𝐂𝐀𝐌 𝐁𝐎𝐘 (𝟏𝟖+) √

VII

┌── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┐

WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED were hard, to say the least. I distanced myself from everyone because I needed space. Luckily enough, people in my life were understanding and never tried to breach my boundaries. They made sure that I knew they were there for me, whenever I needed, for whatever I needed and it was more than enough to push me through the worst period of my life.

I was spending every weekend with my grandpa because I didn't want him to be all alone. Sometimes, I'd spend a week at his place. I tried to get him to talk about her as much as possible, because if I knew anything, it was that bottling up emotions was never the right answer and the catastrophe that ensured to happen was sometimes, irreparable.

Neither of us were doing good. In fact, our greetings would start in tears, and the time when I needed to leave would also end in those. It was sad but we kept each other company and it only made me realize how much of a fool I'd been. I deeply regret that I haven't been spending enough time with her when she was alive.

Two months after her funeral, grandpa hit the breaks. He told me how much he appreciated my visits and all the help around the house, but he too needed alone time to figure out how to function without her. I thought he was mostly feeling guilty because I'd been skipping classes. I did take some time off but he didn't let me take the whole semester off since it was my last one and he wanted me to finish in time.

A part of me thought it was because he wanted to see me graduate, fearing that he won't be here for another semester. And that broke my heart even more.

However, he was right. I had to focus on school for another few months and then I'd be able to spend much more time with him. Sadly for me, if I wanted to graduate in time, I had to take night classes alongside morning classes to compensate for the ones I missed.

The university didn't use amphitheaters for night classes. There weren't many people taking those, and instead, they had a few small classrooms with a few desks, and a teachers desk. It was perfect.

Except for the fact that the professor was Michael and I was sitting next to Hudson.

It was filled with tension. When I asked Hudson why he was taking night classes, he shrugged it off as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

❝If I take them now, I can skip senior year and go straight to get my master's degree.❞

My brows furrowed, ❝It doesn't work like that, though.❞

Hudson chuckled, ❝No, but I am taking advanced classes in four subjects so by the time I'm a senior I'll have maybe two, three classes to take and actually enjoy the last year of university.❞

And I understood, because Hudson might have been a lot of things, but being dumb wasn't one of them. In fact, he was quite literally the most intelligent person on campus. The shit I was struggling with as a senior came so easily to him, and he was two years below me.