Melissa tossed and turned in her bed, the cool breeze from the open window doing nothing to calm her restless heart.
Ginny was already snoring softly on the other bed, oblivious to the storm raging inside her roommate.
Melissa clutched her pillow tighter, squeezing her eyes shut.
But sleep didn't bring her peace.
Instead, it dragged her back — to him.
Flashback:
The music room was almost empty after school.
Melissa sat cross-legged on the floor, sketching in her notebook, while Alec sat on the piano bench, casually playing a soft melody.
His fingers moved smoothly over the keys, filling the air with music so beautiful that it made her heart ache.
"You know," Alec said, glancing at her with a mischievous grin, "you look cute when you're concentrating."
Melissa's face flushed bright red.
"I-I'm just drawing," she mumbled, lowering her head to hide her smile.
Alec chuckled and shifted to sit beside her, his presence warm and overpowering.
"Can I see?"
Melissa hesitated, but eventually tilted the notebook towards him.
Alec leaned in close — too close — pretending to study her sketch seriously, even though he was more focused on her than the paper.
"It's beautiful," he said, voice low.
Melissa's heart skipped.
Not the drawing.
You.
But she never heard those unspoken words.
Instead, Alec gently flicked her forehead, laughing.
"You're way too serious, Melissa George. Loosen up a little."
Melissa grinned shyly at him.
For a while, everything felt so easy. So perfect.
She thought maybe, just maybe, he could be her safe place.
Back to Present:
Melissa jolted awake, heart hammering against her ribs.
Her face was wet with tears she didn't realize she had shed.
She wiped them away roughly, feeling like an idiot.
Why do you still dream about him? Why does he still have this power over you?
She sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, staring at the faint outline of the moon through the window.
Somewhere in the stillness of the night, she whispered to herself:
"I need to move on."
But her heart... wasn't ready yet.
Meanwhile, in another dorm room across the campus, Dayne lay on his bed, tossing a stress ball in the air repeatedly.
He thought about Melissa's face when he found her with Alec.
The way her hands shook.
The way her smile didn't reach her eyes anymore.
Dayne knew he barely knew her yet.
But something about her sadness called out to him.
He didn't understand it — this need to protect her, this frustration when she looked anywhere but him.
It's not love, he told himself.
It's just... concern. Right?
But the thought didn't sit right.
Not anymore.