Roommates With Mister Arrogant

Echoes of Rivalry

ELLIE'S POV

The next few days passed in a blur of classes, awkward encounters, and, surprisingly, a lingering sensation of annoyance every time Dom popped into my thoughts. My feelings were like a storm brewing just beneath the surface—undeniable yet wholly confusing. I rolled my eyes at myself for even thinking about him. The way he smirked, his carefree teasing, and that infuriating wink would all make me explode if I didn't figure this out soon.

As I trudged through my calculus class, thoughts of him distracted me from the equations on the board. I hadn't seen him much since our last encounter, which either made things easier or more difficult—honestly, I couldn't tell. What I did know was that my phone buzzed violently in my bag, pulling me out of my thoughts.

It was a message from Grace: *You're seriously invited to a party tonight. You better come!*

I scratched my head, debating. I hadn't really felt up to socializing lately, especially knowing Dom would likely be there. I decided to text back a noncommittal response: *Maybe.*

By the time my class ended, I found myself walking to my dorm, bumps of anxious anticipation dangling in the air. I swung the door open only to find Dom sprawled haphazardly on the couch with a video game controller in hand, as if he owned the entire place.

"Hey, look who decided to show up!" Dom called, not bothering to look away from the screen. "What? You think this dorm is a library? You can't spend all day hiding in there."

"I know how to manage my time," I shot back, sliding my bag off my shoulder and sinking into the armchair opposite him.

"Sure you do. Managing to avoid me like the plague counts as some impressive skills," he teased, pausing the game and finally turning towards me.

"Maybe there's a reason I'm avoiding you." I mumbled under my breath, crossing my arms defensively.

His eyes narrowed playfully, and he leaned forward slightly. "If you're avoiding me, you're definitely not doing a good job at it. What's that saying? The more you run, the harder you fall?"

"That's not how it goes, and you know it," I snapped back, the irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Whatever works for you, Ellie. But I'm betting we'll both be at that party tonight," he said, his smirk reappearing. "Unless you plan on locking yourself in your room again."

"Maybe I will," I retorted, challenging him.

"And miss the chance to see me having fun?" Dom shot back with an eyebrow raised. "Good luck with that."

I groaned internally. Something about his persistent energy made it hard for me to stick to my resolve. "Why do you care if I go or not?"

"Maybe I just want to see you relax and have a good time for once," he shrugged, flipping the controller back in his hands. "No more headaches and stress over stupid stuff."

"Yeah, well, for you, that's easy—dude, you act like you have it all figured out, plus last time wasn't very fun the next morning." I snapped, surprising even myself at the intensity of my words.

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?," he shot back, his expression shifting from playful to unexpectedly serious. "You know me even less than you think."

I opened my mouth to reply, but the words tumbled away. He was right, and as much as I wanted to argue, something in me faltered. Silence stretched between us, heavy and taut.

"Are you going to the party or not?" he finally said, breaking the tension. "Because if you don't, you're kind of making things too easy for me."

"Why does it always come back to you?" I asked, frustration creeping back in.