Elise sat on the edge of her bed later that night, her fingers absently brushing over the fresh bandage Davon had tied. The room was quiet—too quiet—but her mind refused to be still.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. His crimson eyes watching her. His careful hands dressing her wound. That wink. That smirk. And then—his voice, low and smooth—You're welcome, Elise.
Her stomach twisted.
How did he know my name? she thought, hugging her pillow tightly. I never told him…
The more she replayed it, the more unsettled she became. Her heart skipped in ways it shouldn't. And yet, beneath it all, a flicker of fear lingered.
He's strong. Too strong. He appeared out of nowhere. And those girls… they were terrified of him.
She buried her face in her pillow, groaning. "What is happening to me? To my life?"
She wasn't in love. She couldn't be. Not with someone like Davon. But she couldn't deny it—he unsettled her. He confused her. And most of all… he scared her, in ways she didn't understand.
Meanwhile, across campus, Davon sat alone in his dorm, staring at the faint moonlight through the window. His fingers drummed against the desk.
"She's still afraid," he muttered, recalling the look in Elise's eyes. "But fear means she feels something. And feelings… can change."
For the first time in years, hope stirred in him.