...
The room felt… different.
Not loud. Not chaotic.
Just quiet in a way that made everything feel heavier than it should.
Even with all of us inside, it didn't feel full anymore.
It felt divided.
I stayed on my bed most of the time, scrolling through my phone, pretending to be busy, pretending not to notice the small things happening around me.
Mia and Marvel talked like everything was normal.
Laughing. Whispering. Sharing little moments that used to include me.
Now, I just watched from a distance.
And I told myself I was okay with it.
"Nuella…"
I looked up.
Mia was standing beside my bed, her expression softer than usual.
"Why have you been distant?" she asked.
Straight. No hesitation.
I paused for a second, then shrugged lightly.
"I haven't," I said casually. "I've just been… wanting to be alone these days."
She studied my face like she was trying to read something deeper.
But I didn't give her anything.
"Hmm," she said after a moment. "Okay."
There was a brief silence before she spoke again.
"Let's go get food."
I hesitated for a second.
Not because I didn't want to go—but because I didn't want to think too much about it.
"Okay," I said finally.
The walk was quiet at first, then slowly, we started talking again.
Not like before.
But enough to make it feel… normal.
Or at least close to it.
I didn't bring anything up.
Neither did she.
And maybe that was the problem.
When we got back to the room, things shifted slightly.
Diana and Gabrielle were there again.
Their presence always made the room feel lighter, like whatever tension existed took a step back for a while.
"Heyyy," Gabrielle said, smiling as we walked in.
"There's a party coming up," Diana added excitedly. "Next tomorrow night. Are you guys ready?"
I paused slightly.
A party?
I wasn't really the party type.
But I didn't say anything.
No need to explain myself.
Marvel, on the other hand, lit up immediately.
"A party?" she repeated, sitting up quickly. "Of course I'm going!"
She smiled, already excited.
"I've missed this," she added, almost to herself.
It wasn't hard to tell—Marvel loved that kind of thing.
The energy.
The attention.
The freedom.
And probably the alcohol too.
She turned to Mia almost immediately.
"We're going, right?"
Mia laughed. "I guess."
"No, not guess—we are going," Marvel insisted, already pulling out clothes from her things.
Short skirts. Tops. Options.
She held one up. "This would look so good on you."
Then she turned to me. "You too."
I hesitated for a second before taking one of the skirts she offered.
Not because I wanted it.
But because I didn't want it to seem like I had a problem with her.
I tried it on quickly, stepping out just enough for them to see.
"It's nice," Mia said.
I nodded slightly, then took it off. "I have something similar," I said, handing it back.
Marvel shrugged. "Alright."
Mia, on the other hand, collected two.
That didn't surprise me.
Later that evening, my phone buzzed.
Sami.
"Hey baby."
A small smile formed on my lips despite everything.
"How are you?" I replied.
"I'm good. You?"
"I'm fine."
There was a short pause before another message came in.
"Did you hear about the party?"
I blinked slightly.
"Yeah."
"The dorms will be open till daybreak," he added.
My brows lifted slightly.
"Really?"
"Yeah. So we could spend time together… just me and you. No one to disturb us."
I stared at the message for a moment.
It sounded nice.
Peaceful.
Simple.
Everything I had been needing.
But still…
"Hmm… I'll think about it."
"Okay," he replied. "No pressure."
The next day was quiet.
Too quiet.
I didn't have any classes, so I slept through most of it.
When I woke up, the room was still.
Cassie had gone for lectures.
Mia and Marvel were asleep.
On the same bed.
Again.
I didn't react.
I just got up, went to the bathroom, took my bath, checked my messages, and came back.
Nothing felt urgent anymore.
Not even my thoughts.
I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
The silence wrapped around me again.
Familiar now.
Almost comfortable.
But not quite.
Because somewhere deep down…
I knew this quiet wasn't peace.
It was just the pause before something else.
Later that evening, I couldn't stay in the room any longer.
The silence was too loud.
So I slipped on my slippers and stepped outside for a walk, letting the cool air wrap around me. It had just rained, and the ground was still slightly wet. The sky was dim, soft clouds hanging low as a light drizzle continued to fall.
The weather felt… calm.
Cold, but comforting.
I wrapped my arms around myself as I walked slowly, breathing in the fresh scent the rain had left behind.
Then I saw him.
Sami.
Standing a few steps ahead, like he had been looking for me without even knowing it.
We both paused.
And then… we smiled.
That kind of smile that says everything without saying anything at all.
He walked toward me, his eyes fixed on mine, soft and familiar.
"You came out," he said quietly.
"So did you," I replied.
He chuckled lightly, stopping right in front of me. For a second, we just stood there, the drizzle falling gently around us, neither of us in a hurry to break the moment.
"I missed you," he said again, softer this time.
I didn't respond with words.
I just stepped closer.
And he pulled me into a hug.
Warm.
Safe.
Like everything else didn't matter in that moment.
I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat while the cool droplets of rain touched my skin.
"I don't like how things have been," he murmured.
"Me too," I whispered.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at me. His fingers brushed lightly against my cheek, wiping away a drop of rain that had settled there.
"You don't have to carry everything alone," he said.
My heart softened at his words.
Before I could respond, he leaned in slowly—giving me just enough time to pull away if I wanted to.
But I didn't.
Our lips met gently at first.
Soft. Careful.
Then deeper, warmer, like we were both trying to hold onto something that felt like it was slipping away.
The rain continued to fall lightly around us, soaking into our clothes, but neither of us moved.
It felt like time paused.
Like it was just us.
Nothing else.
When we finally pulled apart, my forehead rested against his, both of us breathing softly.
"You're cold," he said, smiling faintly.
"So are you," I replied.
He laughed quietly.
"Come, let me take you back."
We walked side by side, our hands brushing occasionally until he finally held mine properly.
And for once…
I didn't overthink it.
When we got to the front of my dorm, he stopped.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked.
I nodded. "Maybe."
He smiled. "I'll take that."
I turned to go, then paused for a second before looking back at him.
He was still there.
Watching me.
And somehow…
That felt reassuring.
Even with everything going on.