California Love

Chapter 25. Break

Arcane Atelier, Severa's Dorm

"SEVERA! WAKE UP!!"

Severa slowly started to open her eyes, the sound of banging and yelling waking her up. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was in her dorm, lying in bed next to Alejandro, and sh...wait what?

She whipped her head around to look at the guy next to her who was staring up at her, still half asleep. "Wha's going on...?" Before she could reply, the banging on her door started again, followed by Emma's loud voice.

"SEVERA!"

She quickly got out of bed only to realize she was wearing nothing. Panic set in as she frantically searched for her clothes. Her heart raced and her mind swirled with confusion. What had happened last night? Why was Alejandro in her bed?

"Just a second!" she shouted back at the door, trying to buy herself some time. She spotted her jeans and shirt thrown haphazardly on the floor and scrambled to put them on. Alejandro sat up, rubbing his eyes and stretching.

"What's going on, Cuervo?" he asked, still groggy.

"My friend is at the door," Severa whispered urgently. "And She can't have any idea you're here!"

Alejandro's eyes widened in realization, and he quickly grabbed his clothes from the floor, dressing as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Severa rushed to the door, taking a deep breath to calm herself before opening it just a crack.

Emma's face was flushed with urgency. "Thank God, you're awake! You have a huge problem. Professor Langley's project deadline was moved up to today," She started looking around the hallway like crazy. "She said something about wanting it done before break, but whatever,  You need to get to the studio right now!"

Severa's mind raced. The project! In all the chaos, she'd completely forgotten about it. "Okay, give me five minutes," she said, trying to sound calm. She closed the door and turned back to Alejandro, who was buttoning up his shirt.

"Um, you need to go, and I need to put on my uniform." She ran over to her uniform that was hanging on the closet door before quickly putting it on. She turned around to grab her bag only to find Alejandro still standing there.

"What are you doing? You need to leave." She grabbed her bag, making sure she had all her supplies before looking back up at him.

"You said you're not allowed to have non-students on campus. It's daytime. How am I gonna get out of here without being seen?" Alejandro asked, looking barely concerned.

Severa paused, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Okay, okay, think, Severa," she muttered to herself. "There has to be a way."

She glanced around the room, finding nothing to help. She looked back at Alejandro, who was now sitting on her bed when it hit her. "Just stay here and when it's dark enough, I'll sneak you out."

Alejandro looked skeptical. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if someone comes in?"

Severa shook her head. "Nobody's gonna come to my dorm when they know I'm in the studio. Just keep a low profile. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Alright," Alejandro sighed, standing up. "I'll stay put."

Severa quickly finished getting ready, throwing her hair in a ponytail and grabbing her jacket. "There's food and drinks in the mini-fridge. I'll come back when I get a chance," she said, trying to sound reassuring.

"Thanks, Cuervo," Alejandro replied, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her neck. "Good luck with your little thing."

Severa's heart skipped a beat at the unexpected intimacy, but she forced herself to stay focused. "Thanks. Just stay safe."