Finding light in the darkest places—through love-Chapter 77 – A Step Closer

The weekend came faster than Evelyn expected, yet each passing day only made the thoughts in her mind more tangled. The realization was an odd thing—it didn't happen all at once, but in pieces, in moments that built upon each other until the picture became too clear to ignore.

And the picture was this: she had feelings for Adrian.

She wasn't sure how long they had been there, only that now they were impossible to push aside. The way she sought him out in a crowd without thinking. The way she remembered small details about him—his favorite late-night snack, the way he tapped his fingers when he was deep in thought, the exact shade of blue in his eyes when he was teasing versus when he was serious.

The way his presence had started to feel essential.

Evelyn sighed, flipping onto her stomach on her bed, her phone resting on the pillow beside her. Claire had gone out for the afternoon, leaving the dorm unnervingly quiet. She should be working on her paper, but instead, she found herself scrolling through old messages with Adrian, rereading conversations she had once thought of as casual.

They weren't. Not really.

Her phone buzzed just as she was about to put it down.

Adrian: What are you up to?

Evelyn stared at the message for a moment before typing back.

Evelyn: Procrastinating. You?

Adrian: Same. Want to be unproductive together?

A small smile tugged at her lips. There was no hesitation in her response.

Evelyn: Meet me at the quad in ten.

A Quiet Afternoon

When Evelyn reached the quad, the sun hung low in the sky, casting warm hues across the campus. Adrian was already there, sitting on one of the benches, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. When he spotted her, he grinned.

"Look who finally showed up," he teased.

Evelyn rolled her eyes but sat beside him. "You got here early, didn't you?"

Adrian shrugged. "Maybe."

Silence settled between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It never was. They watched students passing by, some heading to study sessions, others lounging in the grass with friends. The world felt quiet, but in a way that was peaceful, not empty.

After a few moments, Adrian broke the silence. "You've been weird lately."

Evelyn's stomach twisted. "Weird how?"

He tilted his head, studying her. "Like you're thinking too much."

"I always think too much."

Adrian smirked. "Yeah, but usually it's about school. Lately, it feels like it's about something else."

She hesitated. He wasn't wrong. But admitting it—saying it out loud—felt too big, too dangerous.

Instead, she said, "Maybe I'm just tired."

Adrian didn't look convinced, but he let it go. For now.

A Moment That Almost Meant More

At some point, they started walking, aimlessly meandering through campus. It wasn't unusual for them, but tonight felt different. Each step felt heavier, charged with something unspoken.

Adrian stretched his arms above his head. "You ever think about the future?"

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Evelyn blinked. "That's a broad question."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I mean, like... where we'll be in a few years. If things will still be like this."

Evelyn slowed her pace, glancing at him. "Do you want them to be?"

Adrian stopped walking. For a second, he just looked at her, his expression unreadable. Then he said, softer than usual, "Yeah. I think I do."

Her heart stuttered.

They stood there, the space between them feeling too small and too vast simultaneously. Evelyn could feel the weight of a moment hanging in the air, something delicate and waiting to be acknowledged. She thought, If I say something now, everything could change.

But she wasn't ready.

So instead, she exhaled a quiet laugh, nudging his arm. "You're getting sentimental on me, Adrian."

He smirked, the tension easing just enough. "Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."

She rolled her eyes, but her heart still raced in her chest. Because for a brief second, she had seen it—something raw and real in his expression.

Something she wasn't quite ready to face.

But soon.