#awkward romance

Will let out a quiet sigh as he dropped into the old desk chair in his dorm room. The wood groaned beneath him, followed by the familiar squeak as he leaned back for a moment, rubbing tiredly at the bridge of his nose.

Classes had dragged on longer than usual, and Professor Adaway's reminder about his overdue report was still echoing around in his head.

He reached down and unbuckled the leather satchel resting beside his chair before pulling out a plastic container. Cold pasta. No sauce. No seasoning. Just plain noodles he'd made in bulk two nights ago.

It was simple and predictable.

Exactly the way he liked it.

He peeled the lid off the container, already lifting his fork when footsteps approached his dorm door.

Will closed his eyes for a brief second.

Please don't let someone need notes.

Without looking up, he spoke in the tired voice of someone who had spent the entire semester being everyone's unofficial tutor.

A knock sounded on his door.

“What do you need?” he muttered, piercing a few noodles with his fork. His tone wasn't rude so much as exhausted.

His brow furrowed as it was no professor and no frantic student asking him to explain the same thing again. 

Slowly, he looked up.

You slowly opened his door and peaked in through the doorway, your backpack hanging from one shoulder while a notebook rested against your chest. A small smile tugged at your lips when your eyes met his.

“Hey, Will,” you greeted softly.

The tension in his shoulders eased almost immediately.

“Oh.” his expression softened before he could stop it. “Hi.”

He lowered his fork into the container and sat up a little straighter, brushing an absent hand over the front of his sweater as though suddenly aware of how slouched he'd been.

“You need help with something?” he asked. 

You smiled a little wider and shook your head, “No, actually… I just handed in my report.”

“...Professor Adaway mentioned you still haven't turned yours in,” you added, giving him an amused look.

Will's face pinched into a grimace.

He let out a long sigh before dropping his head back against the chair.

“I know,” he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. “He's mentioned it three times today.”

You laughed quietly.

“I'll finish it.” Will sighed again, glancing toward you and he noticed you still hadn't come inside.

“You busy?” you asked, nodding toward the room. “Or... can I come in?”

Will looked around his dorm as though checking it for the first time.

Books were stacked in uneven piles across the floor. Papers covered half his desk. A flannel jacket had been abandoned over the back of his chair sometime earlier that week.

It wasn't exactly tidy.

Still...

“It's not exactly presentable,” he admitted with an awkward smile.

His eyes drifted back to yours.

“...But, yeah.” He gestured toward the room with his fork. “Come in.”

You slipped inside, carefully closing the door behind you.

His dorm looked exactly as it always did.

Aside from a crowded bookshelf, a few novels, and stacks of class notes, there wasn't much that made the room feel lived in.

Your attention shifted toward the open container sitting on his desk.

You tilted your head, “...Cold pasta again?”

Will followed your gaze before looking back at you, a sheepish smile tugged at one corner of his mouth, “...Yeah.”

You couldn't help but laugh, “No sauce?”

He glanced down at the noodles as if genuinely considering the question.

“...No.”

“No cheese?”

“...No.”

You stared at him for a second before shaking your head with an amused smile.

“Will…” you huffed

Will leaned back in his chair, balancing it carefully on its back two legs as he studied you across the room.

His eyes lingered for a moment longer than he'd intended.

You were adjusting your glasses, you always did that when you were thinking, or when you were nervous. The small movement had become so familiar to him that he barely noticed he'd started recognising it.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, “You look awfully pleased with yourself...  knowing my lunch.” he observed. 

You chuckled “I earned myself that title.” 

“The title?” he asked, furrowing his brows. 

“Professional Will Graham Observer.” you laughed, he let out a quiet snort at that, shaking his head. 

“...That's a terrible title,” he said, though the smile never quite left his face.

“I know,” you admitted with a laugh. “I'm still working on it.”

Will reached for another bite of pasta while you absentmindedly fiddled with the cuff of your sleeve.

His eyes flicked down, there it was again, that nervous habit. 

Slowly, he lowered his fork.

“You okay?” he asked gently, giving you his full attention now. His head tilted ever so slightly, concern softening his features.

You hesitated, “...Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” he replied automatically before immediately realizing how that sounded.

His ears turned pink.

“I… I mean…” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “Go ahead.”

You smiled despite yourself.

“There…” you took a small breath, looking down at the folder clutched against your chest before meeting his eyes again. “There's a dorm party tonight.”

Will blinked, a party?

His expression gave away exactly what he thought of that idea.

You hurried on before he could say anything.

“I know,” you said quickly, “You don't really go to parties.”

“And neither do I, but... I was thinking…”

You fidgeted with your sleeve again.

“...Maybe we could go together?”

Will stayed quiet for a moment, and once again you rushed to fill it. 

“Just so it's less awkward,” you explained, words tumbling out faster now. “We could stay for a little while, and if it's terrible, we leave!”

You gave a nervous smile, “And if you don't want to go, that's completely okay. I just thought I'd ask.”

Will stared at the floor for a second giving it an honest thought. 

A crowded dorm, loud music, many strangers and people talking over each other… the thought alone made his shoulders tense. 

Normally, his answer would've been immediate, No, absolutely not. 

But then he looked back at you.

You were still there, trying not to look embarrassed for asking.

He knew you well enough to recognise that expression, you expected him to refuse. 

He sighed quietly, dragging a hand through his already messy hair.

“...Okay,” he said after a moment.

Your eyebrows shot up, “What…?”

“I'll go.” he said, almost too casually. 

You blinked, “...Really?”

The surprise in your voice made him glance away, suddenly feeling oddly self-conscious.

“You don't have to,” you repeated quickly. “Seriously, Will. I don't want you agreeing just because–”

“I know.” he looked back at you with a small, tired smile, “I know I don't have to...I want to go with you.”

The words slipped out before he could think about them.

For a split second, his own sentence seemed to catch him off guard.

He cleared his throat, “I mean… I'd rather go if you're there.”

Your smile softened, and a warm feeling settled in his chest at the sight of it. 

You stepped backward toward the door, already reaching for the handle.

“I'll text you the place,” you said with an encouraging smile. “We can walk over together?”

“I'd like that,” he replied without hesitation, meeting your eyes.

You nodded, “Okay… thanks, Will!”

He gave a tiny shrug, suddenly finding his pasta container very interesting.

The words lingered in the room for a moment after you disappeared into the hallway.

Will sat perfectly still.

Then, slowly, a shy smile spread across his face.

He looked down at his pasta before letting out a quiet breath through his nose.

For someone who hated parties...

He had agreed awfully quickly. And somehow, he had the feeling it had very little to do with the party itself.

A few minutes later, his phone buzzed.

> Meet me outside then? :) 

He stared at the smiley face for a moment, then he typed back.

> Okay.

> See you soon!

The next half of the day consisted mostly of Will pacing the length of his dorm.

He couldn't concentrate, he even tried working on his report, but he managed exactly three sentences before deleting two of them. 

Eventually, he stood in front of the tiny mirror hanging on the back of his door.

His sweater looked fine.

His hair… hopeless as ever.

He ran his fingers through it anyway, only succeeding in making it stick up even more.

“...Good enough,” he sighed.

He grabbed his keys and stepped out into the cool evening air.

The music was audible before he even reached the party. Bass thumped through the walls hard enough that he could almost feel it beneath his shoes.

His stomach sank.

Maybe this was a mistake.

Then he spotted you, you were waiting just outside the door with your hands tucked into your jacket pockets, absentmindedly rocking back and forth on your heels.

When you noticed him approaching, your face brightened.

“There you are,” you said warmly, pushing yourself away from the wall.

Will couldn't help returning a small smile, “I said I'd come,” he replied, slowing to a stop beside you.

“You did.” You looked at him for a moment before smiling to yourself. “I was only about... seventy percent convinced.”

He let out a quiet laugh.

"...Ready?" you asked after a moment, though there was uncertainty in your own voice.

Will glanced sideways at you, “You don't sound very convinced.”

You sighed a bit, “That’s because… I am… as ready as I'm going to be.”

He nodded once, “...Me too.”

Together, you stepped inside, immediately overwhelmed by the loud noise inside.

Students packed every available space.

Some were dancing.

Others shouted over the music with red plastic cups in hand.

A couple was already making out against the kitchen counter.

Will instinctively stiffened, his shoulders tensing. 

You offered him a reassuring smile.

“We're okay,” you said gently, raising your voice just enough for him to hear.

He leaned slightly toward you so he wouldn't have to strain over the music.

“This was definitely a terrible idea.” he said quietly, glancing around the room with wide eyes.

A folding table had been turned into a makeshift drinks station.

You returned a minute later carrying two red plastic cups.

“I found the mystery punch,” you announced, offering him one.

Will accepted it cautiously, glancing into the red cup, “Mystery…?”

You lifted your cup first, an awkward smile on your lips, “Here goes nothing.”

Taking a careful sip, you immediately scrunched up your face, “Eugh… oh” you coughed a bit into your sleeve, “Oh… that’s...that's mostly straight alcohol.”

Will frowned, suspiciously glancing at his cup, “That bad?”

Against his better judgment, he took a sip, his face twisted as the strange mix of alcohol burned down his throat. 

He swallowed with visible effort before staring into the cup, “I see…” he deadpanned. 

You looked down at the drink for another second.

Then, before he could say anything else, you tipped your head back and drank the entire cup in one go.

“...You…” Will blinked once in disbelief. “...You just drank all of that.”

You lowered the empty cup, “Yeah…”

He reached out almost instinctively, his fingers wrapping gently around your wrist before you could take another step.

The gesture was tentative, as though he wasn't entirely sure he was allowed.

“Slow down–” he said, searching your face.

“Are you actually okay?”

You looked up at him, “I’m okay…” you insisted. 

Will held your gaze for another moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

“...I'm keeping an eye on you tonight,” he murmured.

You smiled, your heart warming a little at the quiet promise,“I was hoping you wo–”

“There you are!” a familiar voice squealed over the music.

You stumbled half a step before you turned around seeing your friend, “Jenny…” you smiled. 

She squeezed you tightly before finally letting go, “I've been looking everywhere for you!” she exclaimed, practically bouncing where she stood.

Will instinctively took a small step back at Jenny's loud ringing voice. 

He tightened his grip around his cup, quietly watching the two of you greet each other.

“Hi,” he offered politely when Jenny finally noticed him standing beside you.

“Oh!” Jenny's eyes widened. “Will!”

Will felt oddly self-conscious.

“...Yeah,” he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.

You noticed the slight tension creeping back into his shoulders.

Jenny, blissfully unaware, launched straight into another story, “Oh my God, you have to hear this, so there's this guy from my sociology class–” she began without stopping for even a breath. 

You smiled patiently, nodding along as she rambled about party games, embarrassing stories, and a new crush she'd apparently developed sometime that week.

Will tried his best to follow the conversation.

He really did.

But between the music, the voices, and the alcohol warming his head just enough to make everything feel louder, the words blurred together.

His attention drifted instead toward you.

You kept smiling politely.

Every now and then, your eyes flickered toward him, almost checking to make sure he was still okay.

Each time, he'd give the smallest nod.

Then Jenny clapped her hands together.

“Oh!” she made, her grin growing wide, “You two have to come with me!”

Before either of you could protest, she grabbed your wrist.

Will looked helplessly in your direction, following you now like a lost dog.

But you looked equally confused.

“Jenny,” you laughed nervously, trying not to trip as she pulled you through the crowded room. “What exactly did I just agree to?”

“You'll love it!” she reassured you, but it frankly did little to calm your nerves.

The four of you stopped near a circle of students sitting cross-legged on the floor.

An empty bottle rested in the middle.

Beside it, the storage closet. 

Jenny accepted two tiny plastic shot glasses from someone nearby before handing one to each of you.

You frowned down at the clear liquid, “Vodka!” Jenny answered before you had even asked. 

“And we're playing…” You glanced between the bottle and the closet before slowly looking back at her.

“...Seven Minutes in Heaven?”

“Exactly!”

Will went very still, his fingers tightened around the tiny cup, his pulse quickening. 

A cramped closet.

Seven minutes.

Usually with a stranger.

His mind supplied every awkward possibility,... absolutely not. 

He opened his mouth to decline, then he looked over at you, your expression mirrored his almost perfectly, eyes just a little wider than usual and a nervous smile that wasn’t fooling anyone. 

You looked every bit as overwhelmed as he felt.

Jenny was already cheering, “Come on!”

You glanced at Will.

“...We don't actually have to do this,” you whispered so only he could hear.

Will looked around the circle, “Do you want to?”

You immediately shook your head, “Not really…”

“...Me neither.”

You sighed before tossing the shot back in one swallow, Will did the same. 

Your face scrunched up as the vodka burned your throat.

The two of you settled onto the floor beside the others.

Will sat close enough that your shoulders nearly brushed.

Someone reached forward and spun the bottle. 

Round and round it went.

Conversation faded into the background as Will watched it slow.

Please don't be me.

Please.

The bottle wobbled once.

Twice.

Then stopped.

Its neck pointed directly at him.

Will stared at it, this really had to be his unlucky day.

“...Oh.” his voice came out barely above a whisper.

Around the circle, a few laughs and cheers erupted.

His stomach sank.

Slowly, he looked toward you.

Your eyes met his immediately.

“...I'm sorry,” you mouthed instinctively, though you weren't entirely sure what you were apologizing for.

Will managed the smallest, most resigned smile.

He wasn't blaming you.

“Well… I guess that's me.” Will said after a long pause, forcing a nervous smile as he looked around the circle. 

He rubbed the back of his neck, already feeling the heat creeping into his cheeks.

Someone reached forward and spun the bottle again.

You watched it turn with your stomach in knots.

The bottle slowed, wobbled and then came to a stop, pointing at …you!

“...Uhh.”

The sound escaped you before you could stop it.

You stared at the bottle as though it might somehow change directions. 

Your face immediately grew warm at the whispers and cheers of other students.

Will looked just as stunned, his eyes met yours and you almost laughed, not because this was particularly funny, but because it was somehow the least terrible outcome imaginable.

If you had to be locked in a tiny closet with anyone here...

You were relieved it was him.

“I…” You looked back toward the group before awkwardly standing. “Well…”

You smoothed your hands over your pants, trying to give yourself something to do.

“I guess this could've gone worse.”

Will stood a moment later, “...Yeah”

Jenny was already clapping excitedly, “Go on!”

Someone opened the small storage closet beside the group.

It was barely large enough for two people.

You exchanged one last helpless glance with Will.

So together, you stepped inside.

The door clicked shut behind you.

It was… small.

Much smaller than either of you had expected.

Shelves lined one wall, filled with forgotten cleaning supplies and cardboard boxes.

The only light came through the thin gap beneath the door, leaving the tiny space bathed in soft shadows.

There wasn't enough room to stand comfortably without almost touching.

You instinctively took half a step backward.

Your shoulder bumped into the wall.

Will shifted to give you more room.

There wasn't any...

“...Sorry,” he murmured automatically.

For a moment, neither of you spoke in the dark silence, from outside you could hear the slightly muffled laughter and music. 

Will shifted his weight.

In the cramped space, his shoulder lightly brushed yours.

He immediately stilled. “Sorry–” he said again. 

You couldn't help smiling, “You don't have to apologize every time we accidentally touch.”

He looked away for a second, “Alright…”

Something about that made him relax just a little.

After a moment, he cleared his throat, “...It could've been worse.”

You tilted your head.

“I mean… you could've ended up in here with someone you don't know.” he clarified. 

You laughed quietly, “Or some guy who thinks this game is an excuse to shove his tongue down my throat.”

Will visibly grimaced, “Yeah… that would've been awful.”

“It would've.”

You shifted your feet, trying to get comfortable.

There wasn't enough room.

Your balance faltered slightly, “Oh–”

Before you could stumble into one of the shelves, a hand gently caught your forearm.

Will had reached out instinctively.

His fingers rested lightly against your sleeve, steady enough to keep you upright.

“You okay?”

You looked down at where his hand rested on your arm, then back up at him.

“...Yeah, thanks”

Only then did Will seem to realise he was still touching you, holding you, his eyes widened, “Sorry–”

You laughed under your breath, feeling the slight awkwardness ease a bit. 

Because… you were simply alone with your friend, … something that, to both of you, was becoming far more precious than either was ready to admit.

Will let out a slow breath, “...How long do you think we've got left?”

“...Five minutes?” you guessed with a small shrug. “Maybe.”

He sighed, “...Right.”

There was nowhere to look without looking at each other.

Nowhere to step without brushing shoulders.

“...Why do people actually enjoy this?” he wondered aloud, glancing toward the closed door.

“I think… most people probably spend these seven minutes making out.” you pointed out.

Will felt his ears burn red, “Oh– right.” 

You noticed the faint flush creeping up his neck, a smile tugging at your lips, “You didn't think about that?”

He gave the smallest shake of his head, “Not really–”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Mostly… about how small this room is.” he glanced around the tiny closet.

His shoulders rose in a tiny shrug and you couldn’t help but chuckle at that. 

“Will… if it's too much… we can just leave,” you said with a reassuring smile.

Without really thinking, you reached out through the darkness.

Your hand found the front of his sweater first, you halted, “Sorry– I was aiming for your shoulder.” 

Will looked down.

Even through the fabric, he could feel the warmth of your hand resting lightly against his chest.

Then you slid your hand upward until it rested gently on his shoulder.

“There,” you chuckled, “Found it.”

You gave his shoulder a reassuring pat and instead of pulling away immediately, your hand lingered there for another moment.

Almost without thinking, his own hand lifted, carefully resting lightly over yours.

Your eyes drifted down to where his fingers covered yours.

Then back up to him.

Neither of you said anything.

There wasn't really anything to say.

The dim strip of light beneath the door caught the side of his face, soft enough that you could finally make out his expression.

His cheeks were pink.

His eyes refused to stay on yours for more than a second before darting away again.

Your fingers curled gently around his, making his heart give a slow, unfamiliar thud against his ribs.

Will looked back at your face.

Even in the darkness, he could just make out the outline of your features.

The way a loose strand of hair had fallen across your cheek.

The softness in your eyes whenever you looked at him.

His chest felt strangely tight.

You looked toward the door for a moment before speaking again, you laughed nervously under your breath, “This is probably going to sound really stupid.”

Will perked up hearing that, and you took a deep breath, continuing, “I was just thinking...if everyone outside expects us to... you know…”

Your cheeks warmed at even the thought of it, “...Kiss.”

The word came out barely above a whisper. Will's heart skipped and you hurried to explain yourself, but it didn’t really help your case. 

“I'm not saying we have to.” you laughed awkwardly, “Actually– I'm not even sure why I said that out loud.”

You looked down at your shoes, “I just…I wondered what would happen if we did.”

The tiny room fell completely silent.

Will stared at you.

He wasn't sure he'd heard you correctly.

His pulse was suddenly loud enough that he could hear it in his ears.

Slowly, he took half a step closer, not enough to crowd you, but enough to try and make out your expression. 

“...you would want that?” he asked quietly.

“I wouldn't have asked if I didn't.”

He swallowed, a small little “Okay…” barely making it past his lips. 

Awkwardly the two of you moved just the tiniest bit closer, you leaned forward first, your lips brushing his, softly. Will froze completely at first, his mind seemingly blank for a long moment.

Then, very cautiously, he kissed you back.

He wasn't particularly skilled.

If anything, he was almost painfully careful.

As though he was terrified of doing something wrong.

You smiled into the kiss.

His hand, still loosely holding yours, squeezed gently.

The kiss lingered for another second.

Then another.

Without thinking, he lifted his free hand.

“...Can I?” he whispered against your lips, his voice almost inaudible.

You looked at him for a second before realizing what he meant.

“You can,” you whispered back with a smile.

Only then did his fingertips settle lightly against your waist.

When you shifted your weight, the cramped space forced you both backward.

Will's shoulders bumped lightly against the wall with a muted thump.

You instinctively steadied yourself by resting your hands against the front of his sweater.

Eventually, you pulled back just enough to catch your breath.

You smiled shyly, “I don't think anyone's ever going to believe we spent seven minutes in here just talking.”

“...Probably not.” Will muttered, “I should probably admit something…”

He rubbed the back of his neck “...That was my first real kiss.”

The confession hung in the air.

Your expression softened immediately, “It was?” you asked. 

He nodded once, looking almost painfully bashful, “...Was it that obvious?”

“...No.”

You gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Will searched your face for a moment, almost as if he were trying to convince himself that the kiss had actually happened.

"...Can I kiss you again?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I was hoping you would," you admitted.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he leaned in once more, the kiss coming easier than the first. 

His free hand found your arm before sliding, almost absentmindedly, to rest lightly against your waist again. 

His heart felt like it might beat straight out of his chest.

You reached up, gently brushing a curl away from his forehead before letting your fingers linger in his hair.

Will's breath caught almost imperceptibly, he'd never really been touched like this before.

Without thinking, he leaned ever so slightly into your hand.

“...This is… very new..” he breathed against your lips, clearly nervous. 

You nodded in agreement.

A loud knock rattled the closet door.

“Time's up!” someone called from outside, laughter carrying through the wood.

Before either of you could react, the door swung open.

Bright light spilled into the tiny closet.

Both of you instinctively stepped apart.

Will immediately ran a hand through his already messy hair, trying to look as though nothing had happened.

His cheeks were unmistakably flushed.

Yours probably were too.

A chorus of teasing cheers erupted from the group gathered outside.

“There they are!”

“Took you long enough!”

Neither of you had any idea what expression you were supposed to make.

You stepped out of the closet first.

The music hit you all over again.

The lights suddenly felt much brighter than before.

So many people were looking at you.

Your stomach flipped.

For a second, you simply stood there, unsure what to do next.

“...You okay?” Will asked gently, concern written plainly across his face.

You startled slightly, then you looked at him and nodded.

“Yeah,” you said, though your voice sounded quieter than usual, “I just…”

“I think I need a minute.”

He nodded in understanding.

You glanced toward the front door, “...I'm going to go outside.”

He frowned slightly, “For some air?”

“...And maybe a cigarette.”

The words surprised even you a little. You hardly ever smoked. Only when you were especially stressed.

Will's eyes lingered on you for a moment.

He knew that.

In the two years he'd known you, he'd only ever seen you smoke a handful of times.

Usually after a terrible exam.

His brows drew together.

“...Okay,” he said gently, giving a small nod. “Just... be careful.”

You looked at him for a second.

There was something almost disappointed in the way he'd said it,as though he thought you wanted to be alone.

“I thought…” you said carefully, “...you'd come with me.”

Will blinked, then nodded, almost shy. 

“...Yeah,” he answered a little too quickly.

Then, realising how eager he'd sounded, he rubbed the back of his neck, “I mean… I’d like that.”

The two of you quietly slipped away from the students.

“Don't disappear!” Jenny called after you.

“I'll be back later!” you promised, waving over your shoulder before pushing open the front door.

The music disappeared the moment it closed behind you. You descended the stairs in silence until you pushed out of the main entrance, and the cool evening air greeted you instead.

The sudden quiet felt almost startling after the chaos inside.

Then, you wandered toward a weathered wooden bench outside.

You sat first and Will settled beside you, leaving just enough space between you to be polite.

You reached into your jacket pocket and pulled out a slightly crumpled pack of cigarettes.

Will recognised it immediately. He was sure you'd had that same pack since autumn.

There were still only a few missing.

You tapped a cigarette free before lighting it.

The end glowed orange.

You took a slow inhale.

Almost immediately… you coughed.

“...Every time,” you muttered, laughing quietly at yourself.

Will smiled a bit, “You'd think it'd get easier…”

You leaned back against the bench, letting the smoke drift into the cool evening air.

“I'd rather never get used to them.” you mumbled. 

For a little while, you simply sat together.

You looked down at the cigarette between your fingers.

“I…” you began quietly. “I don't know why I kissed you.”

The confession came out in a rush.

“I mean– I know why I kissed you.”

You looked away toward the campus lawn.

“I just…” you smiled awkwardly, “I hadn't planned to.”

Will was quiet for a long moment.

He watched the smoke curl into the night before speaking.

“...Neither had I…” Will said quietly.

After a moment, Will glanced toward you again, “...For what it's worth… I'm really glad it was you.”

You felt your cheeks warm, “...Yeah?”

He nodded, a small, genuine smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“I don't think…” He looked down for a second before meeting your eyes again. “...I would've wanted it to be with anyone else.”

Your smile softened until it almost hurt.

You reached over without thinking, your fingers finding his hand where it rested on the bench between you.

This time, when your fingers intertwined, Will looked down at your joined hands before smiling quietly to himself.

“...Me neither,” you admitted.

After another drag from your cigarette, you glanced sideways at him.

“I'm guessing you don't really want to go back to the party after this?” you asked, a small smile tugging at your lips.

Will looked back toward the dorm building, where the muffled bass still vibrated through the walls. He didn't even have to think about the answer.

“...Not really,” he admitted, shaking his head.

He leaned back against the bench, looking up at the darkening sky for a moment before continuing.

“...Can I ask you something?” you asked suddenly.

Will turned to you immediately.

“Yeah,” he answered without hesitation.

You hesitated, rolling the cigarette slowly between your fingers.

“You haven't…” you paused, searching for the right words, “...Done it yet.”

You looked over at him carefully, “Right?”

The question caught him completely off guard, colour creeping into his cheeks almost instantly.

He looked down at his hands, rubbing his thumb absently across his knuckles before giving a small, embarrassed nod.

“...No,” he admitted quietly, “I just...never met the right person."

The confession left him feeling strangely exposed.

He glanced toward you, half-expecting you to laugh, instead you looked just as flustered as him. 

“...Me neither.” you admitted. 

He blinked, almost confused, he knew you were… a bit more on the socially awkward side, but he surely thought you…

“You haven't?”

You shook your head, “No. I guess we're both a little behind everyone else…”

“...Maybe.”

There wasn't an ounce of judgment in either of your voices.

You took another slow drag from the cigarette before letting the smoke drift lazily upward.

Will found himself watching the pale wisps disappear into the night, though his attention kept wandering back to you instead.

The soft glow of the streetlamp caught the side of your face.

He wondered if you were thinking about the kiss.

He knew he was.

It kept replaying in his head whether he wanted it to or not.

The way you'd smiled at him afterward.

The warmth of your hand in his.

The fact that you'd kissed him at all.

“...We should probably head back,” he said eventually, though there wasn't much conviction behind the suggestion.

You nodded, taking one last drag before stubbing the cigarette out beneath your shoe.

“...Probably.”

You both stood.

Your shoulders nearly brushed every few steps, neither of you making any effort to increase the distance.

The music grew louder as you approached the entrance.

Will reached the door first and instinctively held it open for you. You hesitated in front of the door, “...We don't actually have to stay.” you said with a shrug.

“...My room?” Will suggested immediately. 

Then, worried he'd sounded too eager, he quickly added, “I mean– if that's alright with you.”

“I was hoping you'd say that.” 

Something warm settled in his chest, he smiled back without even realizing it.

The walk across campus felt much shorter this time.

“It was way too loud in there anyway,” you said with a relieved sigh, slipping your hands into the pockets of your jacket as you walked beside him.

Will glanced over at you and nodded in agreement.

“It really was.”

After a brief pause, you smiled to yourself.

“I actually downloaded this new research paper earlier today.”

You looked over at him, your eyes brightening with familiar enthusiasm.

“It's about post-mortem decomposition in freezing temperatures!” you told him excitedly, “I haven't finished reading it yet, but it looked really interesting.”

Will couldn't help smiling.

Somehow, after everything that had happened tonight, the idea of sitting together and reading forensic research felt oddly comforting.

It was familiar.

A few minutes later, Will unlocked the door to his dorm.

The room greeted you with the same familiar quiet it always had, and looked just exactly how it did that morning when you visited him. 

He quietly slipped off his shoes before sitting down on the edge of his bed.

Closing the door behind you, you slipped your own shoes off before settling beside him on the mattress.

The space between your shoulders was noticeably smaller than it would've been that morning.

You unlocked your phone and opened the article.

“Look…” you said, immediately slipping back into the animated tone Will knew so well.

“The researchers compared decomposition rates in sustained sub-zero environments with bodies recovered during seasonal thawing.”

You scrolled through the introduction as you spoke.

“They're arguing that freezing doesn't stop decomposition nearly as much as people assume… it mostly delays certain stages.”

Will leaned closer, his attention immediately captured.

“What sample size?”

“Forty-three documented cases.”

He nodded thoughtfully, “That's actually better than I expected.”

“I thought so too.”

The conversation settled into a familiar rhythm almost effortlessly.

You explained the methodology while he occasionally interrupted with questions and remarks.

Neither of you even noticed how close together you'd become while looking at the phone.

“Look at this,” you said excitedly, enlarging one of the figures on the screen.

“They graphed the decomposition rates over time.”

You angled the phone so he could see it better.

“The curve changes completely after prolonged freezing.”

Will leaned in until your heads were nearly level.

His eyes followed the graph carefully, “Hm.”

He reached over to scroll farther down the paper, reading through it with genuine interest.

“They even controlled for clothing insulation,” he murmured.

“And burial depth…” you added.

He nodded approvingly.

After a while, you looked up from the article.

Will was still reading the screen with complete concentration, his brow faintly furrowed as he worked through one of the statistical tables.

A fond smile tugged at your lips.

Almost at the same time, he slowly looked up and turned toward you.

Neither of you had realised quite how close you'd drifted together while reading.

There were only a few inches between you now.

Close enough that you could see the tiny flecks of green mixed into his blue eyes.

Close enough that he noticed the small smile still lingering on your lips.

Will searched your expression carefully.

“You've gone quiet,” he murmured.

You giggled, “So have you.”

He let out a small breath through his nose, “...I'm thinking.”

“About?”

He hesitated for a second, “...Whether I can kiss you again.”

The question was so earnest that your heart almost melted.

“You don't have to ask every time.”

“I know.”

He smiled shyly.

“...I still want to.”

You reached over, gently leaning forward, your lips meeting in a slow kiss. 

His fingertips rested lightly against your cheek.

You leaned into his touch.

The kiss lingered for several quiet seconds before you finally pulled back just enough to breathe.

“Will…”

You looked at him for another moment before gently brushing a curl away from his forehead.

“I like kissing you.”

The confession made his cheeks immediately flush.

Before he could overthink it, he leaned in once more.

This kiss was different from the others. It was slower, more intimate. A sigh escaped him, a low murmur against your mouth that felt like an invitation.

You deepened the kiss, your tongue tracing the seam of his lips. 

He parted them willingly, a soft groan escaping him. You tasted a hint of something sweet from the party punch, but mostly, you tasted him. He fumbled a little, his hands finding their way to your waist, pulling you closer. You lifted yourself, willingly so, planting yourself in his lap, one leg on either side of his hip. Will moaned again, an almost pathetic sound leaving him as just the press of your hips against him caused him to let it out.

You felt a flutter of something hot bloom in your chest. 

You pulled back just enough to look at him, his eyes closed, his breathing ragged. 

He looked so… flushed. And.. desperate.The realisation of what was happening, of how quickly things had escalated, hit you with a flush of heat that had nothing to do with the passion of the kiss.

“I… I’m sorry,” Will stammered, his voice rough, his gaze falling away from yours, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson. 

He looked more than flustered, almost panicked. 

“I shouldn’t have… if you don’t want to, I understand. I just…” he trailed off, his hands leaving your sides, “I can stop. I didn’t mean to– I just…”

The vulnerability in his eyes, the slight tremor in his voice … it was a potent mix.

Without another thought, you leaned forward again, your lips finding his before he could spiral further into his own self-doubt. 

The kiss was you telling him, without words, that this was exactly what you wanted.

And then, with an impulse you couldn’t explain, you shifted. 

Before Will could fully process what happened, you were pressing him against the mattress, straddling his hips. 

The movement was a little clumsy, a little awkward, but the effect was immediate.

Will let out a choked sound, his eyes flying open, wide with surprise. 

His hands, which had been hovering uncertainly, now seemed to have nowhere to go.

“You can,” you breathed against his lips, your voice a little breathless, “put your hands on my hips.”

He hesitated for a moment, his breath catching. Then, slowly, his hands began to move. They lifted, trembling slightly, and then settled onto your hips. 

The initial touch was so light, you almost didn’t feel it. But then, as if gathering courage, he squeezed.

The pressure sent a wave of heat through you, a delicious contrast to his earlier nervousness. You leaned into his touch, your own hands now tangling in his hair. 

The kiss deepened, your lips moving against his. 

His breath hitched with each movement of your hips, and you felt his hands tighten on your hips, a silent plea for you to continue.

Then, your fingers found the first button of his shirt. 

That small movement seemed to electrify the air between you. 

You fumbled slightly, your nerves finally catching up to the adrenaline coursing through you.

Will’s breath hitched again, a soft, questioning sound against your mouth. 

His eyes flickered open, his gaze almost confused, fixed on your hands at his chest. “What… what are you doing?” he whispered, his voice a little rough.

You paused, your fingers still on the button. 

“You don’t have to,” you said softly, your voice laced with a warmth you hadn’t expected. “But we can… do it together. If you want to.”

He looked at your hands, then back at your face, as if searching for an answer. 

Then, slowly, he nodded.

He leaned in again, closing the distance between your mouths,

When you finally pulled back, gasping for air, his hands were still firm on your hips, his eyes searching yours.

“Can I… touch you?” he asked, his voice a low vulnerable rumble.

You met his gaze, your heart hammering against your ribs. 

“Yes,” you breathed.

And with that, you began to pull your own shirt over your head, the fabric sliding away to reveal the soft skin beneath. 

The cool air of the room was a stark contrast to the heat that radiated from your skin.

Will’s eyes widened as he drank in the sight of you topless, straddling him now.

He felt his entire face redden with colour and he drew a shaky breath, his voice barely a whisper as he asked, “I… I want to taste you. Properly.”

They almost slipped from his mouth, like he forgot he was so nervous just a moment ago. 

It sent a jolt of heat right through you, leaving you momentarily breathless, blush creeping up your neck.

“I mean… I’ve… I’ve never…” he began, his voice trailing off, the uncertainty returning, “Done… that.”

You reached out, your fingers tracing the line of his jaw, “You can try it,” you said softly. 

With that, you shifted, carefully sliding off his hips and laying back on the bed, the sheets cool against your skin. 

Will watched you, his eyes wide and a little anxious. 

He moved, his fingers fumbling a little as he undid the button of your jeans, then the zipper. He slid them down your legs, followed by your panties, his touch feather-light.

He hovered between your legs for a moment, an awkward stillness in his posture. 

You could feel his gaze on you, so exposed now, in front of him.

You pressed your knees together, unsure if you should open them for him, but the wetness suddenly dripping between your legs told you to spread open.

Very slowly you let your knees fall to the side, Will seemed to inspect you for a moment before he dragged a finger through your folds, his touch sent shivers up your spine. 

He was clearly unsure of what to do.

Then, he scooted back slightly, leaning down, his breath now warm against your inner thighs. 

You could feel the heat of his face, and a fresh wave of embarrassment washed over you. 

He lowered his head, his lips brushing against your wet folds, hesitant at first. 

You could feel his uncertainty, but his hot breath against your wet core made your hips twitch instinctively against his face.

He slowly leaned in and licked over your clit, a soft sigh escaping your lips. 

The sensation was soft, surprising, and undeniably good. 

You couldn’t help the small sound of content that escaped you.

“How does that feel?” he murmured against your skin, his voice muffled.

“Really good,” you breathed.

He did it again, his tongue circling your bundle of nerves, a slow, teasing movement. 

You felt a flush of heat bloom deep within you. 

You could feel him lean in more, his tongue now dragging a fat stripe over your wet hole, exploring and tasting. 

“You taste… warm,” he mumbled after a moment, “And sweet.” 

His words were lost in another slow, deliberate lick, and you arched against his face, a soft moan escaping your lips. 

You could feel the slickness of his mouth, pleasure washing over you as his tongue circled your clit. 

Your hands rested against his head, digging into the soft strands of his curls and giving a gentle tug. 

Will groaned, a low, guttural sound that vibrated against your skin, and you felt him press closer, encouraged by your reaction.

Then, you felt his thumb brushing against your clit. 

His lips glistened with your wetness as he pulled back slightly.

“Can I… put a finger inside?” he asked, his voice rough and low.

You nodded, your breath catching in your throat. 

“Carefully,” you whispered.

He slowly circled your fluttering hole with one finger before slowly easing it into you. 

You tensed for a moment, a small gasp escaping your lips. 

The feeling was intensely new, even if the sensation wasn't entirely unfamiliar. You'd never had someone else inside you before.

“Is that… okay?” he asked, his thumb still stroking your clit.

“Yes,” you breathed.

He licked over your swollen clit again, a long, deep stroke that made you arch into him. 

He gently began to move the finger inside you, while his tongue continued its blissful work. 

The combination was almost too much. You felt yourself spiraling, the pleasure building like a white hot fever in your stomach.

You twisted in the sheets, Will slowly curled the finger inside you, his tongue lapping at your bundle of nerves, making you suck in ragged breaths as the pleasure became incredibly intense. 

You gasped for breath, your hips bucking against his face, your hands gripping his hair tighter as you moaned his name. 

“Will… oh– fuck– Will…”

Your orgasm crashed over you as Will finger fucked you, the sound of his tongue lapping up your wetness almost an obscene sticky sound. 

He didn’t stop, pleasuring you through your orgasm, leaving you breathless and trembling, your body humming with residual sensation. 

But, it seemed like Will was still focused on you, continuing, but you flinched back slightly.

“Will,” you gasped, your voice shaky, “I– I already came.”

He paused, his tongue still lingering, then pulled back, removing his finger from your clenching hole, his lips glistening. 

A flicker of surprise crossed his face as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 

He sat up and looked at you, you felt blush bloom across your cheeks as you tried to catch your breath, still melting from the intensity of your climax.

You could quite clearly see the tent straining against the fabric of his pants.

Despite that, he seemed almost oblivious, his attention solely fixed on you. 

He looked utterly fascinated by you and your reaction. 

After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Can I... do it again?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.

You let out a breathy laugh.

“Give me a second,” you managed, still trying to regain your composure. You patted the space on the bed next to your head, “Come here.”

He shifted, moving to lie beside you, his hip brushing against yours. 

You nuzzled into his chest, burying your face in the soft fabric of his flannel shirt.

You pressed little kisses to his neck, inhaling his scent. Your fingers found the buttons of his shirt, and you began to unbutton them, one by one.

As you did, you looked up at him, “Don't you want to feel good too?” you whispered.

Will nodded a bit too eagerly, his gaze flickering down to his lap before he scrambled to pull off his jeans, leaving him in a pair of slightly worn, grey boxers with fish on them. 

You couldn't help but smile, “Those are cute…”

He flushed deeper, a mortified look on his face.

“They're old,” he mumbled, trying to defend them, tugging at the waistband.

“If you don't like them,” you offered shyly, “you can take them off.”

He hesitated for a moment, then, with a quick movement, he slipped them off. 

Softly you leaned in to kiss him again, tasting yourself on his lips and tongue.

Your hand moved over his side, carefully and hesitantly reaching between your hot bodies, you cupped his flushed cock, gently pumping it a few times when his hips moved closer to yours.

He felt impossibly electric, almost like it was… too much. 

But, he didn’t feel like he could ask you to stop right there… how pathetic would it be for him to ask you for a break already. You had barely even touched him. 

Softly he pushed your hand away, breaking the kiss as he gasped for air, “Will–” you interrupted, afraid you made him uncomfortable.

But Will just sat up, kneeling between your legs as he pushed them apart. 

“Can I put it inside…?” he panted against the skin of your neck. You nodded carefully, “Yes…”

Your pussy was hot and inviting, slick from your orgasm. He was almost shaky, lining himself up with you, feeling your opening flutter around his already leaky tip.

“Will… you can go slow…” you tried to reassure him, your hand brushing over his jaw. He nodded wordlessly, eyes clenching shut as if he braced himself for something horrible.

He pushed forward, easing his tip in betweenUn your folds, causing you to both tense and moan at the stretch of his cock. 

At first he seemed to go incredibly slow, trying to ease himself in inch by inch until about halfway through you let out a gasp.

You fluttered and clenched around him, your nails scratching into the skin of his shoulderblades. 

Then, it was a blur, almost involuntarily, he buried himself to the hilt, a desperate, instinctive push inside of you. 

He swore, in that moment, he'd never felt anything like your hot core around him.

You were so warm, so wet, so incredibly tight. 

Fuck. 

His head fell forward, landing in the crook of your neck, he was panting, gasping and whimpering already.

At the sudden fullness inside of you, you let out a loud moan, “Fuck– Will–” 

And it wasn’t helping him…. at all.

Your nails dug deeper into his shoulder, the other one raking through his brown curls.

You clenched and unclenched around him, slowly getting used to the hot stretch that began to feel like pleasure and less like pain.

He had to pull himself away from you to stop the tentative pull of your hands through his hair, he didn’t even knowing having his strands pulled on had that effect on him but it made his head spin and his cock twitch dangerously.

He felt so unbelievably weak, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips.

“Will?” you breathed raspily, looking up at him through half lidded eyes and flushed cheeks. 

You didn’t want him to feel bad, or like he was hurting you, maybe he thought you needed a moment to adjust.

“It feels good…” you encouraged him, your voice breathless. 

“Feels really good…” you praised and the words had his cock twitch incredibly hard inside you. 

“Ah– I–” he whimpered, feeling your hands grasp for him again, he braced one hand beside your head, trying to hold as still as he could, and not look at your pleasure filled expression. 

“I just– I…” he sounded pathetic stumbling over his words again and again. “Just… need a minute…” he forced out.

He breathed hot and heavy, almost ragged and vulnerable. He really wanted to please you, and just moments before that had been easier than he anticipated, but now… it felt almost impossible.

He felt like if he just moved one bit he would feel… too good and come. 

“Will…” you cooed gently, one leg wrapping around his hip, he had to bite his lip hard to not give in. 

He whined at the sound of your voice, almost feeling stupid for how pathetic he was acting.

“Just– a bit–” he repeated, trying to block out the sense of warmth and tightness that enveloped him.

He stayed incredibly still, almost feeling bad for denying you, but if he moved now he would embarrass himself.

Will sucked in another ragged breath, his fist clenching the pillow behind your head, blinking away wet hot overwhelming tears that formed in his eyes. 

“Ah… Will– it’s okay… come on–” you moaned, the leg around his hip pulling him closer. 

Immediately his hips stuttered into you, he staggered, stilling again, feeling the heat of you clench around him.

“Wait–” he rasped, glancing down at where he sat buried inside of you.

The sight alone of his happy trail brushing against your lower stomach and the part where he connected with you, was enough to make him whimper again. 

He clenched his eyes shut trying to focus on anything but how easy your wetness made it to slide into you. How you clenched around him, wanted him deeper. 

“Maybe... maybe we could switch positions?” you suggested softly, your voice a little breathless, “If that would help?”

Will's eyes fluttered open, a flicker of desperate hope in them. 

He nodded shakily, and with a groan he pulled out of you, his already flushed tip red and glistening with precum. 

He used the moment of separation to press his mouth to yours, a desperate, almost frantic kiss. 

He needed to calm down, still the raging pleasure inside him for a moment.

You kissed him back, lips and tongue moving together, and slowly the urgency in him began to calm to a more manageable level of desire.

He laid back down, the sheets cool against his skin, and you hovered over him. 

Slowly you lined him up with you, and with a careful movement, you lowered yourself down on him. 

His twitchy cock slid in much easier this time, but the initial stretch still made you tense for a moment. 

Will felt a sliver of confidence return. 

He was still… feeling good, but he felt more in control, less on the edge of an immediate, embarrassing release.

“Can I move?” you asked, your voice a low hum against his ear.

He nodded, a shaky exhale escaping him. 

Slowly you moved on him, lifting your hips up and down in slow circles, the movements making your thighs burn delicately.

While at first he felt slightly more confident, that faded incredibly fast, not only was he objected to seeing your hot and flushed form move on him, that expression of pleasure etched onto your face, but also the feeling from before returned rather quickly.

After your first few movements, his hips snapped up into you, an involuntary reaction. 

He gasped, a whiny sound, and stammered, “Wait, wait a second–” 

But it was too late. 

The building pressure, the exquisite friction, the sheer bliss of your puffy pussy clenching around him… it was too much. 

You felt him buck his hips into yours again, and a sudden warmth filled you up.

“Ah– ah– fuck–” Will choked, his eyes squeezing shut as his hands clenched your thighs harder now.

His hips buckled and fucked up into you as he moaned and whined. 

You halted, almost confused, and the warm leaking sensation made you flutter around him, still you were… surprised. 

Will was… incredibly shaky and embarrassed, “I– I’m sorry–” he stuttered, looking entirely horrified. 

“I'm so, so sorry–” he choked out, his face red.

“I didn't mean to... I just... you felt so good,” he gasped, a pathetic whimper escaping him as he tried to catch his breath, still feeling shaky from his sudden climax.

“You felt so good, I couldn't... I couldn't hold back anymore…” he tried to explain, utterly humiliated, the words tumbling out in a jumbled, pathetic mess.

He let out another broken whimper, still feeling the aftershocks of pleasure that only made his shame worse.

You frankly were… surprised how quick you even made him come, but your expression softened into understanding.

“It's okay, Will,” you murmured, your voice gentle as you leaned down, wrapping your arms around him. 

He nuzzled into your chest, his body still trembling slightly.

You stroked his hair, letting him rest against you.

“Don't worry about it,” you continued softly. “Really. It happens.”

He let out a shaky sigh, his voice muffled against your skin. 

“I'm sorry,” he whispered shamefully. 

You pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, a soft smile on your lips. “There's no need,” you said.

“But,” you added playfully, “we could go again anytime…” ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Music played softly in the background as you stood in front of your mirror, fixing your hair. You hummed along here and there, but otherwise, you were too tired to put any further effort into your enjoyment. After checking your appearance from various angles, you left when you felt satisfied. Plopping down in your desk chair, you reached for your shoes and slipped them on, then stood and picked up your backpack from the floor to sling it over your shoulder and grab the current book you were reading from your desk, then stepped out.

Your mom walked in just as you reached the front door and you startled, stepping out of the way while muttering a quick apology. 

“Hey, sweetheart.” She said tiredly and you regarded her with sympathy, moving past her to exit. 

“Hey, Mom. Got toast on the counter for you.” You told her before leaving with a quick ‘love you’. 

The walk to school was only about ten minutes, thankfully. Your feet were your only option for transportation since you lacked both a bike and a license. It meant you had to leave a little earlier than others to get to school, but otherwise, you quite enjoyed the peaceful walk.

That, and it was an excuse for you to read more.

You looked up occasionally to observe your path, experiencing a blend of disappointment and anticipation as the school became visible. Nose buried in your book even as you walked through its doors, you aimlessly wandered toward your locker - only to be yanked back by the handle on your backpack. 

You gasped and stumbled back a bit, a hand - the same hand that pulled you - steadying you before you fell. 

“No way a book is that good.” You heard Benny say in disbelief. You gave him a small frown, seeing him already looking down at you with an amused smile. 

“I don't dock you for Nights of Ninja.” You retorted, the book still partially open. 

“Yeah, because you also play it.” Ethan joined from beside Benny. 

“Well, then, maybe you should also read a book.” You then marked your page and closed it before resuming making your way to your locker, the other two falling into step beside you. 

“Think we do enough of that here already.” Ethan said from your left, Benny on your right. 

“Yeah, why would I willingly torture myself outside of school?” Benny scoffed and you rolled your eyes. 

“Reading a good book's not torture.” You argued, reaching your locker and moving to open it as the two casually hovered. 

“Anything that involves me scanning a piece of paper and fighting to retain the information is torture.” Benny continued, dropping his head to look at you. 

“If Star Wars was a book, would you read it?” You asked casually, grabbing a textbook from your locker before closing it and turning to Benny again, looking up at him expectantly as he stuttered, trying to find an argument. When he came up short, he looked to Ethan for help. 

“She's got a point.” He shrugged before you and he started walking. 

“Come on, you're supposed to be on my side!” Benny complained before following with a dramatic sigh. “Side note,” he changed the subject, “Apparently someone needs a babysitter now -”

“Dude!” Ethan cut him off with a hiss. “I told you not to talk about it.” He paused. “And it's not for me. It's for Jane.” You raised a questioning brow at his clarification and he did a double take when he noticed. “What? I'm serious.” 

“What happened?” You asked in a bored tone, looking forward again. Hearing Ethan sigh, you mentally braced yourself.

“She went outside and saw something and freaked out.” 

Immediately, you scoffed. “That's it?” 

“Yep.” Ethan pops the ‘p’, the three of you coming to a stop near your classroom door. 

“Wait,” you said as you turned to face them, “Why don't your parents just ask me?” You asked genuinely with a shrug.

“Because you hang out with us.” Benny pointed out like it was obvious. “You're literally doomed by association.” 

With a small pout, you glanced away and mumbled. “I guess.” 

“Besides,” Ethan said. “They already found someone.” 

“Who?” Your brow furrowed curiously and both of them shrugged.

“No idea. Some girl named Erica, apparently. But I was telling Ethan here,” Benny offered him a teasing glance. “That it could be a free ticket to movie night with one of these smokin’ hot chicks.” He nodded his head towards the hallway, students walking past. 

You felt a small pang in your gut and rolled your eyes. “Alright, that's my cue.” Turning away and heading inside the classroom, you ignored Benny's confused expression as Ethan jabbed him. 

You, Benny and Ethan had known each other for years by that point, having practically grown up with each other. You'd lived in Whitechapel your whole life, just you and your mom. Ethan had been your neighbor since you were five and your mom and his parents became good friends, inevitably leading to the two of you hanging out and also becoming friends. 

Two years later, Benny showed up as a new neighbor and tagged along, turning your duo into a trio. You bounced from house to house, having sleep overs and playing countless games, you buried in your books while they geeked about the latest action figures and comics. 

Even after you'd moved further away from them, it wasn't too far. Maybe a ten minute difference, if that. And that was only by walking. You and your mom stayed put after that, still hanging out with the two pretty much every day. 

Fidgety, you tapped your pencil on your notebook, the first half of school dragging on. Bored teachers drew out the lessons as you restlessly bounced your leg. But you were quickly able to finish any classwork, shoving your nose back in your book when you were done. 

You didn't see Ethan or Benny again until lunch, spotting them sitting at the end of an emptier table. When you saw them sitting with Rory, you smiled a bit and made your way over, sitting on his right. 

“‘Sup.” You greeted, pulling your lunch out of your backpack. Ethan and Benny grumbled their own ‘hello’, Rory energetic as usual. You glanced at Ethan who seemed to be quieter than usual. “You okay?” 

Ethan looked over at you and straightened a little, giving you a tight smile. “Yeah. All good.” He replied, but his voice was tense. Benny rolled his eyes. 

“He spilt some babe's lunch all over her shirt.” He explained, which earned him a side glance.

“On accident.” Ethan grit out defensively. 

“Well, at least you're probably on her radar now?” You shrugged awkwardly, trying to cheer him up somehow. When he glared at you, you muttered a quick apology and went to your food. 

“She's right, though. Think that's the most interaction you've had with a girl here.” Benny tried now. 

“Hey!” You looked at him offendedly and chucked a grape at him while he stuttered and gestured with his hands, backtracking.

“Obviously besides you!” 

Rolling your eyes and leaning an elbow on the table, your cheek mushed as you rested it against your palm, beginning to pick at your food. 

“No way…” Benny said, and you all turned to him, noticing his gaze fixed on a different table. You turned your head to see where he was looking, spotting a notorious Dusk fan and a brunette talking. “That babe you branded is friends with her?” 

Another punch to your gut. 

“Who?” Ethan asked casually as you looked back at your food, trying to hide your disappointment. “Stage one Dusker girl?” 

“Her name's Erica,” Benny corrected. “And she's the Princess Leia to my Han Solo.” 

You cringed at the comparison, staying silent as you gnawed on your cheek and bounced your leg. 

“And hey, maybe she's your babysitter for tonight.” 

“Okay,” Ethan chuckled. “In no universe are you Han.” He started. You scoffed, but cut yourself off when Benny narrowed his eyes at you. “I doubt it's the same Erica.” 

Benny paused for a moment before responding. “Eh, you're right. Probably too good to be true.”

“Go ask her, then.” You mumbled, eyeing Rory out of the corner of your eye as he fiddled with a bulky set of what looked like night vision goggles. Ethan and Benny looked at you, but you paid them no mind. 

“Great idea.” Benny pointed at you before standing. “I’m gonna find out.” He declared with finality, heading towards them as Ethan called for him to stop, Rory cheering him on.

You sighed and sank your cheek further into your palm, refusing to watch. Ethan glanced at you sympathetically when he noticed your sour expression and he lightly kicked your foot under the table, prompting you to glance up at him and see him offer you a small smile. You returned it as best you could, but it wasn't much. 

“You can still come over tonight, if you want?” He tried to offer, though a bit awkward. “Maybe spend some girl time with her and Jane?” 

Gaze softening at his attempt at cheering you up, you quietly replied as you looked back down at the table. “Nah, it's fine. Probably wouldn't get along anyway.” 

Just then, Benny came back and sat back down, him and Rory sharing a quiet high five. You tuned them out, mindlessly chewing your food.

It wasn't until the last few months that you developed feelings for Benny, or at least realized you had them. And while Ethan never outright confronted you about it, you knew he was aware. You didn't want to risk your friendship by saying anything, and with how often Benny flirted and tried (and failed) to ask girls on dates, you figured he only saw you as a kind of ‘sister from another mister’. 

A hand waving in front of your face made you blink and you pulled away from your hand, looking up at a concerned Benny. 

“Welcome back.” He said sarcastically. You noticed him and Ethan standing beside you, Rory now gone. “You good?” He asked skeptically, raising a brow.

Eyes wide, you nodded and began hurriedly cleaning up. “Yeah, sorry.” You muttered, standing and slipping on your backpack. 

After school, you walked in to see your mom sitting on the living room couch, eyes focused on the TV. She looked over at you when she heard the door open, then looked back at the screen. 

“Hey, sweetheart.” She called from the couch as you set your backpack on the floor, toeing off your shoes. 

“Hey.” You said simply in return, voice quieter than usual. 

“What's wrong?” 

“Nothin', just tired.” You tried to brush it off, wandering into the kitchen and grabbing a soda. You heard her footsteps soon after and you sighed, biting at your cheek. 

“Come on.” She said knowingly, leaning her hip against the counter and crossing her arms. “What's goin’ on?” 

You slowly looked over at her as you were about to sip from the can, eyes wide. 

“Boy trouble again?” 

“Again?” You repeated weakly, trying to sound oblivious as your heart skipped.

Your mom lowered her head, fixing you with a meaningful gaze. “Yes, again. I'm Mom. I know these things.” 

You sighed again, lowering the can, and your shoulders slowly dropped defeatedly. Reluctantly, you nodded your head. 

This time, your mom sighed, her eyes softening the way only a mother's does. “Benny?” 

You nodded again, looking down at the can in your hands. 

She paused for a moment before speaking again, trying to meet your eyes. “It's frustrating, I know. But he's also still just a boy. A stupid one, but a boy nonetheless.” 

Her comment made you smile a bit and you looked up at her, seeing a warm smile on her face. 

“He'll figure it out.” She added softly. When you stayed silent, she pushed herself off the counter and rested a hand on your upper arm, giving it a gentle squeeze and rubbing it a bit before walking away to her bedroom. 

Not long after, you said goodbye to her before she left for work, then retreated to your room with your backpack. You put on some soft music for background noise and turned your desk lamp on, curtains closed. At your desk, you worked on your homework for the day, thankfully knocking it out rather quickly. After you finished, you moved to your bed with your book, opened it, and started reading. 

Normally, you would read for the pure enjoyment of it, ranging from romance novels to traditional non-fiction. But now, it seemed you were simply reading as a means of distraction. You were taking in the words on the page, but not comprehending them as naturally as you usually would. 

Hours later, the sun now set and replaced by a black sky, your book is set off to the side and finished. You simply lay on your back, eyes closed as you listened to your music. A much-needed respite.

Until your phone rang. 

Pulled out of your relaxed stupor, you sighed and reached for your phone, seeing Ethan's caller ID. Your brow furrowed slightly before you answered, putting him on speaker and setting your phone on your chest as you lay back down. 

“What’s up?” You asked, tone light with a twinge of worry. 

“(Y/n), I need your help with something.” Ethan quickly said, catching you off guard and you took your phone and sat up.

“Why, what happened?” 

“Think he's finally going crazy.” You heard Benny in the background, followed by a quiet ‘ow’.

Ethan sighed through the phone. “I don't really know right now. It's hard to explain.” He paused, but you already knew what he was going to ask.

“Yeah, I'll come over.” You stood and grabbed your necessities before walking out of your room to the front door. “I'll be there in ten, okay?” 

“Thanks, (y/n). I know it's later, but -”

“It's fine, dweeb.” You cut him off with a light chuckle as you slipped on your shoes. “Heading out. Ten minutes.” The two of you exchanged a quick goodbye before you headed outside, locking the front door behind you. 

The colder night air wasn't unwelcome, but it definitely made the walk less pleasant than usual. It was a walk you were familiar with considering how many times you made the trek. The neighborhood was quiet with a few one-off strange occurrences, but none were ever completely safe. 

His house coming into view, you walked a little faster until you came upon the front door, giving it a small knock to alert them before opening it and stepping inside. 

A relieved Ethan immediately greeted you. Jane sat on the lounge chair in the living room while Benny was standing by the kitchen island, scrolling his phone. He glanced up when he saw you walk in, pocketing it.

“Hey,” Ethan said almost breathlessly and you raised a brow at him as he glanced over to ensure Jane remained distracted before speaking. “Okay, I know this is going to sound crazy, but some weird stuff just happened and I have no idea what's going on. But I don't think the babysitter is normal.” He explained cautiously, watching your reaction. 

You glanced over at Benny and he just shrugged dramatically. Rolling your eyes, you walked further inside, making your way over to the island and sitting on top of it beside Benny. 

“Alright, let me hear it.” You said with a defeated sigh, hands resting on the edge of the island.

“Erica couldn't make it for whatever reason, so her friend came by to cover for her.” Ethan started, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I checked in on her when she was in the bathroom because something didn't sound right -”

“Barged in, really.” Benny cut in, and both of you shot him a dirty look. He held up his hands in surrender and let him continue. 

“Anyway,” Ethan said dismissively. “When I was looking at her, I looked at the mirror behind her and it was like she didn't have a reflection.”

Lips parted in confusion, you squinted at him. You stuttered, about to speak when Ethan cut you off to continue. 

“And then when she touched me, I saw something. Like, it was like images were flashing through my head.” 

You remained silent, trying to process the sudden bout of whatever. 

“Told you. He's going crazy.” Benny said from beside you. You lightly kicked his thigh with your foot, looking at him with a small frown before turning back to Ethan. 

“Okay,” you started with a heavy sigh, “You're positive she didn't have a reflection?” Ethan swallowed and nodded. “Kay.” You said thoughtfully, trying to rack your brain for any ideas. “And what exactly did you see in these… images?” Ethan and Benny glanced at each other.

“Wait, you believe me? Like, actually?” Ethan asked incredulously. 

“Yeah, what?” Benny joined, and you glanced between them. 

It was true. You believed Ethan, and you did know he would never joke about something so strange and unusual. You weren't even sure if Benny would. So in case whatever was happening was real, you thought it best to nip it in the bud as quickly as possible rather than let it ride out and possibly turn into something worse.

“Well, you wouldn't lie about something like this.” You confirmed with a nervous laugh. “And you especially wouldn't ask me to come over last minute. I mean, you might.” Benny gave you an offended mien and you challenged him playfully. “Tell me I'm wrong.” 

“Uh, you're wrong.” He argued and jabbed your side, making you curl away with a yelp. 

“Guys, come on.” Ethan got your attention, and you looked back at him again with a dying giggle, Benny biting back a smile. 

“Well, what did you see?” You impatiently asked again, moving to lean back on your hands. 

Ethan thought for a moment. “It was like,” he paused as he tried to remember. “An old tree? And then some kind of cemetery, I think.” 

Biting your cheek, you looked down at the floor in thought. You remembered reading up on supernatural theories a while back, but the details were foggy now. And it was possible it wasn't even supernatural. 

“Maybe she, like…” You looked up at the ceiling as you raked through your mental encyclopedia. “Projected something to you without knowing?” Shrugging, you looked between the two. “Or it's some kind of weird stone tape theory-esque thing?” 

“Weird what?” Benny asked, clueless as he faced you. 

“You know? Stone tape theory?” The two shared a lost expression, and you sighed. “It’s a theory that emotionally charged events are imprinted on natural materials. Like stone.” You explained as if you were telling them the sky was blue. “So anyone near that material could hear or feel whatever happened.” You looked at Ethan then. “Maybe it was some kind of version of that?” 

They considered that your near addiction to reading had its perks. You seemed to know a little about a lot, some subjects more than others. You and Benny seemed to share a particular interest in the paranormal, but you learned about the subject through text while he took a more ‘active’ approach through trial and error.

Just then, there was a knock at the back door, and Benny made his way over as if they were already expecting someone. You slid off the counter and watched curiously as he opened it. When you saw his grandmother walk through the door, your face lit up and she returned it with equal enthusiasm. 

“Hey!” You greeted her, making your way over to give her a hug. 

“Hello, dear!” She returned the hug gratefully. “Oh, it feels like it's been forever.” She said as she pulled away, hands on your arms as she looked you over, tucking a hair behind your ear. 

“I think a month?” You questioned, looking at Benny for confirmation. He shrugged and nodded.

“Little over a month?” He guestimated, sliding his hands into his pockets. 

“That's too long now. You need to start coming over more.” She said, giving you a pointed look. You and Benny laughed nervously, glancing at each other as both of your cheeks tinted pink. Your attention was unexpectedly drawn away when you saw Ethan swiftly grab his keys and other belongings. 

“Alright,” Benny commenced, looking to his grandmother in earnest. “Now, if the pizza isn't here in,” he checked his watch. “Twenty-six minutes, you do not. Pay. A dime.” 

She checked her own watch and nodded, deciding to go along with it while you looked up at Benny with a raised brow.

“Huh?” You questioned as Ethan slipped on his jacket. 

“We will be right back.” Ethan told her. You looked at him now, even more confused. 

“Huh?” You questioned again with more emphasis as Ethan made his way to the back door. Benny sighed and rolled his eyes, pushing you to follow with a hand on your back.

“Come on.” He told you in a way that said he'd done it a thousand times before, saying a quick thanks to his grandma before leaving. 

You fought to keep up with them as they sped walked down the sidewalk, you having to trot a little to catch up. Benny glanced back as he juggled the wires dangling from his bag, trying to shove them back in and he slowed when he saw you struggling, walking beside you now.

“Ethan, soldier left behind!“ He shouted to him, and Ethan consequently turned his gaze back, reducing his speed after huffing slightly. 

“Can someone please tell me where we're going?” You asked in exasperation, reaching over to help Benny with the wires, both of you getting them tucked back in.

“We're looking for Sarah.” Ethan explained as you both caught up, now walking together. 

“The babysitter?” 

“Yeah,” he confirmed, “Said she had to find Erica. Something about her being in trouble?” He shook his head. “I don't know, but something isn't right.” 

Glancing between him and Benny, you asked cautiously. “Are we sure we want to get involved? I mean, we don't know what we're dealing with here.” 

“(Y/n),” Benny urged. “I didn't bring all this,” he motioned to his bag with an exaggerated hand wave, “For no reason. This is finally our chance to use it!” 

“What is all that stuff, anyway?” Ethan asked, glancing back at Benny's overly stuffed bag.

“Digicams with night vision and infrared!” Benny explained and you gasped and grabbed his shoulder, turning to him with wide, excited eyes 

“Wait, do you have thermal?” 

Benny's shoulders dropped in disappointment. “No, I didn't realize I left it until I got here.” You pouted in shared disappointment, dropping your hand. “You said her reflection wasn't all there, right?” He asked Ethan now.

“Yeah?” 

“Well, here's a thought. What if this is some publicity stunt thing for that stupid Dusk movie?” 

You rolled your eyes as Benny fell behind when he stopped. 

“If this is a punk, I knew it all along!” He exclaimed, paranoid, as he pointed around you and you and Ethan shushed him in a panic.

“Dude!”

“You trying to wake everyone up?” You hissed, glancing around cautiously. Benny dropped his arm, skeptically looking around one last time before resuming his walk while you sighed heavily and followed again. 

When you reached downtown, Benny pulled out a pair of night vision goggles and slipped them over his head, the three of you beginning to wander in search of Sarah. 

“Hey.” You whispered at Benny as he stared down an alleyway you were passing, walking over to him.

“Yeah?” He asked without looking at you.

“Gimme a cam.” You told him, reaching for his bag. He reached down and opened it more to let you dig through it, only briefly glancing at it. Through the tangle of wires, you pulled out a small handheld night vision camera, flipping it open and turning it on. 

“Careful with it, alright? That's worth at least, like, five memberships to Gamer Town.” He warned, but it lacked any real bite.

“I know.” You brushed him off as you waited for it to load. Once it turned on, you squinted at the screen, looking up at him and complaining. “You didn't charge it all the way?” 

He shifted his focus, large black lenses boring into you and his shoulders raised as he defended himself. “How was I supposed to know we'd need it?” 

“Guys, come on!” You heard Ethan hiss at you. You and Benny glanced at each other before you continued on, you looking through the small camera screen.

After what felt like an hour of grueling search, the three of you stopped on the sidewalk, out of breath.

“It's hopeless.” Benny panted. “We lost her.”

You sighed and smoothed down your hair, frizzy from walking outside for so long. Closing the cam shut, you decided to try and preserve its battery. 

“Must. Have. Pizza!” Benny begged a determined Ethan. 

“We've searched almost every single possible place. I don't think she's here.” You tried to let him down gently and Benny gestured to you, acknowledging your agreement.

“She's out here,” he insisted, looking around them, “I can feel it.” 

Just as you were about to argue, you heard what sounded like a dumpster rustling, and all of your heads turned in its direction. You shared a glint of hope and an underlying fear, then began heading towards the sound. 

“Hey, this is, like,” you paused, “Horror movie no-no number one.” You drifted closer to Benny who slid off his goggles as you approached the alleyway.

“At least it's not by yourself,” He glanced at you nervously. “Right…?” 

You looked at each other with wide, panicked eyes and nodded timidly in agreement. 

The rustling got louder as you stopped in front of the alley. It was small and a mess, a large dumpster sitting with bags of trash beside it. 

“There's definitely something there.” Ethan mumbled. 

The three of you stared, trying to see what it was. Benny blindly felt around for your hand that had the camera, grasping your wrist and pulling it when he found it. Getting the idea, you flipped open the screen and turned it on, switching on night vision and looking through it. You held it still as it adjusted, pointed at whatever was rustling. 

Then you froze.

Your eyes widened as you looked between the screen and what it was. Benny, noticing your reaction, leaned in to look with you and his reaction turned the same when he spotted what you saw.

A girl, presumably Sarah, was crouched beside the dumpster, a lifeless rat in her hands as she dug her face into it. 

Terrified, you and Benny grasped at each other, searching for something to ground yourselves. 

“What?” Ethan asked, clueless. “Guys, what?” He pressed when you didn't answer. He sighed and shook his head, about to walk towards it when you reached out your hand to pull him back.

“Remember what I said about horror movies?” You whispered, not looking away from the screen. Ethan pulled on your hand to see it and you felt Benny's hands grip your shoulders, watching as she devoured the rat. 

“We should leave,” Benny swallowed. “We should leave right now.” He tried to pull you away. 

After Ethan got up to speed, all three of you screamed. You were all holding onto each other now, huddled as you stared. Her head turned to face you, eyes glowing yellow with a set of bloodied fangs. When she hissed at you, you all bolted before she could do anything. 

“We are so dead!” Ethan shouted as you ran. 

“Think for yourself!” Benny yelled back. “Skinny guy, coming through!” 

You fought to keep up with them, looking back but not yet seeing her. “I think she might be a vampire!” You panted, trying to push yourself to run faster.

“You think?!” Benny retorted in a panic. 

“Uh huh!”

“Ethan! Remember those battle plans I sent you?! Evasive maneuvers!” He stepped in a zig-zag pattern suddenly, slowing down enough for you to finally catch up. You ran past him a bit, then skidded to a stop and looked at him with panicked confusion. 

“Benny, come on!” After shouting breathlessly, you flinched and cringed when you saw him run into a planter and fall. With a whiny sigh, you moved to help him up. 

“You missed,” he paused and swallowed, “the pattern.” He panted with a small grunt, using you for support as you helped him. His hands lingered a bit before sliding away, the three of you fighting to catch your breath. 

“Sometimes I just skim your emails.” Ethan admitted, hands on his hips.

“What's your problem?” You suddenly heard the girl from behind you and screamed again, whipping around to face her and stepping away. 

“Just hold on! If you eat us, that would so not be cool.” Ethan tried to reason with her. 

“I have iron deficiency!” You raised your hand. Benny grabbed your arm and tugged it back down, the two of you sharing an incredulous glance. 

“If I wanted to eat you, I would have done it by now.” She admitted with a small laugh, but you found it far from funny.

“See!” Benny pointed at her. “She's gonna eat us. We're doomed!”

“No! No, no - I just want to talk to you guys!” She tried to reason. Ethan turned and grabbed two sticks, holding them up in a makeshift cross.

“Demon, begone!” 

Glancing over at it, you quickly raised your hands to make your own cross with your fingers, Benny following suit. 

“You hiss at us and expect us to believe that?” You breathlessly asked, heart racing.

“Guys, I promise you, it's not what it looks like.” She tried again.

“You’re a freaking vampire! Who eats animals and drinks their blood!” Ethan dropped his sticks while you kept your fingers up. Benny eventually lowered his, but you remained paranoid. 

“Okay, so it's kind of what it looks like?” Sarah admitted.

“I'm warning you,” Benny pointed at her, slightly stepping forward. “I had garlic bread for lunch and I am not afraid to use my breath.” 

You dropped your hands then, throwing him a look from behind his back. “Seriously?”

“Would you guys just shut up? I'm just a normal girl, okay?” You all flinched at her irritation. “At least I was until I got bit by my crummy ex-boyfriend.” She rolled her eyes. “And technically still a fledgling until I drink human blood. Which I really don't want to do, so.” 

The three of you glanced at each other, skeptical but slowly believing her. 

“I have to figure out how to stop this thing before my mortal body dies. Or at least stop it from happening to more people like Erica.” She explained as she crossed her arms. 

You stayed silent for a moment in thought, mind reeling at the word vomit of information.

“Wait, so,” you paused, glancing at Ethan and pointing at him, then Sarah, “Did you have anything to do with -”

Ethan cut you off, nudging you, and you flinched with a grunt, frowning at him and rubbing the spot. He gave you a look that told you not to say anything, which you hesitantly agreed to and snapped your mouth shut. Sarah simply brushed off the interaction. 

“Let's get you guys back. I'm not the only one feeding tonight.” She warned before turning to walk away. You all waited for a moment before slowly following. 

“Iron deficiency? Really?” Benny asked you in a quiet whisper, taking his camera back from you and putting it back in his bag. 

“Garlic breath?” You whispered back. 

“At least mine would do something!”