in the ring / harry styles

22- Friends Know Best

The dorm hallway is quiet as I make my way back, soft beams of sunlight streaming in through the tall windows, casting warm rectangles on the faded carpet. There's a strange, gentle calm hanging over me from the morning I just spent with Harry. But beneath that calm, something else stirs—the weight of everything that happened with Jake, lingering like a shadow I can't quite shake. I feel it in the pit of my stomach, a heaviness that tugs at my mood, despite the warmth still lingering from Harry's steady presence.

When I push open the door, I'm greeted by a familiar sight: Emilia and Lynn are sprawled out on our worn couch, each of them looking like they're still halfway into recovery mode from the sorority party. Lynn, wrapped in her navy-blue blanket with its frayed edges, is scrolling through her phone with bleary eyes, her hair a tangled mess against the armrest. Emilia, meanwhile, is propped up against the other end, looking entirely too alert for someone who likely had just as little sleep as the rest of us. The room smells faintly of coffee and something warm and comforting, a mix of the familiar scents of our space that makes me feel instantly at home.

Emilia's gaze snaps to me first, and a sly grin spreads across her face as she sets her coffee down on the small, cluttered table. "Well, look who finally rolled in," she teases, raising her eyebrows in mock surprise. "You disappeared with Mr. Mysterious, and we haven't heard from you since. Thought maybe we'd lost you for good."

Lynn cracks her eyes open, not fully awake but definitely invested in the conversation. "Or maybe she got whisked away for some private post-party festivities," she adds with a sleepy smirk, clearly delighted to add to Emilia's teasing. "Am I right?"

I feel my face heat up, a blush creeping over my cheeks as I drape Harry's hoodie over the chair. It feels like the two of them have instantly seen right through me, and I struggle to keep my tone light, dismissive. 

"You two are impossible." Rolling my eyes, I try to brush them off, though I can feel my blush deepening under their stares. "Nothing happened. We just... grabbed breakfast."

Lynn raises an eyebrow, her gaze skeptical. "Yeah, right. Because people always stay out all night 'just for breakfast.' You're not fooling us, Luce."

I sigh, sinking into the old armchair across from them, my coffee cradled between my hands. I want to tell them how it really was, how unexpectedly easy it had felt to just be with Harry, no pretenses, no expectations. But the words don't come easily; it feels too personal, too fragile to explain.

"It was just... good, okay?" I say finally, trying to sound casual, though my voice is softer, almost more to myself than to them. "We talked a lot. He's not as serious as I thought he'd be. Actually, he's... kind of easy to be around."

Emilia stifles a yawn, though the amusement in her eyes remains sharp. "Sounds like you're falling for him," she says, her voice light but with an edge. "Don't act like it's nothing, Luce. We can tell it's something."

A mix of warmth and uncertainty swells inside me, my cheeks warming as I fumble for words. "I don't know," I reply, half-deflecting. "It's just... different with him. He's intense, yeah, but he's not... controlling. He doesn't want to own me or anything. He just... I don't know. He lets me be me, and it's just easier."

Emilia's expression shifts, her teasing fading as she leans in, her gaze serious. "But are you sure about him? You've got a lot going on, and if it's anything like the Jake situation, just... be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Her words bring a flicker of frustration and tension through me, reminding me of Jake's behavior from the party, the jealousy and possessiveness in his eyes that had felt suffocating.

 "Trust me, I know," I say, feeling the memory of Jake's outburst fresh, like a bruise that hasn't faded. "But he's nothing like Jake. Last night, though..." I pause, remembering the way Jake had looked at me, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Jake was such a jerk."

Lynn scoffs, her expression darkening. "That guy's got it in his head that he owns you, Lucy. If he thinks he can just waltz back into your life after how he treated you, he's delusional." She straightens, her blanket slipping off her shoulder as she looks at me, her gaze fierce. "And then that scene he pulled? Total jerk move. He has no right."

I rub my temples, feeling the tension from last night creeping back. The way Jake had fixated on my phone, the demand in his voice, his relentless accusations... it had all felt surreal, a flashback to the worst parts of our time together.

 "He went off like a psycho when my phone buzzed..He literally lost his mind."

Emilia's face hardens, her tone turning serious. "Jake's never been good with boundaries. He's always thought he could control things around him, and you were just one of those things. But when he feels that's over, he lashes out. And you saw that firsthand last night."

Lynn nods, her expression unwavering. "Look, I know it's not easy to just cut someone like Jake out of your life, but you have to, Lucy. He's not going to take a hint otherwise, and he's only going to keep crossing those lines."

I nod slowly, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. "Believe me, I'm trying," I say, voice quiet. "But he doesn't make it easy.. And last night... he just wouldn't back off, no matter what I said."

Lynn reaches over, her gaze filled with warmth and determination. "Look, he had his chance, and he blew it. You don't owe him anything, Luce. You're allowed to move on."

Emilia softens, her gaze understanding as she meets mine. "That's exactly why you have to be careful, alright? No one else should get to make you feel that way. Plain and simple."

I take a deep breath, feeling a weight lift just a little as their words sink in. "Thanks, really. I know you're right, but... part of me just needed to hear it out loud."

Lynn grins, a warmth in her eyes. "Of course we're right. And don't forget, you've got us. We're not going to let Jake mess with you."

Emilia smirks, nudging my knee with her foot, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And you've got Harry, apparently."

A smile tugs at my lips as I think back to this morning, to Harry's quiet presence, the way he'd let me talk, listen without judgment. "Yeah, he's..." I pause, struggling to put it into words. "With him It's different, but in a good way."

Lynn stretches, letting out a content sigh as she watches me. "Then keep it that way. Maybe he's worth a shot. But only if he keeps proving it."

I laugh, grateful for their support, feeling a little lighter. Maybe I don't need to have it all figured out right now. Just having someone like Harry, who isn't pushing, who's letting things unfold slowly, feels right.  

Emilia leans back, her eyes glinting with excitement as she changes the subject. "Alright, enough of the heavy stuff. Can we please talk about the party? Some of those costumes were beyond ridiculous."

Lynn's eyes light up, and she laughs, shaking her head. "Yes! The costumes, the ridiculous drama... and Jake making a complete fool of himself—it honestly felt like a soap opera."

I join in, letting the conversation shift to lighter topics. We dive into every absurd detail—the outrageous costumes, tangled love triangles, people hooking up who absolutely shouldn't have. The room fills with laughter, each story lifting the tension that's been pressing down on me since last night.

And as we talk, surrounded by my friends and their easy humor, I realize that maybe I don't need to have all the answers just yet. Maybe it's okay to have a complicated past with Jake, an uncertain future with Harry, and friends who'll stand by me no matter what.  For now, that feels like enough.