Until You [18+]

eighteen

It's Monday, and since it's Monday I have my tests, luckily both at different times of the day. I'll no longer need Rowan to be my tutor, which is good. It will finally get him out of my head. 

I walk to class, phone in my hand and not paying attention. I accidentally bump into someone, causing my phone to drop to the floor. I look up to find out who it is, and of course.

It's Rowan. 

"Watch where you're going, freak." The words quickly fall out of my mouth and before I have time for my mouth to drop open in shock, I bend down and quickly grab my phone. Walking away, I don't look back at him. 

"Hey." I feel a small gust of air fly by my arm as someone walks right next to me. 

"Um, hey?" I look to my side and see a guy with dirty blonde hair. 

"I'm from the party the other night." He confirms, I nod my head and look forward again. 

The air feels charged with tension as we walk side by side, his presence a stark contrast to the weight I've been carrying from bumping into Rowan. 

"I remember you," I finally reply, my voice quieter than I intended.

He gives a small chuckle, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. "Yeah, I figured. You seemed... preoccupied that night."

A nervous laugh escapes me, and I fumble with my phone in my hand. "Yeah, you could say that. Sorry if I seemed off."

"No need to apologize," he says, his tone surprisingly gentle. "We all have our moments."

I steal a glance at him, noting the easy way he carries himself, the confidence in his stride. It's a far cry from the self-doubt that's been plaguing me lately. 

"So, uh, what brings you here?" I ask, desperate to steer the conversation away from myself.

"Just heading to class," he replies nonchalantly. 

"Thought I'd walk with you for a bit."

I nod, grateful for the distraction. As we near the classroom building, I can feel my nerves starting to kick in again. 

The test looms over me like a dark cloud, and I can't shake the feeling of dread and like I'm going to fail. I will admit, I don't know how much I've learned from Rowan. 

"You alright?" he asks, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.

I force a smile, hoping it looks convincing. "Yeah, just... test day jitters, you know?"

He nods sympathetically, and for a moment, I feel a flicker of connection. Maybe, just maybe, today won't be as bad as I thought.

As we reach the entrance of the classroom building, I steal a quick glance at the guy beside me.

There's something about him, something that makes me feel strangely at ease despite the impending test. 

Maybe it's the way he listens without judgment or the casual way he brushes off my nerves. Whatever it is, I find myself oddly grateful for his company.