Chloe didn't come back that night.
At first, I didn't think much of it.
She stayed out late sometimes. That was normal for her.
But then one night turned into two.
And slowly, concern started replacing irritation.
By the second evening, the room felt strangely empty again.
I sat on my bed trying to focus on an assignment, but my eyes kept drifting toward the clock.
Still nothing.
No sound of the door opening.
No rushed entrance with Chloe apologizing for disappearing again.
I checked my phone absentmindedly.
No messages from her either.
My stomach twisted slightly.
I hated how quickly my mind jumped to worst-case scenarios.
What if something happened?
What if she got hurt somewhere?
What if—
Stop.
I stood up abruptly and grabbed my hoodie.
Maybe I should ask someone.
Maybe I should report it.
The thought made my chest tighten immediately, but the fear was stronger now.
Two days was long.
Especially when someone lived with you.
I slipped on my shoes quickly, grabbed my phone, and headed out into the hallway.
The dorm suddenly felt colder than usual.
My footsteps echoed softly as I walked toward the stairs.
I was halfway down the hall when I heard laughter approaching from around the corner.
Then voices.
And suddenly—
Chloe appeared.
I stopped immediately.
Relief hit first so fast it almost made my knees weak.
"Oh my God," I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Chloe blinked when she saw me standing there.
"Mia?"
I stared at her.
"You disappeared for two days."
She looked surprised.
"Oh."
Then her expression softened slightly.
"Wait… were you worried?"
I opened my mouth.
Closed it again.
Because suddenly I felt embarrassed for panicking this much.
"I just thought something happened," I muttered quietly.
Chloe's face changed completely after that.
Like she genuinely didn't expect anyone to care enough to worry.
"Aww," she said softly. "That's actually kind of sweet."
"I was literally about to report you," I admitted.
She laughed suddenly.
"Okay, maybe not that worried."
Then she stepped closer into the hallway light—
And I froze.
There were hickeys scattered across her neck.
Very obvious hickeys.
My eyes widened before I could stop them.
Chloe immediately noticed where I was looking and covered part of her neck with her hand.
"Oh my God," she groaned dramatically. "I know."
I stared at her for a second longer.
Then quickly looked away.
"Oh."
That explained everything.
And somehow… it also made that weird jealousy from before creep back into my chest again.
Not because I liked Chloe.
Not because I cared what she did.
But because moments like this reminded me how different we were.
Chloe disappeared for two days because she was out living her life.
Meanwhile I spent those same two days alone in the dorm overthinking everything.
Chloe sighed while unlocking the room door.
"I swear I forgot how visible these things are."
I followed her inside quietly.
She dropped her bag dramatically onto the floor before flopping onto her bed.
"I'm exhausted."
I sat slowly on my own bed.
Trying very hard not to imagine who she had been with.
Because for some reason, my mind betrayed me instantly.
Ethan.
The thought appeared so fast it made my stomach twist.
No.
Stop being insane.
There were thousands of guys on campus.
It didn't mean Ethan.
Still, the possibility sat heavily in my chest anyway.
Chloe caught me glancing at her neck again and laughed.
"You look traumatized."
"I'm not traumatized," I muttered.
"You definitely are."
I rolled my eyes slightly, but my thoughts stayed messy.
Because now another uncomfortable feeling had joined everything else:
Fear.
Fear that maybe one day I'd find out Ethan liked girls like Chloe after all.
And deep down…
I already knew he probably did.