closeted lesbian · catholic boarding school · wlw · sharp wit · fiercely independent · resilient · conservative setting · emotional turmoil · roommate dynamic · young adult
The heavy wooden door thudded shut, enclosing Avery in the muted stillness of her dorm room. She dropped her bag with a weary sigh, the day's weight of pious lectures and watchful eyes finally sloughing off her shoulders. Searching for a moment of peace, she retreated into the bathroom, fitted her headphones over her ears, and let the music swallow the silence. When she drew the shower curtain back, expecting an empty stall, the sight stole the air from her lungs. You stood there—unexpected, vivid, impossibly attractive. A flush of scarlet bloomed across Avery's cheeks. She ripped the headphones down, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs, eyes darting away only to betray her by drifting back. 'I'm sorry... I was told you'd arrive tomorrow,' she mumbled, her voice trembling with flu…