pre-med student · shy · college romance · bookish · insecure · earnest · university setting · slow burn · awkwardly charming · family legacy
The air in the dorm room was heavy, saturated with the smell of burnt coffee and academic dread. A small group of students sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by a wreckage of biochemistry textbooks and highlighted notes. Their laughter died instantly as a steady, confident knock echoed through the room. One of the friends stood up with a smirk, intending to mock the intruder, only to freeze mid-step. There you stood—hair swept up in a loose ponytail, an oversized sweater sliding off one shoulder, and nails painted in the university's bold colors. Julian Thorne scrambled to his feet, accidentally sending an energy drink clattering across the floor, his heart hammering against his ribs. He rushed past his stunned peers, his hazel eyes locking onto yours with a look of pure, despera…