in the ring / harry styles

1- College Life

The thin light angled in through the small dorm window, glinting off the metal bedframe and casting muted reflections across the walls, revealing every mark and memory the room held. The walls were adorned with photos and scattered posters that Lynn, Emilia, and I had put up in a haphazard arrangement over the semester—each piece was a bit of home, some reminder of our lives before college. I sat cross-legged on my bed, the textured quilt beneath me slightly scratchy against my skin, one hand gripping my phone tightly as my dad's voice came through, distant yet clear.

"Lucy, can you hear me?" His tone was warm, layered with the soft hum of home—the familiar clatter from the kitchen and the muffled noise of the TV blaring in the background. Over it all, Noah's voice rose, shouting in excitement as he played video games with his friends, laughter and shouts spilling through the phone like echoes of a place that felt both close and worlds away.

"Yeah, Dad, I can hear you," I replied, trying to mask the strange ache I felt with a practiced smile he couldn't see. "How's everything at home?"

"Oh, the usual," he said, voice shifting as if glancing around our house as he spoke. "Your mother's taken over the kitchen again, something special tonight, she says. You know how she gets when she's cooking for everyone."

I could almost picture it: my mom moving around the kitchen, ingredients scattered across the countertop, the air thick with the smell of spices, her voice rising with her excitement to make everything just right. The familiar image stirred something comforting in me, even as I glanced around my own cramped dorm room where the faint smell of takeout lingered from last night.

"And school? You keeping up with everything?" he asked, with a slight hint of fatherly concern, just enough to remind me of the expectations I carried.

"Of course, just balancing it all," I replied, casting a quick look at the chaotic mess of textbooks and notes spread across my desk. The pages seemed to blend together, stacks of assignments mirroring the expectations and responsibilities I tried not to think about too hard.

"Good. We miss you, Lucy. Noah keeps asking when you're coming back. He's been counting down the days, you know," he added, a smile evident in his tone but shaded with that familiar, bittersweet longing.

"I miss you guys too," I admitted softly, feeling the weight of the distance between us. "I'll be back before you know it—just trying to make the most of my time here."

As we spoke, a quiet longing began to swell, the desire to break free from the routine, to step outside the roles expected of me, tugging at my mind. Just as I started to mention the idea of a visit home, Lynn burst through the door, her presence like a sudden spark of energy in the subdued room, breaking the spell.

"Lucy, are you coming out with us tonight?" She flopped down onto my bed, her hair spilling across the quilt like waves of gold, her laughter and energy filling every quiet corner of the room.

"Out where?" I asked, half-listening as my dad continued to speak in my ear.

"The club, obviously! We can't start the semester without at least one wild night," she declared, her grin contagious, lighting her eyes with a mischievous gleam.

"Dad, hold on a sec." I quickly hit the mute button on my phone. "Lynn, I don't know. I have a lot of organizing to do," I said, glancing at the scattered notes on my desk, their edges curling slightly from wear.

"Oh, come on! You've been locked away here for weeks. You deserve one night out," she insisted, her voice rising with an almost childlike excitement as she nudged me, her expression a mix of exasperation and determination.

I looked over to where Emilia was typing away, the bluish glow of her laptop illuminating her focused face. "Let's see if Emilia's interested," I suggested, glancing over at her.

"Emilia!" Lynn called, her tone playful and persuasive.

Emilia looked up, a slight smile breaking her otherwise serious expression. "Hmm?"

"Are you down for a night out?" I asked, watching the hint of excitement flicker across her face.

"Why not? Could be fun," she replied, her words calm but holding a note of anticipation.

I took a deep breath, glancing back at my phone. "Alright, Dad, I'll call you back later," I said, pressing the end button before he could respond. The weight of responsibilities lingered, but the pull of one carefree night with my friends was winning.