...
The morning after the rain felt heavier than usual. The dorm smelled faintly of wet clothes and leftover puddles from the night before. I woke up, but sleep hadn't fully cleared my mind. Sami's warmth lingered like a dream I didn't want to let go of, but the memory of Marvel watching us made my stomach twist.
I stretched and glanced toward the other beds. Mia was awake, humming softly to herself while Marvel was nowhere in sight. Maybe she'd gone out—or maybe she was plotting something. My heart clenched at the thought.
Before I could overthink, my phone buzzed.
Hudson: "Why aren't you answering me?"
I ignored it. I didn't want to deal with his persistence today, not after last night. Sami's message came next.
Sami: "You up?"
I smiled softly and typed back quickly: "Yeah… just woke."
The door to the room creaked open, and Marvel slid in, carrying a new energy I couldn't read. She stopped when she saw me. "Morning, Nuella," she said, her tone casual, but there was an edge there I couldn't place.
"Morning," I replied, keeping my voice neutral.
Mia glanced between us, sensing the tension. "Coffee?" she offered, trying to break the silence.
Marvel shrugged and went for it, but her eyes kept flicking toward me, and I felt like she was measuring every move I made.
I decided to leave before things got awkward. "I'm going to see Sami," I muttered.
Mia nodded. "Be safe."
Outside, the air was still cool from the night's rain, but the sun was breaking through. I walked briskly toward the field, hoping to see Sami and forget about Marvel for a while.
When I found him, he was leaning against the tree where we had kissed yesterday, scrolling through his phone. He looked up and smiled when he saw me, and my chest loosened.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hey," I replied, adjusting my hoodie nervously.
We sat together in silence for a while, letting the gentle breeze take over. Then I decided I couldn't hide it anymore. "Sami… Marvel was watching us last night."
His eyes darkened slightly, but he didn't look angry—just… protective. "I saw her," he admitted. "She's… complicated. Don't let her get to you."
"I'm trying not to," I said quietly. But the truth was, I could feel the tension knotting in my stomach.
He reached for my hand. "I don't care what she does. You're mine."
The words hit me in a way nothing else could. My heart skipped, and I squeezed his hand back. "You promise?"
"Always," he said, pulling me close for a quick hug before letting go so we could breathe.
Just as I started to feel safe, my phone buzzed again. Hudson.
Hudson: "Nuella… where are you? You can't hide from me forever."
I threw the phone into my bag. Not today. Not now.
Then—just like a storm arriving without warning—the campus messaged came through: Marvel had somehow gotten into Mia's dorm group chat and was stirring things up. Everyone was talking about a missing item in the dorm—someone claimed Marvel had taken something from their room. I frowned. That sounded like her. Always dramatic, always pushing chaos into my life.
I looked at Sami, who was staring at me worriedly. "What is it?" he asked.
"Marvel… she's probably stirring trouble again," I said.
He clenched his jaw. "She won't get to you. Not while I'm here."
And yet… even as he said it, I could feel the tension waiting for me back in the dorm.
By the time we returned, the room felt smaller than ever. Mia and Marvel were laughing, whispering in low tones I couldn't catch, but it was clear they were plotting something. Marvel's eyes met mine across the room for a brief moment, sharp and calculating, and I knew—she wasn't done.
I collapsed onto my bed, trying to ignore everything. Sami had to leave soon for class, and Hudson's texts were piling up. My chest felt tight, but for the first time in a long while, I reminded myself: I had Sami. For now, that was enough.
But the moment Marvel whispered something to Mia and both of them glanced my way, I knew the calm wouldn't last. The storm in the dorm had just begun, and I wasn't sure I'd survive it without a little chaos of my own.