CHAPTER 171

**WINTER** 

The campus looked the same—but somehow, it felt different.

I stepped out of the car with Claire and Ariel, the morning sun soft against my skin, my backpack slung over one shoulder. The usual chatter of students buzzed in the background, but it was… muted. Like someone had turned the volume down on the chaos.

Claire immediately stretched her arms above her head and let out a groan. “If I fail today’s quiz, I’m blaming emotional damage.”

I cracked a smile, but my attention shifted to Ariel.

She was quiet. Too quiet.

She hadn’t said much during the drive, just stared out the window with her phone clenched in her hand like it might shatter. Her lips were pressed in a tight line, and when I asked—twice—if everything was okay, she only offered a soft “I’m fine” and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Claire had tried once too, tossing out a casual, “You look like you just read your own obituary. Spill.”

Ariel let out a soft, hollow laugh and gave a quick wave of her hand like she could dismiss the weight in her voice. “It’s nothing… just, uh, didn’t finish my homework.”

I raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. Yeah, right.

........

We walk toward the main building, the morning sun casting long shadows across the pavement, our footsteps echoing in the quiet campus. The air feels… different. Lighter, almost.

No one is glaring or making passive-aggressive comments. 

A few people actually smile at us as they pass—small, hesitant smiles, but smiles nonetheless. 

Some nodded politely. 

Others kept their heads down, clearly pretending they hadn’t spent the last month treating me like public enemy number one.

Claire glanced around and muttered, “Okay, what parallel universe did we wake up in? Did we time travel? Am I hallucinating?”

I didn’t answer.

Because she wasn’t wrong.

It was like the storm had passed—but left behind a strange calm. And while part of me was relieved, another part kept looking over my shoulder, waiting for the thunder to start again.

I approach my locker, my fingers moving automatically as I twist the dial. The lock clicks open with a quiet, familiar sound.

Claire leaned beside me, scrolling through her phone, and Ariel stood just a step away, quieter than usual, her eyes scanning something on her screen for the hundredth time.

I was just reaching for a notebook when I felt it.

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end—just like they always do when he’s close. That familiar chill snakes down my spine, my body instinctively knowing he’s near.

I didn’t even need to turn around—I sensed him before I saw him. 

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my heartbeat and pull myself together. I need to keep my expression neutral and unreadable. Calm.

But it’s harder than I thought it would be.

Just friends. 

Okay.

That’s all this is.

He doesn’t deserve more—I remind myself.
And I need to stop acting like he does.

My stomach dropped and twisted itself into a pretzel as I slowly glanced over my shoulder. 

And there he was—just a few feet away, hands stuffed into his jeans.

“God… it’s way too early for this. What am I supposed to do—duck into a lecture hall and hide?” I mutter to myself, my voice barely cutting through the hum of students and chatter around the campus hallway.

Ariel hears me anyway.

She places her hand on mine, giving it a gentle squeeze—just enough to anchor me,

“You’ll be fine. Take it one step at a time. He’s just a guy… not a midterm.” she murmurs close to my ear. 

“Just breathe. If he wants to be in your life, let him show you he’s worth it.”

My heart thuds hard in my chest, each beat louder than the music, rattling against my ribs like it’s desperate to break free.

I nod once, almost to myself, clinging to her words like a lifeline.

“Snowflake,” he says as he steps closer, his voice low and familiar, sending a shiver right down my spine.

I glance up at him through my lashes—and immediately regret it.

Why does he always look like he just walked out of a damn runway ad?

Tall. Effortless. Dangerous.

The moment our eyes meet, the air shifts. Suddenly, everything feels charged—like the static before a storm.

The bare skin on my arms tingles, awareness prickling beneath the surface. 

My heart pounds so hard it feels like it might echo off the walls, and the rush of blood in my ears drowns out everything else.

“Hey,” he said, voice quiet and careful like he was afraid I’d disappear if he spoke too loud.

“Hey,” I answered, pulling out a book from my locker and pretending to focus on it.

Ariel and Claire both pretended to be preoccupied—Ariel fiddling with her rings, Claire dramatically invested in an invisible text—but I could feel their ears tuned in like hawks.

Zion shifted his weight from one foot to the other, like the floor had turned into hot coals. 

I could feel his eyes on me—hesitant, unsure—like he was trying to find the right words and kept coming up empty.

His fingers twitched at his sides like he was about to reach out… but then thought better of it.

“Nice day, right?” he said finally and even winced a little like he regretted the words the second they left his mouth.

I glanced up for a second. “Um… yeah.”

Claire leaned in slightly, her voice low enough that only I could hear. 

“Seriously? The weather? Someone get this boy a script.”

I bit back a smile and nudged her with my elbow.

Zion scratched the back of his neck. 

“So... I just… wanted to check-in. Make sure everything’s okay. No one giving you a hard time or anything?”

My heart did that annoying little flip, but I kept my hands busy, pretending my textbook was the most fascinating thing on the planet.

“Um… nope. All good.”

Just then, I heard footsteps behind us, and before I could even turn, a voice cut in with his usual dramatic flair.

“Well, I should fucking hope so.”

Clark’s voice cut through the tension, casual as ever, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. 

Ro trailed behind him, earbuds hanging around his neck, sipping his iced coffee like it was keeping him alive.

Harry, on the other hand, had his eyes locked on Ariel—heading straight for her like nothing else in the world mattered.

“Clark,” Zion muttered under his breath, shooting him a sharp look.

“What?” Clark shrugged, completely unbothered.

“Z had us up at the crack of dawn—stationed at the college gates, by the way—throwing death glares at everyone...”

“Enough,” Zion snapped, voice low but tense beside me.

"What? Just letting her know what a great friend you are..."

"Jesus Christ," Zion muttered again, his voice laced with frustration.

Clark, completely unphased, stepped in front of me with exaggerated flair, arms wide as if preparing to give a TED Talk.

“We even had to threaten a few students, making sure they'd be nice to you or—ow!”

He jerked forward as Harry elbowed him in the ribs, not even looking away from Ariel.

Clark winced. “Dude! Seriously?”

Harry shrugged finally taking his eyes of Ariel 

“Your mouth runs faster than your brain. Someone had to intervene.”

Clark rubbed his side and muttered, 

“Rude...anyways as I was saying... we were just making sure everyone was briefed. Smile at Winter, or suffer the consequences—ow! What now?”

This time Ro had elbowed him.

Clark spun around with a scowl.

“Is this ‘assault Clark’ hour or—?”

Of course. That’s exactly what was happening.

This was Zion’s kingdom—and around here, his word wasn’t just law, it was gospel.

“What is wrong with you two?" He asked looking between Harry and Ro

Zion exhaled sharply and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“This is why I don’t take you anywhere.”

“Excuse you,” Clark said, pointing at Zion with mock offence. 

“We’re the reason she got bullied the moment she stepped onto campus … so yeah, it’s on us to make sure she walks through those gates without anyone messing with her. That’s what friends are supposed to do, right?”

Zion groaned softly under his breath, clearly embarrassed. "It wasn’t exactly like that..."

Clark grinned, completely unfazed. 

“Oh, it was exactly like that. You were out there glaring at people like you were picking targets. Pretty sure half the freshman class is still hiding.”

Harry let out a quiet sigh, shooting Clark a not-so-subtle glare before turning to me and Ariel with a small nod. 

“Morning.”

Ariel gave him a polite smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

I leaned against my locker, arms casually crossed. 

Clark wore a grin that suggested he thought he’d just done me a huge favor, Ro stood silently, his expression as unreadable as ever, and Zion looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor and never be seen again.

I cleared my throat softly, and the words came out before I could second-guess them.

“I appreciate it, guys” I said, keeping my voice calm, even, 

“That no one’s glaring at me or whispering behind my back for once. It’s... nice.”

Zion’s eyes flicked to mine, cautious.

“But,” I added, holding his gaze now, 

“I’d rather you not threaten anyone, okay?”

Clark blinked, eyebrows raised like he couldn’t believe what he just heard. 

Ro actually paused mid-sip of his coffee.

“If someone wants to be nice to me, or talk to me, or like me… I want it to be because they want to. Not because they’re scared of what might happen if they don’t.”

There was a short silence. Zion’s expression didn’t shift much, but his jaw tensed slightly. Like he was processing that. Maybe even disagreeing. But he didn’t argue.

I gave a nonchalant shrug, offering a small, dry smile. 

“All I want is a normal college experience. You know, without the intimidation tactics or the whole 'bullying people into liking me' thing. Sound good?"

Claire gave me a quick side-smirk, clearly proud. Ariel glanced at Zion with a look that practically screamed listen to her.

Zion gave a slow nod, his voice quiet. 

“Noted.”

But something told me that wouldn’t stop him from standing at the gates again tomorrow.