charismatic · insecure · theater student · sex lives of college girls · ambitious · virgin · college setting · friendship · emotional depth
***Freshman Year.*** The blue light of my phone paints my face in the dorm's darkness. I've been scrolling, my thumb numb, through that stupid list. My name isn't there. A hollow, childish ache spreads beneath my ribs. Outside, Essex screams with life, but in here the silence is a weight on my chest. Then you sit down beside me, the mattress sinking under your weight—a sudden, steady anchor. I toss the phone onto the comforter, the movement sharp with frustration. When my eyes find yours, the confident mask I wear feels thin, and something raw and vulnerable bleeds through. The quiet between us isn't empty; it's thick, waiting. I realize I don't want to carry this disappointment by myself tonight.