In the heart of Harvard, Alessia Gilmore is ready to embrace her second year and the independence it brings. After a summer spent reconnecting with friends and discovering herself, she's determined to step out of her twin sister Rory's shadow and ca...
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Their new dorm felt emptier than usual, filled with boxes and bags as the three of them packed up the last bits of freshman year. Riley was sprawled across the couch, one headphone in as he scrolled through playlists, occasionally chuckling to himself. Beau threw clothes out of the suitcase with zero organization, while Alessia carefully organized her books, sneaking glances at the guys.
Riley broke the quiet, lifting his headphone. "This is it, huh? Survived a whole year with you two."
Beau smirked. "Guess I can tolerate you for another."
Alessia rolled her eyes, tossing a pillow at him. "Hopefully we're not rooming together next year. I don't know if i can handle being around this guy 24/7" She said, jabbing a finger in Riley's direction.
Riley shot her a mock-offended look, then smirked. "Harsh, Alessia. Not even going to miss me?"
She scoffed. "Oh, I'm sure I'll miss the joy of tripping over your hockey gear."
He shrugged, nudging Beau with a grin. "Don't worry, we'll make sure next year's a repeat. You'll be tripping over shit all over again."
She laughed, but before she could respond, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Logan. She smiled, seeing his name pop up with a simple: Hey, Harvard. One year down, three to go. Proud of you. Can't wait to see you.
Beau noticed the way her expression softened and nodded approvingly. "He gets you, huh?"
She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, he does."
Riley rolled his eyes, feigning annoyance but smirking in spite of himself. "Sickening. Get a room, Alessia."
Alessia glanced between them, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation that came with new beginnings. They were still her people-Riley with his dry, sarcastic loyalty, and Beau with his quiet, steady warmth. And somewhere out there, Logan, who understood her in ways she hadn't expected.
They had survived the highs and lows of their freshman year together, sharing laughs and late-night talks in their cramped dorm room. Now, as they prepared to dive into sophomore year, Alessia felt ready to face whatever came next. With Riley just a wall away and Beau always close by, she knew their friendship would only grow stronger.
"New year, same mess, same drama?" she asked.
Riley raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You really have to ask?"
They all laughed, the weight of the new year melting into something lighter, something that felt a lot like home.
After a while, Riley stretched and nudged Beau with his elbow. "Wanna let this loser finish unpacking?" He tossed Alessia a wink as he stood up, grabbing a stray sweatshirt from the floor.
"Sure," Beau said with a grin, clearly catching on. "Let's leave her to her neatly organized chaos."
Alessia rolled her eyes, pretending not to notice the way Beau's hand lingered on Riley's arm as they left. "Fine, leave me to do the hard work," she called after them, shaking her head with a smirk.
In the hallway, Riley led Beau into his room, closing the door behind them. Beau looked around, taking in the freshly made bed, still too neat to belong to Riley for long. He raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.
"New bed, huh?" Beau's voice dropped just a bit, playful. "Guess we're going to have to break it in."
Riley snorted, shaking his head but clearly entertained. "Oh, really? It's barely been here a day, and you're already scheming."
"Only for you, Hastings." Beau laughed, pulling Riley closer and wrapping his arms around him.
Beau's grin didn't fade as he pulled Riley close, his fingers sliding up to rest on the back of Riley's neck. Without another word, he leaned in and kissed him, soft at first but deepening as Riley's hands found their way to Beau's waist.
The tension and chaos of moving day melted away, leaving just the quiet warmth between them. When they finally pulled back, Riley had that faint, almost bashful smile that only Beau could coax out of him.
"Definitely not a bad start to breaking it in," Riley murmured, his voice low, a hint of laughter in his eyes.
"Only the beginning," Beau whispered back, brushing another quick kiss to Riley's lips, as if to seal the promise.
