The first knock didn’t wake her, and neither did the second. By the third, someone sounded determined to break the door off its hinges.

Emilia buried her face deeper into the pillow.

A sleepy groan escaped her lips as she pulled the blanket over her head. Whoever that was could wait.

She had been at Blackwood for exactly one night. The only people she knew had driven home yesterday, and Kylie would rather set herself on fire than knock politely.

The knocking continued, relentless, persistent, and annoying.

"Rowan," Emilia mumbled into her pillow. "I think someone’s trying to murder your door."

Across the room came an equally unimpressed sigh.

Rowan looked up from where she’d been reading near the window. She set the book aside with the kind of patience only someone who expected disappointment from the world possessed.

"Probably."

She stood.

Her dark hair, streaked with green beneath the morning sunlight, slipped over one shoulder as she crossed the room barefoot.

Another bang rattled the wood.

"For God’s sake," Rowan muttered. She unlocked the door. "What?" She snapped.

A familiar male voice answered from the hallway.

"I’m looking for Emilia."

Rowan didn’t respond immediately.

She looked the stranger up and down once, taking him in. He was average height with messy hair, and an expensive watch that didn’t suit the rest of his clothes.

His eyes carried the arrogance of someone accustomed to getting his way.

She wasn’t impressed. Without asking another question, she turned her head toward the room.

"This is for you."

Still half asleep, Emilia frowned beneath the blanket. "For me?"

"Emilia." Noah yelled from the door.

Every trace of sleep vanished. Her eyes flew open, and her heart lurched painfully inside her chest.

She sat upright so quickly the blanket tangled around her legs.

"Noah?"

Before Rowan could react, Noah stepped past her into the dorm room as though he belonged there.

Rowan watched him for exactly two seconds. Afterwards, she picked up her shower caddy from beside her desk.

The drama wasn’t hers.

"I’m going to shower," she said flatly.

Neither of them answered.

She shrugged to herself. "Lock the door when you’re done yelling."

The door clicked shut behind her.

Silence settled over the room.

Emilia stared at him, and Noah stared back.

"What the hell, Emilia?" His voice cracked through the silence. "What the actual hell?"

She swung her legs over the side of the bed. "What are you doing here?"

"I’ve been calling you for a week."

"I know."

"You blocked me." He accused.

She said nothing.

"I came to your apartment."

Her face held no expression after he said that.

His jaw tightened. "You knew?"

"I saw the messages before I blocked the number."

He laughed once. A short, humourless sound. "So this is what we’re doing now?"

She folded her arms across her chest.

He took another step closer, and she didn’t move, or shift. "You didn’t tell me."

Emilia frowned. She stared into his eyes, disgusted. "Tell you what?"

"About Blackwood."

Her eyebrows drew together. For a second she genuinely wondered whether he’d hit his head.

She laughed softly. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh. "Did you?" She asked in between her nicking laugh.

His expression hardened. "Did I what?"

"Hit your head?"

"What?"

"Because from what I remember..." she said evenly, "...we’re not even friends anymore."

His jaw flexed.

"So why exactly would I tell you anything?"

He opened his mouth.

She didn’t let him speak. "You cheated on me."

"You won’t even let me—"

She cut him off, and continued speaking. "And then you blamed me."

"I said I was frustrated."

Emilia blinked. "You told me it happened because I worked too much." She reminded him sharply.

"I was angry."

"You said you had needs." She snapped at him, her voice growing colder with each word. "You stood beside another woman wearing your shirt while telling me that."

Every sentence landed harder than the last.

For the first time since entering the room, Noah looked uncomfortable. However, that was only for a moment.

He recovered quickly. "I made one mistake." His voice softened, almost pleading.

She blinked. "One mistake?" She took the blanket off her feets, and straightened. "You lied."

"I panicked."

"You blamed me."

"I didn’t blame you." He refused, visibly rejecting the idea of ever blaming her.

"You absolutely did."

"I explained why it happened."

She shook her head slowly. "You justified it."

The room fell silent again.

Noah exhaled through his nose. "You’re making this bigger than it is." He murmured, frustrated.

Something inside Emilia went still.

Bigger than it is? After three years, countless sacrifices, and a future she’d planned around him. Reduced to that.

She smiled. "I think we’re done talking." She stood up, and walked toward the door.

He caught her wrist firmly. "Emilia."

She looked down at his hand, then back into his eyes. "Let go." She commanded.

"I’m trying to fix this."

Her voice was calm. "So am I."

He hesitated, then released her.

She rubbed her wrist once, visibly irritated.

"You don’t get to decide we’re over."

She glared at him. "I already did."

"You don’t mean that." He smiled pleasantly, walking closer to her. "You still love me."

Emilia’s face turned pale. The idea of her still being in love with him repulsed her so badly that she almost threw up.

Noah looked uncertain for a second then his determination returned.

"I spoke to my uncle."

Emilia frowned. "What?"

"He knows someone on Blackwood’s admissions board."

Her stomach tightened.

"I got in."

She stared at him. A lump formed in her throat. "You... what?"

"I’ll be studying here too."

Her face was drained of colour at this point. "You transferred?"

He nodded proudly. "I made a few calls."

Emilia blinked. She blinked again. "You changed your entire future..." Her voice became barely audible. "...to follow me?"

His expression softened as though she’d misunderstood everything. "I followed the woman I love."

Emilia felt something she’d never expected to feel around Noah that instant. She felt fear. Not because she thought he’d hurt her, but because she suddenly realised he genuinely believed this was romantic.

"Suck it up. I made efforts to be this close to you." he took her wrist in his again. "I transferred because I wasn’t ready to give up on us."

"Three years, Emilia." His voice softened. "You’re really going to throw away three years over one bad decision?"

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