutching the dorm assignment paper like a lifeline. "There's been a mix-up, I think. I'm assigned to Room 352 on the third floor... but it's guys only."
She frowned, her fingers quickly typing my name into her computer. "Let's see...ah, yes. Dylan Ivy Jules Wilder." Her eyes scanned the screen, then settled back on me with a hint of surprise. "Oh, I see the issue now. Because of your first name, our system registered you as a male student."
I managed a small, nervous laugh. "Yeah, I get that a lot. But...is there any way to switch rooms? I mean, it's not really...comfortable."
Mrs. Wheeler gave me a sympathetic nod, leaning back thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, our dorms are entirely full this term, Jules. We won't have any availability to adjust room assignments until next school year. I know that's not what you wanted to hear."
I bit back my disappointment, letting out a sigh. "So I'm really stuck?"
"For now, I'm afraid so." She reached out and gave my hand a reassuring pat. "But you have my wordâif Nathan Talon causes you any trouble, please come directly to me. He's not a bad student, but he can be...a handful. And co-ed arrangements can be tricky. I'll make sure it stays respectful."
So that's his name, Nathon Talon. I really need to start asking people their name.
I nodded, feeling a bit better. Mrs. Wheeler was kind and seemed to understand just how awkward this was. "Thanks. I'll let you know if anything goes wrong."
On my way back, I replayed the whole scenario with Nathan in my head, imagining how he'd probably react when I told him the situation was officially "resolved" and that we'd be sharing a room for the rest of the year.
But, still, there was something about him that kept my mind turning. He was intimidating, sure, but there was a quiet intensity about him. He seemed closed off. Not that I was interested, obviouslyâI was here for a fresh start, to meet people, make friends, not get caught up in whatever Nathan Talon had going on. But there was something almost...intriguing about him.
I opened the door and stepped back into our room, where Nathan was now sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone. His eyes flicked up briefly, then back down, as if my presence didn't even register.
"Hey," I said, clearing my throat. "So... I talked to Mrs. Wheeler."
He raised an eyebrow, finally looking at me. "And?"
I forced a smile, though I felt the urge to throw a pillow at him. "And apparently, this whole thing is because of my first name. They thought I was a guy."
Nathan looks kind of confused and raises his eyebrow. "Jules is not really a guys name as far as I know."
There goes my plan for leaving Dylan wilder in Riven. "Well Jules isn't actually my first name, it's my middle name. Dylan is my first name"
Nathan let out a short laugh, his smirk making a reappearance. "Ah okay, So what's the plan?"
I took a deep breath, bracing myself for his reaction. "There's no other room available until next school year. So... looks like we're roommates."
He let that sink in, his expression shifting slightly. "That's it?"
I shrugged. "Pretty much. But, Mrs. Wheeler said if you give me any trouble, I can go straight to her." I flashed him a warning look, though my voice was light.
Nathan looked amused, tapping his fingers on his knee. "Trouble, huh?" he echoed, a hint of a grin tugging at his lips. "What exactly do you think I'm going to do?"
"Oh, I don't know. Break all my stuff? Put my toothbrush in the toilet? Standard guy mischief." I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep my tone serious, but a laugh slipped out.
"Noted," he replied, smirking. "Guess I'll have to add 'toilet toothbrush sabotage' to my list of hobbies."
I couldn't help but laugh, feeling the tension between us lightenâjust a little. "Alright, then. As long as we have that cleared up."
He nodded, still giving me that unreadable look, but at least it was less hostile. I stood by the door for a second, suddenly realizing just how strange this all was. Here I was, standing in my new room, forced to share it with this guy who looked at me like I was some sort of freak.
My suitcase sat where I left it, untouched. I hadn't even unpacked yet, but something told me that, for better or worse, this year was going to be memorable.
And with Nathan, I had a feeling I'd have my hands full.
âââââââââââââââââââ-
A/N
Long chapter whooo
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