︵‿︵‿୨♡ Ｗｈｉｓｐｅｒｓ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｈｅａｒｔ ~ ♡୧‿︵‿Paigebueckers

Part 3

A Night In

The dorm was quiet when Paige unlocked the door, her nerves buzzing with a mix of excitement and anticipation. She had texted her roommate Azzi earlier, asking if she could have the room to herself for the night. Azzi, ever the understanding friend, had responded with a string of winking emojis and a thumbs up, promising to crash at another friend's place.

Now, as Paige pushed the door open, she felt her heart race a little faster. Jasmine was right behind her, their laughter from the walk back still hanging in the air. They had spent another evening at the diner, but this time, instead of a casual goodbye, Jasmine had raised an eyebrow and suggested, "Your place?"

Paige had hesitated for only a second before nodding.

Jasmine stepped into the small room, her eyes scanning the space with curiosity. "Nice place. Cozy."

"Yeah," Paige replied, tossing her keys onto the desk and leaning against the doorframe. "Not much, but it's home for now."

Jasmine moved toward the bed, casually sitting on the edge, her eyes still flicking around the room before landing back on Paige. "So, where's your roommate? Is she cool with me crashing here for a bit?"

Paige grinned, a little sheepish. "She's staying at a friend's place tonight. I may have asked her to give us some space."

Jasmine's eyebrows shot up, a teasing smile curling at her lips. "Oh? Planned this, did you?"

Paige chuckled, walking over to sit beside her. "I just thought... maybe it'd be nice to hang out without a crowd, you know?"

Jasmine shifted, turning to face Paige fully, their knees lightly brushing. "I like that idea," she said softly, her playful tone replaced by something more sincere.

The air between them shifted again, a quiet intensity settling in. Paige could feel it—could see it in the way Jasmine's gaze lingered on her, in the soft, steady breaths they both took. She wasn't used to this, to feeling so close to someone so fast, but with Jasmine, it felt natural.

Paige broke the moment with a smile. "You want something to drink? I've got water... or water."

Jasmine laughed, shaking her head. "Water it is, then." But as Paige stood up to grab a couple of bottles from the mini-fridge, Jasmine caught her wrist gently. "Actually... come back here."

Paige paused, her heart thudding as she turned back to Jasmine. She sat down again, a little closer this time, and Jasmine's hand stayed on her wrist, light but grounding.

"You're kind of amazing, you know that?" Jasmine said, her voice quiet but firm. "I wasn't sure what I was getting into when we started hanging out, but... this feels right."

Paige's breath caught in her throat. "It does," she whispered, barely able to get the words out.

Jasmine's fingers slid down to lace through Paige's, her touch sending a thrill through Paige's whole body. "I'm really glad we're doing this."

Paige nodded, her chest tight with emotion. She wasn't sure what to say—how to put into words the way Jasmine made her feel, like she was being seen in a way she hadn't before. So instead of speaking, she leaned in, her lips finding Jasmine's in a soft, tentative kiss.

Jasmine responded immediately, her hand moving to the back of Paige's neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. It wasn't rushed or frantic, but slow and steady, filled with the quiet understanding that had been building between them for weeks.

When they finally pulled apart, their foreheads resting together, Paige couldn't help but smile. "I wasn't sure where tonight would go," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jasmine grinned, her thumb brushing lightly across Paige's cheek. "Well, I think we figured it out."

They sat there for a moment longer, the quiet hum of the campus outside barely audible through the window. There was no pressure, no rush. Just the two of them, tangled in the warmth of the moment.

After a while, Jasmine leaned back, pulling Paige with her until they were lying side by side on the bed, facing each other. Paige felt the weight of the day's events fade away, replaced by the comfortable presence of Jasmine beside her.

"You good?" Jasmine asked, her hand tracing light patterns on Paige's arm.

Paige nodded, her voice soft. "Yeah. Really good."

Jasmine smiled, her eyes closing as she relaxed into the pillow. "Good."

As the night wore on, they talked about everything and nothing, their conversation drifting between serious and silly, always coming back to the easy connection they had found. It felt effortless, natural, like they had been doing this for years instead of weeks.

Eventually, as the clock neared midnight, Paige's eyes grew heavy, her body sinking deeper into the warmth of the bed. Jasmine was still talking, her voice a soft, soothing rhythm that lulled Paige into a peaceful drowsiness.

"I think I could get used to this," Jasmine murmured, her words almost lost in the quiet.

Paige smiled, her eyes already closed. "Me too."

And as they drifted off to sleep, their hands still loosely intertwined, Paige realized that she wasn't just getting used to it—she was falling into something she hadn't expected but couldn't imagine letting go of.