The Spaces Between Us

University is supposed to be the start of something new-freedom, adventure, friendships that last a lifetime. But for Belle Ajayi and Dylan Carter, the reality couldn't feel further from the dream.

For Belle, leaving home has thrown her into an overwhelming world of unfamiliar faces and stifling expectations. Anxiety keeps her trapped in the confines of her small room, while the outside world looms like an unscalable mountain. She watches the days slip by, each one harder than the last. Surviving on dry cereal and late-night TV, Belle wrestles with loneliness and the quiet fear of disappearing entirely.

Dylan had imagined something entirely different-a whirlwind of wild nights, laughter, and easy camaraderie. But his days are filled with boring flatmates, unremarkable routines, and a lingering sense of disappointment that university life isn't living up to the hype. Staring at the door of the empty room opposite his in his flat, Dylan wonders if anyone-or anything-could ever make him feel truly seen.

Both lost in their own spirals of disappointment, Belle and Dylan seem destined to drift through the term unnoticed-until a chance encounter brings their worlds together.

When an unlikely connection brings Belle and Dylan together, their separate worlds begin to collide. Through shared moments of vulnerability, stolen glances, and the smallest gestures of kindness, they start to pull each other out of their shells. Together, they confront their struggles, challenge their expectations, and slowly learn what it means to lean on someone else in their darkest moments.

But as they navigate the rocky path of new beginnings and self-discovery, they'll have to ask themselves: Can the unlikely connection they've found help them build the lives they've been longing for? Or will the weight of their struggles pull them apart?

This is a story about love, friendship, and the courage it takes to find yourself-even when you feel completely lost.