As we drove through the streets, my thoughts lingered on the conversation in Mr. Farrow's office. The air inside the car felt heavier than before, and I could tell Elias noticed it too. He hadn't said much since we left, though his hand rested casually on the steering wheel, his fingers occasionally drumming against it.
When the car finally slowed, I blinked and realized we weren't near my dorm. In fact, we weren't even close. Elias pulled into a quiet spot a few blocks away, killing the engine before turning to me.
"Why are we stopping here?" I asked, glancing toward the campus that was still a short walk away.
He tilted his head, a small smirk forming on his lips. "You still need to blow off some steam, don't you?"
I blinked, caught off guard, but after a moment, I nodded. I did. My chest still felt tight from everything I'd bottled up in Mr. Farrow's office. The idea of heading straight back to my dorm and stewing in it alone made my stomach turn.
Elias grinned at my silent agreement. "Good. Come on."
We got out of the car, the crisp air nipping at my cheeks. As we started walking, I spotted a small snack shop across the street. It looked cozy, the kind of place with handwritten chalkboard menus and a faint glow spilling out from the windows. A banner above the door read "Sunny's Snacks and Sweets" in looping yellow letters.
"Want something?" Elias asked, following my gaze. He raised a brow. "It'll be my treat."
I hesitated but eventually nodded. "Sure. But don't get something weird."
He shot me an exaggerated look of offense. "Weird? When have I ever done something weird?"
I opened my mouth, but before I could answer, he grinned and added, "Don't answer that."
We stepped inside, and the smell of sugar and warm pastries hit me immediately. My stomach growled, and I quickly looked away, hoping Elias hadn't noticed. Thankfully, he seemed too busy eyeing the shelves of snacks to tease me.
"What are you getting?" he asked, already holding a small bag of gummy bears.
I scanned the shelves, finally grabbing a pack of mini cookies. "These."
"Safe choice," he said, nodding approvingly. "Classic. Boring, but classic."
I rolled my eyes. "And you're one to talk, Mr. Gummy Bears."
"Hey, gummy bears are versatile," he said, tossing the bag in the air and catching it. "You can eat them one at a time, make them wrestle, bite their heads off—"
"Okay, stop," I said, laughing despite myself. "You're proving my point."
After he paid, we stepped back outside, and the cold air hit us again. Elias opened his bag of gummy bears as we started walking, popping one into his mouth with a casual ease that somehow made me smile.
"Want one?" he asked, holding the bag out to me.
I wrinkled my nose. "No thanks. I'm not eating your weird, decapitated gummy bears."
He shrugged. "Suit yourself. More for me."
As we walked, Elias suddenly let out a low chuckle to himself.
"What?" I asked, glancing over at him.
He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I was just thinking about this time when I was, like, ten. My friends dared me to steal a candy bar from a convenience store."
I blinked. "And…?"
"And I was a genius," he said, popping another gummy bear into his mouth. "Instead of sneaking it into my pocket, I decided to hide it in my sock. Thought I was so clever."
I tilted my head, waiting for the rest of the story.
"Well, turns out I wasn't as clever as I thought," he continued, grinning wider. "The candy bar melted. Completely. By the time I got home, my entire sock was covered in chocolate, and my mom found me trying to scrape it off in the bathroom."
I stared at him, horrified. "You put a melted candy bar in your mouth after it had been in your sock?"
"No!" he said, laughing now. "I threw it out. But my mom still made me clean the bathroom as punishment."
I couldn't help it—I burst out laughing. The image of a younger Elias, standing in a bathroom with chocolate-covered socks, was too much.
"That's disgusting," I said between laughs.
"Hey, I was ten," he said defensively, though he was laughing too. "Ten-year-olds are gross. It's part of the job description."
We kept bantering, my laughter coming easier with every step. For a little while, the weight in my chest felt lighter, like I could finally breathe again. By the time we rounded the corner near my dorm, my smile had lingered longer than I'd expected.
But then I spotted them—two familiar figures standing near the entrance to my building. I slowed instinctively, and Elias followed my gaze.
It was Aiden and Maya. They stood close together, clearly mid-conversation. Maya had her hands stuffed into the pockets of her oversized jacket, while Aiden leaned casually against the wall, his arms crossed.
I thought for a moment that we might pass by unnoticed. But then Aiden turned, his gaze landing on me.
"Hey, Raven," he called out, his voice cutting through the quiet.
I slowed to a stop, caught off guard. Elias matched my pace, glancing toward the dorm entrance where Aiden stood next to a familiar figure—Maya. She was bundled in her oversized jacket, her hair slightly windswept, and when she noticed me, her eyes brightened.
"Oh!" Maya's voice rose with a mix of surprise and warmth. "Hey, Raven! I didn't realize you were out."
I nodded quickly, trying to suppress the awkwardness creeping up my spine. "Uh, yeah. Just… taking a walk."
Aiden's eyes flicked to Elias, his brows raising ever so slightly. His posture shifted, subtle but noticeable, as if trying to size up the situation. "Didn't think you'd be out this late."
"It's not that late," I replied, keeping my tone neutral. "I just needed some fresh air."
Maya stepped closer, her curiosity evident as her gaze darted between Elias and me. "And you're with…?"
"Elias," he introduced himself smoothly before I could respond. His voice carried its usual ease, but I noticed the way his posture straightened slightly. He offered Maya a small nod before glancing toward Aiden. "We've… seen each other before, right?"
Aiden nodded, his tone measured. "Yeah. At the cafe. Didn't get the chance to talk, though."
Elias smiled faintly, but there was a sharpness in his eyes, something guarded. "Guess there's a first time for everything."
For a second, the air between them felt heavy, the kind of unspoken tension that made me wish I could fade into the background. Maya, ever the peacemaker, stepped in with her usual cheerfulness.
"So, Elias," she said, her tone curious. "Are you a… friend of Raven's?"
Her question caught me off guard, and before I could answer, Elias responded, his voice laced with playful confidence. "You could say that."
Maya raised her brows, clearly intrigued. "Hmm. Interesting."
"Maya," I said quickly, shooting her a look. "He's saying the—"
"I get it," she interrupted with a sly grin. "No need to explain." Her gaze lingered on Elias for a moment longer before she turned back to me. "Anyway, where were you? I thought you'd be in the dorms by now."
"We stopped at Sunny's," I said, holding up the bag of cookies as proof. "Needed a snack."
"Sunny's?" Aiden asked, his tone softer now. "Haven't been there in a while. Used to grab stuff from there all the time after late-night classes."
"Really?" Elias cut in, his tone light but with a teasing edge. "Didn't peg you for the late-night snack type."
Aiden shrugged, his lips twitching in a faint smile. "You'd be surprised."
Maya rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with the back-and-forth. "Anyway," she said, shifting her attention back to me. "Are you coming inside? I will join you soon, want to escort Aiden."
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," I said.
"Cool." Maya gave me a quick smile before looking back at Elias. "It was nice meeting you."
"Likewise," Elias replied, his tone polite but distant.
Maya turned to Aiden, nudging his arm. "Come on. Let's go."
Aiden hesitated for a moment, his gaze lingering on me before he nodded. "See you around, Raven."
"You too," I said quietly.
As they walked away from us, I felt the tension in my chest ease slightly. But when I turned back to Elias, I found him watching me, his expression thoughtful.
"What?" I asked, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Nothing," he said, though the faint smirk tugging at his lips told me otherwise. "Your friend's… interesting."
"Maya?" I asked, frowning. "She's harmless."
"I was talking about Aiden," he clarified, popping another gummy bear into his mouth.
I rolled my eyes. "He's harmless, too."
Elias chuckled softly. "If you say so."
When we reached the building, I stopped and turned to him. "Thanks for… everything today. I mean it."
His smirk softened into something more genuine. "Anytime, Raven. You know that."
I nodded, my chest tightening slightly as the weight of the day began to settle again. "Goodnight, Elias."
"Goodnight," he replied, his voice quieter now.
As I stepped inside the dorms, I couldn't help but glance back. He was still standing there, watching, the faint glow of the streetlights casting shadows across his face. I gave him a small wave before heading inside, the sound of the door closing behind me cutting through the silence.
The warmth of the dorm building wrapped around me like a worn-out quilt, comforting but stifling. The faint hum of the hallway lights was a poor distraction as I climbed the stairs, my mind still tangled in the events of the day. I reached my floor, the weight of everything catching up with me.
As soon as I stepped inside, I kicked the door shut with my heel and leaned down to unlace my boots, letting them thud onto the mat by the door. My fingers felt stiff from the cold, fumbling for a moment before I finally managed to slip them off. I sighed, standing back up and rubbing my arms.
The lock turned, and a moment later, Maya stepped inside, shaking out her hair from under her hood. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, her expression bright despite the late hour.
"Hey," she greeted, shrugging off her jacket and hanging it up. "Made it back okay?"
"Yeah." I motioned vaguely toward the door. "Elias dropped me off."
Maya turned toward me, one eyebrow quirking up. "Elias, huh?" She set her bag down and crossed her arms, leaning against the back of the couch.
I sighed, heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. "It's not like that."
"Uh-huh. Sure." Her voice was light, teasing as she followed me.
I turned, shooting her a flat look as I leaned against the counter. "Don't start, Maya."
She raised her hands in mock surrender. "I'm not starting anything. Just saying… he seems nice."
"He is," I admitted, and for a moment, her teasing expression softened into something more thoughtful.
"And he's not, like… your usual type."
I frowned at her, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Maya smiled, shaking her head. "Nothing bad. Just… he's different."
"Different how?"
"You tell me," she said, grabbing one of the cookies from the bag on the counter and popping it into her mouth.
I rolled my eyes and turned away, but her words lingered in my mind.
Maya walked over to the bean bag, plopping down and tucking her legs under her. She turned on the TV but glanced back at me as I filled my glass.
"By the way," she said casually, "Aiden's worried about you."
The glass paused halfway to my lips. "What?"
"He didn't say much, but you know how he gets when it comes to you. He just… looked stressed when I left him earlier." She shrugged, but her eyes watched me carefully.
"I'm fine," I said, taking a sip.
"Are you?" she pressed.
I met her gaze for a moment before looking away. "I'm managing."
"Managing isn't the same as being fine."
I didn't respond. Instead, I walked over to the couch and sat down, the glass still in my hand.
Maya didn't push further. She pulled her blanket over her legs and turned her attention back to the TV, though I could feel her sneaking glances at me now and then.
The weekend passed in a blur of cold mornings and restless nights. I tried to focus on my coursework, but my mind wandered back to the meeting with Mr. Farrow, to the possibilities that now loomed over me like a storm cloud.
Elias texted me a few times, his messages casual but laced with concern. I didn't know how to respond to most of them, so I kept my replies short.
By Sunday night, the tension in my chest had settled into something dull and persistent, like an ache I couldn't quite shake.
And then it was Monday.
The classroom was buzzing with the usual pre-presentation chaos. Students were shuffling papers, running last-minute checks on their slides, and whispering anxiously to each other. I sat in the corner, my notebook open but untouched.
"Okay, everyone, settle down," the professor called out, clapping his hands. The room gradually quieted, and he stepped to the front of the class. "Let's get started. First group, you're up."
Maya had texted me earlier, wishing me luck in her usual playful way. I smiled faintly at her message, grateful for her support. I spotted Aiden near the front, setting up the laptop for the presentation. He waved when he saw me, motioning for me to come over.
"Everything good?" I asked as I reached him.
"Yeah," he said, his usual calm demeanor in place. "Just making sure the slides work properly."
Our group wasn't the first to present, so we took our seats near the middle of the room, waiting for our turn. I watched as other groups went up, some confident, others visibly nervous.
Finally, it was our group's turn. Aiden walked up to the podium with another member, Sarah, who was presenting the main portion of our work. I stayed back, my job done after helping with the research and visuals.
Sarah started strong, her voice steady as she explained our approach to the project. Aiden chimed in occasionally to provide additional context or answer questions, his tone smooth and professional. Watching him, I couldn't help but admire how effortlessly he carried himself in front of an audience.
The presentation wrapped up with a round of applause, and as they walked back to their seats, I gave them both a small smile. "You guys did great," I said.
"Thanks," Sarah replied, looking relieved. Aiden just nodded, his lips quirking into a slight grin.
The rest of the class passed in a blur, and soon we were packing up our things to leave.
The hallways were quieter than usual as we exited the classroom. Most students had dispersed quickly, their chatter fading into the distance. Aiden and I walked side by side, my bag slung over one shoulder while his hands were tucked into his jacket pockets.
"You did great up there," I said again, glancing at him.
"You already said that," he replied, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Well, it's still true."
"Thanks," he said, his tone genuine this time. "It's easier when I've got people I trust backing me up." He nudged my arm lightly, and I felt a small warmth creep into my chest.
"Sarah carried most of it," I muttered, trying to downplay my involvement.
Aiden stopped walking for a second, his brows furrowing. "Raven, you put in just as much work. Don't act like you didn't."
I blinked, caught off guard by his serious tone. "I wasn't—"
"Good," he interrupted, his expression softening into a smile. "Because you deserve credit for it, too."
I didn't know what to say, so I nodded and kept walking.
As we reached the main entrance of the building, Aiden glanced down at his phone. "Maya's probably back at your dorm by now. She said she'd wait for you."
"Yeah," I said, exhaling softly. "Thanks for walking me out."
"Anytime." His grin was easy, comforting.
I stepped out into the cold, pulling my jacket tighter as the wind bit at my face. The walk back to my dorm wasn't far, but the chill made it feel longer. I pushed the door open when I reached the building and headed up the stairs.