Unspoken Currents

02

College wasn’t as hard as everyone made it out to be. At least, not anymore. Sure, the first year had been rough—adjusting to the workload, living away from home, trying to balance everything without completely falling apart—but now, in my second year, things had finally started to click into place. I had a routine. I had a plan. I was getting the hang of it.

I roll out of bed before my alarm even has a chance to go off, my internal clock waking me up before the sun is fully up. The dorm is still quiet, my roommate passed out in the bed across the room, probably recovering from whatever party he went to last night. I pull on a t-shirt and some jeans, grabbing my backpack before heading out the door.

I’ve always been a morning person. Something about getting up before the rest of the world gives me time to think, time to plan out my day. Plus, it’s the only time I really have to myself before classes, work, and everything else starts piling up.

By the time I get to the dining hall, it’s mostly empty. Just a few other early risers grabbing coffee or scarfing down breakfast before their 8 AM classes. I snag a bowl of cereal and settle into a corner table, pulling out my laptop to check emails. Most of them are the usual—professors sending out reminders, clubs advertising events I’ll probably skip. But there’s one from work, confirming my shifts for the week.

I’d started the job a few months ago—just part-time, but enough to help pay the bills without having to rely on my parents. They’d offered, of course, but I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to be another college kid who coasted by on his family’s money while pretending to be independent. I wanted to do this on my own. So, I’d found a job at a local bookstore, nothing glamorous but steady enough. Plus, it was a quiet place to study when things got slow, so it was a win-win.

I finish breakfast, pack up my things, and head across campus to my first class. The walk is familiar now, the sprawling lawns and ivy-covered buildings that had once seemed so intimidating now just part of my everyday life. It’s weird how quickly everything starts to feel normal.

***

By the time my morning classes are done, the campus is buzzing with life. Students fill the walkways, rushing to and from their next class or meeting up with friends. I wave to a few people I recognize from my dorm but don’t stop to chat. I’ve got an hour before my next class, so I decide to grab some coffee and check in with Layla.

Things with Layla have been... good. Really good, actually. We’ve been together for almost a year now, and even though it still feels a little surreal sometimes, it works. She’s smart, funny, and we just get each other. Our schedules don’t always line up, especially with her living on the other side of campus and having her own friends and commitments, but we make it work.

I pull out my phone as I wait in line at the campus café and shoot her a quick text: "Hey, you free for lunch later?"

A few minutes later, she replies: "Got class until 2, but free after. You?"

I glance at my schedule, mentally juggling my work shift with my afternoon classes. "I’ve got work at 4, but we can meet up before then."

Her reply is almost instant: "Perfect. See you then "

I smile to myself as I slip my phone back into my pocket. Layla makes everything feel easy. We never really fight, never have any of the drama that some of my friends complain about with their girlfriends. Sure, we have our moments—everyone does—but we always talk it out. I like that about her. She’s straightforward, doesn’t play games.

I grab my coffee and head to the library to kill some time before my next class. As I walk, I think about how far we’ve come in the last year. When I’d first met Layla, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that we’d end up like this. She was just another face in a sea of new people I met during freshman year, someone I’d casually bumped into at a party. But something clicked that night, and before I knew it, we were spending more and more time together.

And then there was William—Layla’s younger brother.

I’ve always liked the kid. He’s quiet, keeps to himself mostly, but I get it. High school is a weird time. He’s in that in-between phase where you’re not really a kid anymore, but you’re not an adult either. Layla talks about him all the time, how smart he is, how much potential he has. I’ve spent enough time with him over the summer to know he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He reminds me of my own little brother back home—eager to prove himself, but still figuring out where he fits into everything.

I don’t think much more about William, though. To me, he’s just that—a little brother figure. Someone I look out for, but not someone I think about beyond that. Layla loves him to death, and I know how important he is to her, so I do my best to make sure he’s comfortable around me. It’s always been that way—simple.

***

The rest of the day goes by quickly. Classes, a shift at the bookstore, and then back to my dorm to study. By the time I get home, my roommate is gone, probably out partying again, and I have the place to myself. I grab a quick shower, throw on some sweats, and settle down at my desk to review notes for my upcoming exams. College has become a balancing act, and while it’s taken time to get used to, I think I’ve finally figured out how to keep everything from falling apart.

As I scroll through my notes, my phone buzzes. It’s Layla, sending me a picture of her and William hanging out at home. I can tell from the goofy smile on her face that she’s happy to be spending time with him again, and I smile back at the screen.

”He misses you,” she writes under the picture. ”We’re all going hiking next weekend, right? Don’t make plans.”

I chuckle to myself. Layla always has a way of making plans without asking, but I don’t mind. Spending time with her and William is easy—comfortable. Plus, I haven’t been back to see her parents in a while, and it’d be nice to catch up. I reply with a simple ”Yeah, sounds good.”

As I put my phone down and go back to studying, my mind drifts to the weekend ahead. Layla will be there, of course, probably talking a mile a minute about her classes or some new thing she’s obsessed with. William will be quieter, like always, but I’ll make sure to talk to him, see how his senior year is going.

It’s strange, really. This time last year, I barely knew them. Now, they feel like family.

***

By the time I finally crawl into bed, my thoughts are already slipping into sleep. College isn’t so hard anymore. I’ve got a job, a solid relationship, and things are starting to feel stable.

Yeah, I think I’m getting the hang of this.

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