A Late Arrival

Cassidy She Wanted

The moment Taylor walked into her dorm room, she let the door swing shut behind her, the soft click echoing in the quiet space. The buzz from the party still clung to her skin, and her lips tingled from the kiss she'd shared with Ezra, but the weight of Cassidy's words 

"You've made your choice" echoed louder.

Taylor tossed her dorm keys onto the small table by the door and sighed, feeling the tension knotting between her shoulders. The room was dim, the faint glow from the campus lights outside filtering through the blinds, casting long shadows on the walls. She hadn't bothered turning on the overhead light; the darkness suited her mood.

Taylor kicked off her shoes, her body moving through the familiar motions of winding down for the night, but her mind was somewhere else—still at that party, replaying everything over and over. Cassidy had seen her with Ezra. Cassidy had watched her kiss him.

She could still feel the warmth of Ezra's lips on hers, the way his hand had rested on her waist, pulling her close. It had been exciting—maybe even thrilling in the moment. But now, in the quiet of her room, the guilt crept in like an unwelcome visitor, settling in her chest.

Taylor crossed the room and headed to the small bathroom connected to her dorm. She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her own reflection, her thoughts racing. Her eyes looked tired, the slight smudge of mascara under her lids making her seem more worn out than she felt.

She reached for the faucet, turning on the cold water and splashing it onto her face. The shock of the cold against her skin woke her up, grounding her for a second.

But then her mind drifted back to Cassidy.

Cassidy.

Her stomach twisted at the memory of that time on the bleachers—the kiss they had shared. That kiss had been so different from the one with Ezra... It had been slow, intense, and filled with a raw vulnerability that left her breathless...

 It wasn't just physical—there had been something deeper, something that shook her. Cassidy had made her feel seen in a way she hadn't expected. But Cassidy had also pushed her away, telling her to stay away from Ezra, telling her she'd made her choice.

And yet, Taylor still wasn't sure what that choice was.

She let out a shaky breath, wiping her face with a towel before pulling her hair up into a messy bun. She stood there for a moment, leaning against the sink, trying to make sense of the emotions crashing over her. The way Cassidy had looked at her at the party—it wasn't just anger. There had been hurt, maybe even betrayal, in her eyes.

What am I doing?

Taylor felt her phone buzz in her pocket, breaking the heavy silence that filled the room. She pulled it out, her heart skipping when she saw Ezra's name light up the screen.

Ezra: Are you okay?  the whole thing with cassidy seemed to mess with you. can we meet up?"

Her finger hovered over the screen, her thoughts spinning in a hundred directions. Ezra had been nothing but kind to her, patient even. Being around him felt simple, easy in a way that being around Cassidy never did. He didn't come with walls or cold distance. With him, it was just... normal.