Control

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The next day I breathe a sigh of relief when I wake up and nothing feels off.

Today will be a good day, I tell myself, hoping that it's true.

I routinely brush my teeth and hair before showering, wiping the grogginess from my features. I dress in a plaid skirt, white shirt and throw a red blazer on top, the look very Cher Horowitz of me.

Taking inspiration from Cher, I straighten my blond hair and leave it hanging around my shoulders.

It's a Thursday, so I am surprised when I see a text message from Levi show up on my phone, saying one word in a question.

Coffee?

My eyebrows crease in confusion.

Do you not have school? Training? Are you wagging your commitments for me already?

His reply appears only seconds after I hit send.

Class starts at 8, remember? We have time.

I consider this and nod to myself, the silent and bare room my only audience.

Sure. I'll pick you up from your dorm.

I remember him saying that he lives pretty close to the campus opposite Dove's, so he should be fine to walk while I'm at work.

I quickly apply some concealer, mascara and lip balm before grabbing my things and leaving the house - through the kitchen to check the oven and stove. I open and close my car door seven times until it feels just right to drive off, heading to the address Levi texted to me.

As I'm parked outside, waiting for Levi to come out, a ping sounds from my phone.

Okay, so I may be running a bit late. Come on in, my roommate is chill.

I stiffen. Levi must think I'm fine in a car as long as I'm the one driving, but he doesn't know that my anxiety is because I have an incessant need to feel just right before the car moves.

When another text message is sent and Levi has typed in the number of his dorm, encouraging me to come up to his room, I know I have waited too long and anxiously leave my car, walking through his building.

I'll have to make up some excuse as to why we should walk to Dove's.

I take the elevator up to his floor, reaching the door with the number he sent me.

A boy exits a room to the right, glancing up at me briefly, before passing me and taking the elevator to another floor.

I inhale deeply and knock on the door in front of me, expecting Levi's bright green eyes on the other side.

Instead, I'm met with the most beautiful grey eyes, so vibrant that they could almost appear blue. They are surrounded by bronzed olive skin, thick eyebrows above them and a thick, dark head of hair on top of this boy - man.

This new person watches me take in his features with an almost bored look.

My eyes drift downwards, noting his well-kept facial hair and the sweatshirt he wears with the writing UCLA MEDICINE across it.

Huh. So he is a student.

I look up again, meeting his eyes.

He could pass as 30 if he really wanted to.

I clear my throat, ready to speak, but he beats me to it.

"Rory, right?" he asks and I'm surprised this specimen knows my name. I nod twice and he opens the door further, showing a modest dorm with two beds on either side. "Haris Jabal," he says, extending his hand so that my eyes return to him. I shake his hand in greeting. "I'm Levi's roommate," he adds, the whole situation suddenly making more sense to me.