The library had always been my quiet escape. On evenings when the rest of campus buzzed with noise, I loved slipping into the tall aisles of books, losing myself in their muted company. That night, though, it wasn't about comfort...it was about survival. Professor Harding had announced a surprise test for the following week, and his reputation for merciless grading was enough to send half the class scrambling.
So I stayed behind, long after Emily had packed up with promises of "only an hour, I'll get food and be back." I waved her off, confident I'd only stay a little longer.
But "a little longer" turned into hours.
The steady tick of the library clock became background noise to my scribbles and highlighted notes. Time blurred, my focus narrowing until it was only me, the pages, and the faint hum of the old air conditioner. I was so lost in the material I didn't notice when the lights dimmed to their night setting, or when the world outside turned heavy with clouds.
It wasn't until the first rumble shook the windows that I looked up.
Thunder.
My pulse skipped. I hated thunderstorms. Always had. The sharp crack of lightning splitting the sky, the way thunder roared seconds later, rattling bones. As another roll echoed through the air, I swallowed hard, hugging my notebook against my chest.
It'll pass, I told myself. Just a storm. Nothing more.
But the storm didn't pass. It grew. The rain pounded against the wide library windows, sheets of water blurring the world outside. Another crash of thunder followed, louder this time, vibrating through the walls. My hands trembled as I tried to pack my things, but my mind spun...dorms were far, and the thought of crossing campus in this storm tightened every muscle in my body.
Then I realized I wasn't alone.
Movement flickered in the corner of my vision. A tall figure in one of the back rows, dark hair falling into his eyes, shoulders bent slightly as he closed a book. Adrian.
My breath caught. I hadn't even known he was there.
He looked up, his gaze finding mine across the dim, echoing space. For a moment, I froze, caught between fear of the storm and something I couldn't name when his eyes lingered on me.
"You okay?" His voice was quiet but carried in the near-empty hall.
I opened my mouth, but thunder cracked again, louder, sharper, and I flinched, clutching my books tighter. That was answer enough.
Adrian set his things aside and walked over, each step unhurried but certain. He stopped just close enough that I could feel his presence steadying me. "You're scared." It wasn't a question.
I pressed my lips together, embarrassed, but nodded faintly. "I don't… like thunder."
He studied me for a moment, unreadable as always, then held out his hand. "Come on. Let's go before it gets worse."
I hesitated only a second before slipping my hand into his. Warm. Firm. Something inside me steadied at the contact.
We rushed out together, the storm swallowing us instantly. Rain pelted against us, drenching clothes within seconds. My hair clung to my face, my sneakers squelched in puddles, and thunder boomed overhead. I almost froze again, but Adrian tugged gently, pulling me along. "It's just water," he said, loud enough to be heard over the rain. "Don't stop."
Somehow, his calmness anchored me. We dashed across the quad, laughter slipping from my lips in spite of myself as a car splashed water up from the curb. He glanced at me then, surprise flickering in his eyes at the sound, like he hadn't expected it.
By the time we reached the dorms, both of us were soaked through.
I shivered, hugging myself as the storm roared on above. Adrian stopped at the entrance, turning toward me. "Your place is farther. You'll freeze before you get there." He hesitated, then added, "Come to mine. It's closer."
My heart gave an unsteady jolt, but the thought of braving the storm alone left little choice. I nodded.
His apartment-style dorm was tucked at the edge of campus, quieter than the shared halls most of us had. When he opened the door, warmth spilled out, and I stepped inside gratefully, pushing wet hair from my face.
It was neat...surprisingly neat. Shelves lined with books, a single desk stacked with papers, a couch by the window, and a small kitchen tucked into the corner. Lived-in but ordered. Very… him.
"You'll get sick like that," Adrian said, already pulling open a drawer. He tossed me a dark hoodie...big, warm, smelling faintly of laundry detergent and something that was just him. "Change. Bathroom's there."
I hesitated, clutching the hoodie to my chest. "What about you?"
He shrugged, peeling his own damp shirt off, unbothered. My face heated, and I quickly looked away. "I'll manage."
The bathroom mirror showed a bedraggled version of me...hair dripping, makeup smudged. But when I slipped into his hoodie, it swallowed me whole, soft against my skin, the sleeves falling past my hands. I caught my reflection and couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips. It was ridiculous how something so simple felt so… intimate.
When I stepped back out, Adrian was on the couch, a towel draped around his shoulders, hair damp. His eyes flicked up, pausing briefly at the sight of me in his hoodie before he looked away, too quickly.
"You'll be fine here," he said, his tone neutral but his jaw tight. "Couch is comfortable enough."
"You're letting me stay?"
"Storm's not letting up. Safer than dragging you back out." He didn't look at me as he spoke, but the weight of his words hung heavy, like there was more he wasn't saying.
I settled onto the couch, tucking my legs beneath me, the hoodie warming me more than the blanket he tossed over. The storm still raged outside, but inside, it felt muted. Safer.
We talked, just a little. About the test, about Emily's endless chatter, about Damian's awful cooking skills. His answers were short, but less clipped than usual...full sentences instead of single words, hints of humor breaking through in places I hadn't expected.
And for the first time, I realized: Adrian was listening. Really listening.
At some point, exhaustion pulled me under. I don't remember when I drifted off, only that the storm still echoed in the distance and the warmth of his hoodie wrapped around me like a shield.
Morning came quietly.
The rain hadn't stopped entirely, but it softened to a drizzle, mist clinging to the windows. I woke on the couch, a blanket tucked neatly around me, my books stacked on the table. For a moment, disorientation clouded me, until I remembered where I was.
Adrian's apartment. Adrian's couch. Adrian's hoodie still wrapped around me.
He was already up, leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee, hair slightly messy but eyes alert. He glanced over as I stirred. "You're awake."
"Yeah," I whispered, stretching. My cheeks warmed at the memory of last night, but I pushed it down, gathering my things. "Thanks… for letting me stay."
He only nodded, sipping his coffee.
By the time we stepped out together, the drizzle still fell, dampening the air. I tugged the hoodie tighter around myself, the sleeves too long, the hem brushing my thighs. It was obvious it wasn't mine, and I felt every curious glance as we walked across campus.
Emily spotted me first outside the lecture hall. Her eyes widened, darting from me to the hoodie and back again. A knowing smirk tugged at her lips, but she said nothing...yet.
I slipped into my seat, heart pounding, hyperaware of Adrian sliding into his a few rows away. He didn't look at me, not once, but the weight of last night hung between us like an unspoken secret.
And for the first time, I wondered if maybe...just maybe...he was starting to feel it too.