for my keys, pretending not to notice the

d I slipped inside, exhaling like I'd been

sized shirt, and started dinner. Nothing fancy, l

omewhere above, faint footsteps crossed the ceiling. Some

oy

hit like static

at down, scrolled through my phone to distract myself, messages from Mariah, a meme she said "looked like

h the wall, deeper this time, accompanied by ano

it. It was just laughter. But s

, suddenly very aware of the tight, unfam

other you? I

neighbor. He

as a liar when

e to the sink, rinsed it twice, and then once

self that was good, that the quiet was what

st anyway. I brushed my teeth and

fault my body had apparently decided to rewrite its entire ch

he texture of them. The way they scraped dow

too heavy. I could smell my own shampoo, that faint vanilla clinging to the pillowcase, and it only mad

grip,

loud, cocky, probab

ved rather than earned. I shut my eyes and tried to erase it. Instead, his laughter threa

l it was almost phy

been... triggered by something, and I hated it, the way it refused to lis

bout him, maybe I could neutralize him, find some proof that he was just

eted it. Typed again. The search bar bl

him. My thumb hovered before adding our campus name. A small, stupid hope whispered

freshed. And

s memory made him. @lloyd.Luxen, 200k followers, athlete, basketball h

hing needs to

never had to figure things out, t

red beneath his leap. The next was a grin, with his teeth flashing, and arms spread as i

and a lay-up, yet I scrolled like I'd been starving for this. Each imag

was an avalanche of heart emojis and drooling faces.

d then my thumb slipped, followed immediately by a s

low

orror to register. My stomach

no, n

the algorithm would be merciful. My pulse was so loud it drowned out the room. I sta

it come

s, and now I was the kind of girl

cave in and bury me before morning. But even then, the thought of him wouldn't fade. I

has sent y

lse s

ing me, n

arpet with a dull thud while I stared at it

😭 I followed y

lly believable. Except that the

searched my full name and f

ter yourself.

ys I n

re full of y

ent. There's

h to DM strangers in t

girl from across the hall who doe

hok

lly chok

erve! The fact that

cking. It was hot. The ai

exc

insuff

ou're stil

s the room. I also wanted to ke

few seconds, long enough

vorite pie? His te

hovered.

ry.

ot

for

'll

ent offline.

emoji, or

heart still hammering, a weird l

. To block him, erase the conversation

r years, that part leaned into the screen lig