Warren woke up to the sound of raindrops pattering against his window. He groaned as he sat up in bed, glancing over at his empty drawer. He had no more clean underwear, which meant that he could no longer procrastinate laundry day. Ever since he moved into his cramped dorm, he loathed having to leave his room with a basket filled with his dirty clothes, just to get them washed.
The downpour outside was unrelenting, the sky darkened to a gloomy grey. He ran his hand through his hair, feeling even more despondent. Warren dreaded the idea of going out in the rain and getting his only 'clean' clothes drenched. He tried to convince himself that he could push it off for another day, but he knew that his pile of laundry was only growing bigger.
He hesitated for a moment, peering out his window at the rain that showed no signs of letting up. But eventually, he resigned himself to his fate and started to gather his laundry. He grabbed a book, ready to pass the time while his clothes were washed and dried. As he tried to manoeuvre through the cramped hallways of his dorm, Warren almost lost his balance a few times, juggling his laundry and book. He swore under his breath, feeling grateful that no one was around to witness his clumsy display.
Finally, he made it to the laundry room, drenched from the rain. Warren let out a sigh of relief as he realised that he was the only one there.
He placed the basket filled with his dirty clothes on the cold, hard ground before he started to toss his clothes into the washing machine. He perched himself on the machine next to his and opened his book, letting the sound of the rain and the rhythmic thumping of the washing machine lull him into a peaceful state. It was almost therapeutic, the simplicity of it all - nothing to disrupt him on this serene, rainy day.
Suddenly, the door of the laundry room was thrust open and a woman darted inside, panting and soaked to the bone. He lifted his eyes from his book, an intrigued expression painted across his face as this stranger tried to collect herself. It took him a moment to recognize her, but he finally realised that the girl was his friend, Max Caulfield. A smile spread across his face, hidden behind his book. She was a bit short, with dishevelled hair that was a medium tone of brown. She clumsily removed her grey jacket and began to try and dry her hair with her hands, an expression of frustration slowly growing on her face.
As she looked up at him, Warren felt his heart skip a beat. Her bright, doe-shaped blue eyes caught his eye, and he suddenly realised that he was in love with her. He kept holding his book in front of his face, hoping to conceal his flustered expression. She held his gaze for a moment longer, searching for something in his eyes before finally diverting her attention towards a stray chair.
"Warren! Oh my god, sorry to bother you," she exclaimed, interrupting his thoughts. "I kinda got caught in the rain, you know, my clothes are wet and I... Forget it, I don't even know what I'm asking for." She let out a nervous laugh.
He watched as she pivoted on her right foot, ready to head back out into the rain. He couldn't let her go back out like this. "Wait!" he blurted out before he could stop himself.
She turned around, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I'm already doing some laundry. Maybe I could lend you some clothes while we clean yours?" he said, offering her a small smile. "I mean, I don't know if anything I have will fit you perfectly, but it's better than going back out in the rain, right? Plus, you'll get sick if you stay like this!" He spoke too fast for his own liking, but he couldn't help himself.
Her face lit up, and she gave him the cutest smile. "That would be amazing, Warren. Thank you so much," she said, grateful for his help.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and contentment as he handed her a clean, dry shirt. It was as if this was his moment to show her that he cared for her in more ways than one.
"Come on, we will go to my dorm while we wait," Warren said with a smile.
Max smiled back at him and replied, "I'll be right behind you, lead the way."
As they walked down the hallway, Warren could hear the sound of Max's shoes still slouching full of water and dripping onto the floor. When they reached his door, he asked her to leave her shoes outside for obvious reasons and then let her in.
Warren noticed that Max's teeth were chattering as she took the clothes from him. He felt bad for not having anything that fit her properly, but he was glad that he could at least help her.
"Here, go change in my dorm," he said as he gestured towards his room. "I'll close the door and I'll make you something hot to drink after, is coffee okay?"
Max nodded gratefully and walked into his dorm room. She looked around at his messy but cosy living space, taking note of the posters and photos that decorated the walls. Warren's room felt like a refuge from the outside world, and she was grateful to be there, especially on a day like today.
She quickly changed into the clothes Warren had lent her feeling much warmer and drier.
After Warren closed the door to his room he walked to the small kitchenette within the vending lounge of the boys dormitory to make some coffee. He rummaged through his cabinets and found a pack of instant coffee and a mug.
