Whispered Desires

chapter 1

Ariel Winters stood in front of her mirror, fingers brushing through her hair. The harsh fluorescent lights of her college dorm room flickered slightly, casting a pale glow on her reflection. She wasn’t a fan of mornings, but college had forced her to learn how to function on little sleep and an excess of caffeine. The coffee cup in her hand was the only thing keeping her from dozing off during her 9 AM class.

Her best friend, Emily, had texted her that morning about a party happening later. Typical. It was the kind of thing Emily loved, pulling Ariel into all these chaotic, loud social events where Ariel always felt like a bystander, watching everyone else live while she felt like an outsider. But she didn’t mind. It wasn’t the party scene that appealed to her—it was the break from her usual routine.

The class she was in this morning was nothing special, just a boring lecture on philosophy. Ariel glanced out the window as she half-listened to her professor drone on. Her mind wandered back to last summer, when life had been much simpler. Emily had dragged her to a few of those weekend get-togethers at her house, where Ariel would always end up being the quiet observer, while Emily and her other friends had all the fun.

And then there was Tristan.

Ariel hadn’t seen him in years—certainly not since they’d all gone their separate ways after high school. He’d always been Emily’s older brother, the one who was too cool for her to ever really talk to. He’d left for college early, a year ahead of them, and now, here she was, just starting to get her footing while he was already in his senior year.

That last summer, before he’d gone off to college, things had felt… different. Ariel couldn’t quite pinpoint it. He’d grown into his features—those sharp, intense eyes and the confident smile that always seemed to be there, even when he was completely still. But it wasn’t just that. There was a distance in him, an air of mystery that kept her on edge whenever they were in the same room.

Now, years later, all she could remember was the awkwardness of their last conversation before he left. He had smiled at her, as if trying to reassure her, and said something about keeping in touch. But they both knew that wasn’t going to happen. She’d been too busy with school, and he’d been too focused on his life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out, seeing a message from Emily.

Emily: "Hey, party at my place tonight. You coming?"

Ariel rolled her eyes. She’d known this was coming. She typed back quickly.

Ariel: "I don’t know, Em. I’m kind of tired."

The reply was almost instantaneous.

Emily: "Come on, don’t be lame! Tristan’s back for the weekend. You’ll be glad you came."

Ariel’s heart skipped a beat. Tristan. Of course. She hadn’t thought about him in months, maybe longer, but now the idea of seeing him again seemed to be on her mind more than it should. But she didn’t let herself dwell on it. She wasn’t some lovesick teenager anymore.

Ariel: "Fine, I’ll be there."