In a Split Second || BOYxBOYxBOY ✔️

1

The sun filtered weakly through the thin blinds, casting pale lines of light across the cluttered room. Alex groaned and rolled over, the soft buzz of his phone dragging him out of his light sleep. He glanced at the time. 8:45 a.m. Late for class, again. But what was new?

He lived in a small shared apartment with two other students. They were all friendly enough, polite nods and occasional small talk in the hallway, a few outings here and there. It suited Alex just fine. Privacy was important to him, especially considering... certain things. He would class himself as an introverted extrovert. He liked being alone. Loved it, in fact. But at the same time, he wouldn't say no to a friend if they wanted to hang out. But that would mean he would need friends. And Alex...

Well, anyway.

After a quick shower, Alex threw on his usual attire, a hoodie that was one size too large and a pair of black cargos that hung loosely on his lean frame. His hair, a mess of dark brown waves, never seemed to stay in place no matter what he did. He liked it that way. It looked effortless. His brown eyes carried a soft, easygoing warmth, always paired with a quick smile, even when he was running late. He was the kind of guy who could look casual and carefree no matter the situation, and that's exactly how he liked it.

He grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. The hallway was quiet, just the faint sound of music leaking from one of his flatmate's rooms. He smiled to himself, his usual carefree energy returning as he made his way outside into the cool morning air.

Alex spent the day drifting from lecture to lecture, not really focused on much except making it through to the end. He liked university, or at least parts of it, but sometimes it all felt like a blur. The classes, the people, the routine, it was all fine, but nothing special. Today was no different.

Alex said hello to a few of uni friends and classmates throughout the day. He had a lot of them, to be honest. Everyone knew Alex as the kind of guy you could just go up to and have a random conversation with. He was always very happy and approachable.

By the time his last lecture wrapped up, the warm sun had dipped low in the sky, casting a beautiful orange glow over the much loved campus. Alex packed up his things and made the familiar walk back to his apartment, his mind already on a quiet Friday evening in his room. Maybe he'd catch up on some reading or zone out with a movie, or finishing watching the series he had abandoned before he got sucked into finishing his assignments.

When he opened the front door, though, the atmosphere felt different.

Both his housemates were in the kitchen, chatting and laughing away, which wasn't unusual.

"Hey, Alex!" one of them called out.

It was Sam. She was the kind of person who could light up a room just by walking into it. With her cropped blonde hair and a wardrobe full of oversized band t-shirts, she had an effortlessly cool vibe that seemed to draw people in immediately. Her bright blue eyes were always shining with mischief, and her easy smile never failed to put those around her at ease. Standing at just over five feet tall, she made up for her small stature with a big personality, always ready with a joke or a sarcastic comment. Sam had a way of making everyone feel like they were her best friend, even if they'd only just met.

"Hey," Alex called back happily.

"So, I hope you don't mind but we're thinking of having a few drinks tonight, maybe invite some people over. Get our friend groups mixing with each other and making this awkward for them. Cause some chaos. You cool with that?" she asked eagerly.

Alex paused in the doorway, kicking off his sneakers. "Yeah, sure. Sounds fun," he said, keeping his tone light. He wasn't much of a party guy, but he didn't mind the idea of a few drinks and company. His housemates were good people, and it wasn't often they all socialised.