Chapter 84

Evaline:
By the time I finally reached my dorm, the sun was long gone. But the warmth from Oscar’s kiss was still tingling on my lips.
I was still able to feel the press of his hand at the small of my back, the phantom weight of his arm around me as we had walked through that secret tunnel. His voice was lingering in my ears too, every soft tease and every promise was wrapped in that low, warm tone.
And yet, the moment I opened the door and stepped into the common area of my dorm, the haze of that moment shattered like thin glass.
Mallory was there.
And so were Kyros, Selene, Noah, and Ria.
They were all lounging in various degrees of comfort. Selene was sprawled across the floor with her legs on the couch. Kyros was perched on the armrest, tapping away on his tablet. Noah and Ria were discussing something quietly in the corner. And Mallory had her nose buried in a thick textbook.
“Eva,” Selene was the first to notice me. “Where have you been? We thought you were buried in the library or something.”
Mallory sat up, her eyes narrowing playfully. “We almost sent Noah on a rescue mission.”
Noah raised a brow and added, “I had my cloak ready.”
I forced a smile, shaking my head with practiced ease. “Sorry. Lost track of time. Got caught up with some prep for Monday’s quiz.”
That was a lie. But I couldn’t tell them the truth.
Ria grinned and nudged Kyros. “Told you she was in study mode.”
“I figured,” Kyros replied in a gentle voice. “You have got that internship this weekend. Makes sense you would try to get ahead.”
He then reached down beside the couch and picked up a steaming bowl covered with an aluminum foil. “We saved you dinner,” he said, holding it out to me. “Soup. From the dining hall.”
My heart dropped.
“You smuggled it out?” I asked, taking the bowl carefully. Newest update provıded by ~net
He shrugged like it was nothing, but there was a note of pride in his tone. “Healthy. Easy on the stomach. You’ll need the brainpower.”
My fingers tightened slightly on the warm ceramic. I was full… ridiculously full, actually. But the thought of him risking his neck just to sneak this out for me made guilt settle in my stomach like a stone.
“Thanks,” I murmured while looking at all of them in turn. “Really. It means a lot.”
They all brushed off my words, pretending like they had done nothing, but I noticed the soft, warm smiles on their lips.
Eventually, they all trickled out one by one. Selene left first before Noah and Kyros bid their good nights. Finally, Ria and Mallory took their leave and disappeared inside their bedroom.
Once the dorm was quiet again, I carried the soup to the kitchenette, took a few slow sips – just enough to not feel like a complete fraud – and cleaned the bowl. Then I grabbed my toiletries and headed to the girl’s showers down the hall.
The warm water helped ease some of the lingering tension in my shoulders. I changed into my sleepwear, brushed out my damp hair, and finally crawled into bed. My limbs sank into the mattress like they had been waiting all day for this moment.
Before I let sleep take me completely, I set my alarm for midnight.
Exactly two and a half hours later, the soft chime rang beside my head.
My eyes flew open immediately. I was feeling groggy but determined. I climbed down the bed and pulled open the sliding glass door of the balcony.
The moment door opened, Rowan nearly tripped over himself.
“What the-” he cursed under his breath, catching himself as I stared back at him with sleep still clinging to my lashes.
“Hi,” I whispered.
He blinked. “You… set an alarm?”
“To talk to you,” I said while stepping back and letting him in. Once he was inside, I handed him a neat stack of notes I had compiled earlier in the day. “Before you disappear again in the morning.”
He accepted the papers slowly, blinking down at them in disbelief. “What is this?”
“Everything I have for Monday’s quiz,” I said while crossing my arms. “Herbs and Potions. It’s going to count toward thirty percent of your total marks. And I haven’t seen you in class since day one.”
He scratched the back of his neck, still looking bewildered. “I didn’t think anyone noticed.”
“I did,” I said, quieter this time. “I know Silver Moon Academy lets students slack off for the first few weeks, but then they blindside you with the finals. It’s brutal. People think they’ll coast through until it’s too late.”
He stared at me, the notes clutched in his hand like they were a lifeline.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said after a beat.
I offered a small smile. “I know. But I don’t want to watch you crash and burn because no one warned you.”
He looked down at the notes again and a flicker of something unreadable passed across his face. Maybe it was surprise. Maybe something softer.
“You are serious about this?” he asked.
“Completely.”
He laughed under his breath, shaking his head like I had just pulled the rug out from under him. “My dear roomie, what am I going to do with you?”
“Don’t mock me,” I warned lightly. “Just show up to class on Monday with at least half of that in your brain.”
He placed the notes carefully on his table and moved to take off his shoes. “Fine. I’ll read it. But if I fail, I’m blaming your handwriting.”
I sighed but there was a smile on my lips. “Fair enough.”
We didn’t talk any further. He grabbed his clothes and left to take a shower.
I once again slipped under the covers and sleep came faster than I expected this time.
A lot happened today, and a lot had changed too.
And I wasn’t sure how it’s going to change the future that I was trying so hard to build.