Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 97(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
I pressed the elevator button and waited patiently.
When the doors finally slid open, I stepped in, hitting the button for the floor I needed. As I turned, the tail end of a hooded figure darted past. A jolt of adrenaline sparked in my veins. I stared at the closed doors the entire way to my floor, heart thumping erratically before I mentally chided myself for being jumpy. It had to be another student.
With a soft ding, the elevator stopped at the third floor. The doors opened, and I stepped out. The sound of distant Christmas music interspersed with wanton moans immediately assaulted my ears. I couldn't help but laugh, remembering Regina Greg’s excited chatter about her long-distance boyfriend picking her up for the break.
I took a few more steps down the hallway and arrived at the door to my dorm. The space was more an apartment than a dormitory, courtesy of my and Mara’s parents' generosity.
With a subtle twist of the handle, I pushed the door open and stepped into the warmth of the place I'd come to call a second home, locking the door behind me.
“Honey, I’m home!” I called out playfully, removing my snow-covered boots before I wandered down our short entry hall.
The dorm room wasn’t overly spacious, but it was cozy with a living area that merged seamlessly with a small kitchenette. We had managed to make it feel festive, stringing up lights along the walls and draping a garland over the fireplace we never used.
A modest tree stood in the corner, adorned with an eclectic mix of ornaments we’d collected over our time here. Beneath it, wrapped in shiny paper, were small gifts for each other, and a few from our parents and other students.
“How was your day, baby?” Mara played along from where she was sprawled on our couch, wrapped in a Charlie Brown blanket, and surrounded by a fortress of Christmas DVDs.
“Long. The day was long, and the night be cold.”
She laughed. “Well get ready to relax. I’ve got us set for night one of our movie marathon.”
I dropped my bag at the foot of my bed and returned to the small living room. “You do know it’s the twenty-first century, right? We could just stream all these.”
She rolled her eyes, a playful pout on her lips. “Streaming is overrated. We’re doing it this way for nostalgia. Plus, no algorithms telling us what to watch next.”
I couldn’t argue with that. As I removed my scarf and jacket, I recounted the odd encounter with Matt, and the even odder phone call I’d received afterward.
Mara's brow furrowed with concern for a moment before she shrugged it off when I explained they only called once.
“Whoever is behind that call is weird as hell, and Matt’s a creep. He’s always giving you this look like he wants to profess his love for you—not that I blame him because you are gor-geous, obviously. But he’s still a creeper. Probably thinks being a TA gives him an edge.”
“Profess his love, Mar?” I shook my head. “He’s harmless. I think he’s just awkward.”
She gave me a look that said she wasn’t convinced, then grinned wickedly. “Well, if he bothers you, I’ll tell him you have an unhinged, very large boyfriend who gets off on torture.”
I smiled at her description. Any mention of boyfriends should have drawn my mind to my ex, whose apology texts I now ignored with indifference. Instead, my thoughts veered straight to Lucian.
The night we spent together filtered through my mind with a vividness that had not dulled. The anger and confusion I felt towards him had only grown.
“I'm going to jump in the shower before we start the movie,” I announced, moving back into my room to grab some pajamas from my dresser, hoping the routine would wash away any unsettling thoughts.
“While you do that, I'll go grab some ice for our drinks.”
I paused, my hand on a dresser knob. “Ice? For hot chocolate?”
“No, ice for cocktails I’m making with the hot chocolate.”
With another shake of my head, I grabbed what I needed and entered the bathroom. As the shower enveloped me, streams of warm water cascaded down my body. I tipped my head back and shut my eyes, inhaling deeply, only to find his image projected on the dark canvas of my eyelids.
It was sheer madness, the way thoughts of him had infiltrated my mind, occupying every crevice with an intensity that was as undeniable as it was unsettling.
I had thought of him off and on over the years, but never like this. It wasn’t just the sex, despite failing to fuck myself as hard as he fucked me, never able to reach that same level of nirvana. It was the how he’d looked at me that entire night, branding me in a way that wouldn’t fade or dull.