Before dawn | Dark romance

Chapter 17 - Infatuation

[3/3]

Due to a missed connection with the metro, an additional 20 minutes was added to my travel time. When I finally board the EMR train bound for Luton, it is already past 9:30 in the evening. The sun has just set, and darkness is quickly enveloping the landscape.

The train is quite busy, as it is a Friday evening. The compartment is filled with students who are talking loudly despite the designated quiet zone. I put on my noise-cancelling headphones and pull out my book from my large weekend bag.

However, I find myself reading the same page over and over again, my mind continuously drifting away. I can't shake the memory of Luca's intense gaze and his cryptic words. What does he even want from me?

No matter how hard I try to distance myself from him, he always seems to reappear in my life at the most unexpected moments. It can't just be a coincidence, can it?

And then there's William. All we seem to do nowadays is fight. One of us is always mad at the other, or we're tangled up in some problem. There's always something. Maybe it's because we haven't spent enough time together lately. When we saw each other every day, we never fought this much. Perhaps we just miss each other, and this is our non-verbal way of communicating that? Or maybe I'm overanalyzing again and just need to get there and talk it out. We'll probably end up in some heated makeup sex. They say it's the best sex for a reason, right?

As we near my stop, I put away my things. I wait for the train to come to a complete halt before standing up and slinging my bag over my shoulder. Time to see my boyfriend.

I'm surprised to see so many people at the station and on the streets, considering it's 10:15 at night. A wave of comfort washes over me; at least I'm not the only one out here. I set off for William's house, about a 15-minute walk.

Luckily, it doesn't rain on my way to his house, which feels like a miracle given how the sky looks like it might break open any minute. As I turn onto William's street, I hear loud music blasting. It's early for a party, only 10:35, but one look at the house tells me it's been going on for a while. People are out on the front lawn, chatting loudly. As I walk up to the house, I see most of them are already intoxicated. Will texted me earlier saying he was having a quiet night in, so I know he's home. I don't know how he can focus in his room with a 'Project X' party raging downstairs, but that just shows his dedication. I should be proud of him for that.

I push the front door open, confirming my suspicions: it's a full-blown party. The instant smell of alcohol and sweat hits my nostrils. Everywhere I look, people are grinding on each other or making out. I keep my eyes forward, fixed on a single point, trying to drown out my surroundings. In one straight line, I push through the crowd, up the stairs, to the back of the house where William's bedroom is. I nod awkwardly at a few of his roommates as I pass. They seem surprised to see me but don't say anything, just nodding back in greeting.

I walk further down the hallway, which is thankfully less crowded. I consider knocking but decide against it. If he asks who it is and hears my voice, he might send me away. So, I just open the door, ready to justify my presence. But my mouth drops open as I take in the scene before me. It feels like the floor has dropped out from under me.

On Will's bed is a woman, face down, ass up, while Will—my boyfriend William—is behind her, pounding into her.

To say I am shocked would be an understatement. I drop my bag with a loud thud and gasp, which snaps William's eyes open. His head whips towards me, and he freezes, still buried deep in this woman. She wiggles her ass against him, unaware of my presence. The reality of the situation hits him, and he jumps back, making the girl scramble to cover herself. But I don't even pay attention to her. My wide-eyed stare is fixed on William.