By the end of the week, everyone noticed.
They didn't announce anything.
They didn't label it.
But Nicholas Wolfe walked Ava Morgan to class now.
He waited for her after lectures.
Held doors open without making a show of it.
Sat beside her instead of surrounded by noise and laughter.
And Ava?
She smiled more.
Not the polite kind.
The unguarded kind.
The kind that came out when Nicholas leaned in to murmur something only she could hear.
When his hand rested at the small of her back like it belonged there.
When he looked at her like she wasn't temporary.
People whispered.
But for once, Ava didn't shrink under it.
She felt… chosen.
It was Thursday morning, right before their mandatory sociology lecture. Nicholas had walked her all the way to the lecture hall, his presence acting like a quiet shield against the usual campus noise.
Just as they reached the door, Nicholas leaned down and placed a slow, intentional kiss on her temple. "See you in class," he murmured.
Before Ava could reply, a strong hand grabbed her arm.
"Ava! Wait!"
It was Maya, dragging her away from the entrance and away from Nicholas.
"What—Maya—" Ava started, bewildered, pulling against the fierce grip.
Nicholas watched them, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips before he slipped into the lecture hall.
"You're dating Nicholas?" Maya whispered fiercely, eyes wide with a mix of awe and teasing, pulling Ava behind a column.
Ava's cheeks burned hot. "W-what? We—"
Maya shook her head, cutting her off. "Don't even try to lie. You walked in here looking like you just won the lottery, and he kissed you like he knows he won the lottery.
How did this happen? When did this happen?"
Ava groaned, half embarrassed, half laughing. "Maya! Stop! It's not… official. It's complicated."
Maya grabbed her hand again, a true grin spreading across her face. "Nope. Uncomplicate it. Who kissed first? Who asked who out? Details, girl! Wolfe doesn't do 'complicated.' He does 'conquest.' This is major."
Ava hesitated, her chest tightening with the pride and disbelief of it all. "We just… connect, okay? It feels real."
Maya finally released her, her expression softening into genuine delight. "Good. I needed to know because… wow. Just wow. Keep connecting, but keep your head on your shoulders, okay? You're glowing."
Ava watched the door Nicholas had walked through. He might do 'conquest,' but the way he looked at her felt like something far more dangerous to him than to her.
She wasn't running anymore.
The school trip was announced on Friday.
A three-day academic retreat to a lakeside resort—team-building, lectures, shared cabins, outdoor activities. Mandatory for second- and third-years.
Ava hesitated when she read the email.
Nicholas didn't.
"You're going," he said simply, walking up behind her as she packed her bag in her dorm room.
She raised a brow. "And you know this how?"
"Because you overthink everything," he replied, brushing his thumb across her knuckles. "And because I'm going. I need to keep an eye on you."
Her heart betrayed her immediately.
"You are?"
"Mm." He leaned closer, stealing a quiet kiss. "And I don't feel like being away from you."
That word again. You.
Something warm and heavy settled in her chest, rooting her to him.
They rode the bus together.
Nicholas claimed the window seat beside her without asking, slinging his arm over the back casually.
The ease of it felt permanent. Ava leaned into him, letting her head rest against his shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne and the quiet, solid heat of him.
"You're comfortable," he murmured into her hair.
She didn't move away. "Is that a problem?"
"Not even a little."
The resort was quiet. Beautiful. Surrounded by water and pine trees and open sky—so different from campus it felt unreal. A world away from the whispers and the shadows.
Their cabin assignments were posted.
Separate rooms. Same building.
Nicholas read the list, then looked at her, his lips twitching.
"Five doors apart," he said, a mock groan escaping him. "I might actually not survive."
She laughed softly, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "Barely."
That night, the outdoor hot tub was open.
Steam rose into the cool air, lights glowing softly against the dark water.
Ava walked out of the cabin, wrapped in a thick resort towel, the chill of the night air raising goosebumps on her skin. She saw him immediately.
Nicholas was already in the water, sitting at the far edge, fully aware, watching her approach. His gaze was immediate, warm, and entirely possessive.
She walked to the edge, feeling the sudden, familiar spike of nerves and the exhilarating certainty of him waiting. She sat down on the tiled edge of the tub, dangling her feet into the warm water, still draped in the towel.
"Why are you out here alone?" she asked, her voice low.
A slow smile touched his lips. "Waiting for you, obviously. There's no point in being out here otherwise."
The simple honesty of the statement made her heart stutter. She looked down at the water, then back up at him. That was all the encouragement she needed.
Ava dropped the towel onto the wooden deck without hesitation, deliberately revealing herself to him.
Then, she slid into the water, submerging quickly, moving through the soft current until she reached his side.
He reached out, his hand finding the small of her back, pulling her close against his side. The warmth enveloped her, but the heat radiating from him was stronger.
"You look… content," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I am," he replied, his voice low. He leaned closer. "You make everything quiet, Ava. All the noise just… stops."
She leaned in, closing the final space between them.
The kiss was slow. Deep. A silent vow made in the dark, warm water. She kissed him back fully, holding him steady, pulling him closer with the full weight of her trust.
Nicholas groaned quietly, his hands settling at her waist under the water, before they shifted, drifting lower, becoming certain and absolute.
He broke the kiss only to whisper against her ear, his breath hot:
"Tell me if you want me to stop. I mean it. Tell me now."
Her answer came instantly, her voice steady and certain. It was the last clear choice she would get to make.
"No."
The warmth of the water was nothing compared to the heat of his touch. Under the surface, his attention was absolute, reverent, and demanding.
The moment stretched into a dizzying, intimate spiral where the sound of the jets drowned out everything but their breathing.
The quiet, gentle rhythm of the water held them, creating a perfect, isolated world, confirming everything they had unspokenly promised each other.
The Goodnight Vow
Eventually, Nicholas pulled back, his eyes dark and satisfied. He lifted her easily from the water, wrapping her quickly in the large, waiting towel.
He didn't speak as he led her back toward the cabin building. His arm was a steady, heavy weight around her shoulders, keeping her close, shielding her from the sudden chill of the night.
When they reached her door, the hallway was dark and silent. Nicholas leaned against the frame, gently brushing the wet hair from her face.
"Thank you," he murmured. The simplicity of the phrase—not for the moment they shared, but for her trust—was more profound than any grand declaration.
She reached up, touching the side of his jaw. "For what?"
"For choosing me." He lowered his head, not for a passionate kiss, but for something heavier, more sacred.
He pressed his lips softly against her forehead—a kiss of ownership, of reverence, and of undeniable commitment.
"Sleep well, Ava," he whispered.
She watched him walk five doors down to his own room, a soft, warm certainty settling deep in her chest. Everything felt real. Everything felt solved.
She slipped into her room, closing the door quietly, leaning against it with a soft, unguarded smile on her face.
Just then, a figure stepped out of the shadows near the vending machines at the end of the hall.
It was Chloe, one of the girls from Nicholas's usual circle.
She watched Nicholas unlock his door, and then she looked directly at Ava's closed door, her eyes narrowed.
A cold, calculating smile spread slowly across her face.
Chloe knew everything.
And she had just seen the proof.