...
I froze.
Marvel was standing a short distance away, her eyes sharp, her smile that infuriating mix of mischief and confidence. My chest tightened instantly, a mixture of embarrassment and anger simmering inside me.
Hudson, sensing the tension, took a small step back.
"Well, well… what do we have here?" Marvel's voice was calm, casual—but loaded.
I didn't answer. Words failed me every time she was around.
Hudson, surprisingly, didn't back down. "Nothing you need to worry about," he said smoothly.
Marvel tilted her head, looking between us. Then, as if bored, she smirked. "Hmm. Interesting," she said, before turning away with a flick of her hair. But even as she walked past, the air felt charged, the tension lingering like electricity.
I exhaled shakily, gripping my hoodie. "Marvel," I muttered under my breath, more to myself than anyone else.
Hudson gave me a small, understanding smile. "You okay?" he asked softly.
"Yeah… just… Marvel being Marvel," I replied, forcing a laugh.
He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press.
By the time I returned to my dorm, my chest felt heavy. The calm I had felt yesterday with Sami was gone, replaced by worry and that creeping sense of chaos Marvel always seemed to bring. I knew I couldn't ignore it any longer.
I grabbed my hoodie and stepped outside, letting the cool evening air brush against my skin. The drizzle from earlier had softened into a gentle mist, leaving the campus quiet and the grass glistening. I needed to see Sami—needed to tell him everything, to unburden the tension I had been carrying.
I found him at our usual spot, the field glowing softly under the faint campus lights. He looked up when he saw me and smiled, but I could see concern in his eyes.
"Nuella," he said softly, "you okay?"
I shook my head. "Not really," I admitted, taking a deep breath. "I… I need to tell you something."
We sat on the damp grass, the cool mist settling around us. I told him everything—the whispers, Marvel and Mia growing closer, the tension in the dorm, Marvel's constant presence around Hudson. I even admitted the pang of jealousy I felt seeing Marvel watching us tonight.
Sami listened quietly, letting me spill my thoughts, nodding occasionally, his hand brushing against mine for comfort.
When I finished, he pulled me closer, his eyes serious. "Nuella, thank you for telling me. You don't have to carry all of this alone. And… I trust you. And I trust us."
I let out a shaky laugh, leaning into his warmth. "I know, but it's hard not to notice everything. It feels like… like the dorm is a pressure cooker sometimes."
He smiled softly, pressing his forehead against mine. "Then let's step outside the pressure. Come on," he said, standing and holding out his hand.
I took it, and we walked together, the rain beginning to drizzle lightly again. The cool drops settled on our skin, but we barely noticed. Sami pulled me close once we were alone, and I could feel the weight of the world lift just a little.
"I missed you," he whispered, brushing wet strands of hair from my face.
"I missed you too," I admitted.
He leaned closer, our lips meeting under the soft drizzle. The kiss was gentle, grounding, almost like a promise that despite everything, we could find calm in each other.
After a while, we pulled apart, smiling through the rain. "Let's head back," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Before Marvel or anyone else decides to stir more drama."
I laughed softly, letting him escort me back to the dorm, my heart lighter. But even as we reached the dorm entrance, I knew one thing:
The calm was temporary. The dorm, Marvel, and the tangled webs of relationships weren't going to let me rest for long.
And yet… for now, this small moment, this quiet confession in the rain, was mine.
We reached the dorm entrance, and I hesitated, my hand still in Sami's. The air was crisp, the rain dampening our shoes, the campus lights reflecting on the wet ground. For a moment, we just stood there, neither of us wanting to let go of the quiet intimacy.
"I wish… this could stay like this," I murmured.
Sami smiled softly, brushing a wet strand of hair from my face again. "Moments like this," he said, "they're rare. But rare makes them special, doesn't it?"
I nodded, leaning my head on his shoulder. The chill didn't matter anymore. His warmth was enough.
Then, faintly, a laugh echoed from the dorm windows. I froze.
Marvel.
She was there, looking down from her bed, smirking like she knew exactly what she was seeing. My chest tightened. Sami noticed my stiffening, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Don't let her ruin this," he said quietly, his eyes darkening with protective intensity.
I nodded, trying to steady myself. For now, we could have this—this little pocket of calm in a world that refused to stay simple.
But deep down, I knew the storm wasn't over. Marvel would push, Mia might take sides, Hudson… well, Hudson wouldn't disappear quietly.
I drew in a deep breath, letting the cold rain mix with the warmth from Sami's arms. "I just… I just want one night without everything falling apart," I admitted softly.
He smiled, tilting my chin up gently. "Then take it. Just tonight. Just us."
And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself believe it.
Until tomorrow.