𝐂𝐇𝐋𝐎𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓 the embodiment of sunshine, always with a bright smile and an easy laugh. She was the one everyone turned to, the friend who never faltered, always radiating positivity. But behind that cheerful exterior, how much darkne...
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I was floating in that hazy space between sleep and consciousness, my body sinking deeper into the mattress as I hugged the warmth of my blankets. The dorm room was dim, and the soft hum of the ceiling fan was enough to lull me into a deeper sleep. Winter and Bella had already left, sneaking out with Travis and Lucas, while I decided to stay in bed, convinced that nothing exciting could happen after the chaos we'd all been through earlier in the week. The dorm felt too quiet without them, a stark contrast to the usual late-night whispers and laughter.
Just as I was about to drift back into that sweet oblivion, loud knocks rattled the door, jolting me upright. My eyes shot open, heart skipping a beat as I blinked into the darkness. Groggily, I tried to make sense of the noise, but before I could even sit up properly, my phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen lighting up with Jayden's name flashing repeatedly. My heart raced a little faster. Jayden didn't call like this unless something was wrong.
I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I reached for the phone. "Mhm?" I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep, still barely processing what was happening.
"I'm outside. Open the door for me, please." Jayden's voice came through, low and hoarse, sending a ripple of concern down my spine. He sounded... off, like something had shaken him. Instantly, I was wide awake.
Without thinking, I flung the covers off and jumped out of bed, feet hitting the cold floor as I rushed to the door. My fingers fumbled with the lock in my haste, and when I finally pulled the door open, Jayden stood there, framed by the dim hallway light. His face was hard, his jaw clenched tight, and his usually calm eyes were dark with frustration, maybe even anger. It was rare—no, unheard of—to see him like this. Jayden was the steady one, the responsible one. He didn't get rattled easily.
I tucked a strand of messy hair behind my ear, my voice barely above a whisper. "What's wrong?" I asked, though I already knew that something major had gone down. The tension rolling off him was almost suffocating, and I could feel my own nerves rising in response.
Jayden didn't answer right away. He just stood there, jaw ticking, clearly trying to hold back whatever storm was brewing inside him. His hands flexed at his sides, fists clenching and unclenching, the restraint visible in every muscle of his body. He was fighting himself, and that scared me more than anything he could've said.
He exhaled sharply through his nose, like he was counting down the seconds to keep from exploding. "I don't want to talk about it yet," he finally muttered, the words tight, controlled, but laced with something simmering beneath the surface.
I stepped aside, opening the door wider. "Come in," I said softly, not pressing him. If Jayden didn't want to talk right now, I wasn't going to push. He would open up when he was ready, and whatever had him this wound up needed time to unravel.
Jayden walked into the dorm, his broad shoulders tense beneath his jacket, like he was carrying the weight of whatever had happened tonight on his back. I closed the door behind him, the click of the lock sounding much louder than it should have in the thick silence that followed.
