Chapter 8
The reunion i couldn't handle.
"The dorm"
It was a Monday morning, the kind that still felt like a slow continuation of the weekend. I had fallen asleep late on Saturday and barely moved all through Sunday, just me, my bed, Netflix, and a few half-hearted text conversations. By the time Monday rolled in, I was still fighting that lazy weekend fog.
The hallway buzzed with chatter as I walked into the section of the school where most club meetings were held.
Posters for student groups covered the walls, Business Club, Environmental Society, Drama Guild, and somewhere between them was ours.
Women in Business. It was Club Day, and I'd promised myself to show up this time.
I clicked my heels softly on the polished floor as I entered the room and found a seat among a cluster of girls already chatting. The atmosphere was bright, hopeful, like everyone was ready to build something important. At the front stood our vice leader, Amelia, a poised third-year student with sharp confidence and a soft smile.
She started her speech with a calm tone that grew stronger with every word. She talked about the importance of women finding their voices in spaces often dominated by men, about courage, ambition, and lifting each other up instead of competing for the same small spotlight.
"Business isn't just about numbers," she said, her eyes sweeping the room. "It's about people. And when women support women, success stops being a competition, it becomes a movement."
Her words struck something in me. I felt my chest tighten, like she had quietly called out every doubt I'd had about belonging here.
When she finished, she invited us to share our thoughts. A few hands went up.
Wesley spoke first, her voice light and confident. "I liked how she said we can create space for ourselves," she said. "It made me think about starting something small, even a campus project to help women pitch their own ideas."
Others followed, sharing reflections about leadership and equality. Then it was my turn.
"I think what stood out to me," I began, "was how she connected business with humanity. Sometimes we forget that success means nothing if we don't use it to help someone else climb, too."
The room hummed with nods and murmurs of agreement. A few people even clapped softly. My words had landed better than I expected, and a quiet satisfaction warmed me.
After the meeting, we all exchanged pleasantries, smiles, compliments, quick jokes about upcoming midterms. I told Amelia her speech was inspiring, and she thanked me with that kind of genuine warmth that made people want to stay around her longer.
As I stepped back into the cool corridor, I felt lighter. Maybe it was the caffeine finally kicking in, or maybe it was that, for the first time in a while, I'd spoken from a place that felt real.
I went back to my dorm room, feeling fulfilled .
I was less busy that Monday, so I threw myself into movies, hoping to distract my mind.
But even as I watched, my thoughts kept drifting to Alessandro. He hadn't called or texted. What could be going on?
Did he get the right number? Was he still on that business trip? Or worse… was he avoiding me now that he knew I was just a 19-year-old girl messing around with a 27 almost 28 year-old man?
All those thoughts rushed through my head like waves, louder than the movie I was pretending to enjoy. I wasn't really focused anymore. My chest felt tight, not from the plot twists on the screen, but from the uncertainty swirling inside me.
It was a slow, restless Monday. And my heart wasn't handling it well.
---
I went to class through the week feeling hurt.
It was a rainy afternoon, and I had to drag myself to class again. the one I dreaded the most, Financial Accounting. Boring lectures, endless calculations… it was pure torture. I walked in, soaked and annoyed, and sank into a seat near the back, feeling like a soggy ghost haunting a room I didn't want to be in.
I stared blankly ahead, detached, until my eyes caught something.
"Adams"
He was already seated across the room. Our eyes met briefly. He gave me a small nod and a wave with his head.
I looked away.
I didn't want to think of him. Not now.
I knew it probably hurt him, the way I just brushed off his gesture. But I couldn't afford to care, not today.
When the lecture finally ended, and students began filing out, I felt a presence beside me.
"Hey Mila… can we talk?" he asked, his voice soft.
I glanced at him, lips curled slightly in a barely noticeable smirk.
"What for?" I replied coolly.
"To talk... and I would love to apologize," he said, locking eyes with me, those dangerously sexy eyes of his.
I couldn't bear it. "Don't look at me like that," I whispered, heart pounding. "Not with those eyes."
So would you talk to me?? He asked puzzled.
"Okay," I said, then quickly added, "But not right now."
"How about later tonight? In the garden?" he offered.
"Uhn-uh, nope. Not there," I replied instantly.
He chuckled. "Where then?"
I hesitated, thinking.
"How about… a date? A dinner date? Maybe around 6?" he asked.
"Cool," I said with a grin. "Sounds kinda lit."
By 6PM, I was all dressed up, looking good and feeling even better. My perfume danced in the air as I buckled my heels.
"You look absolutely gorgeous, Mila," Jasmine said, her eyes wide with admiration.
"Thank you, ma'am," I replied with a playful curtsy.
"Oh my God, girl, you're gonna kill that event tonight," Tara added.
"What event?" I asked, confused.
"The school's Freshers' Welcome Party," Jasmine reminded me.
"Ohhh… right! I totally forgot."
"Aren't you two coming?" I asked.
"For sure, just need a bit of rest first," Jasmine replied.
"We're already prepared," Tara added, nodding toward the dresses hanging neatly in the corner.
"Alright then, bye!" I waved as I stepped out.
My ride was already waiting. Twenty minutes later, we pulled up in front of a charming French restaurant called "Maison de Lumière". The place was beautiful, warm lighting, elegant décor, and a soft melody playing in the background.
Adams was already seated. He stood immediately and pulled out my chair like a gentleman.
"Thank you," I said, sitting down.
"You're welcome, my lady," he replied with a cheeky smile.
The waiter appeared, menu in hand. "What would you like to order?"
They had Coq au Vin, Ratatouille, and Duck à l'Orange.
"I'll go for the Duck à l'Orange," I said, my favourite.
"I'll have what she's having," Adams added.
The waiter nodded and walked off to place our order.
---
The waitress returned with our food, setting the plates neatly on the table before disappearing with a polite smile.
The aroma of a roasted duck mixed with orange mouth watery sauce, filled the air as Adams and I began to eat.
"So, how have you been these past few days?" he asked, his tone polished, curious.
"I've been good," I replied, smiling softly. "How about you?"
"Well, I've been really busy with the school basketball team," he said, leaning back slightly. "Lots of training as a fresher, you know how the coach is with beginners. Everything has to be perfect."
I laughed lightly. "That sounds exactly like you, Adams. Always chasing perfection."
We talked and laughed for a while, the easy flow of conversation filling the space between us. But suddenly, I coughed a little. Adams quickly reached for a glass of water and handed it to me.
"Easy," he said gently, concern flickering in his eyes.
As I took a sip, Alessandro's voice echoed in my memory 'Table manners,' he would always say whenever I tried to start a conversation during dinner. The thought made my chest tighten. For a moment, I was lost somewhere between the past and the present.
"Hey… you okay?" Adams' voice brought me back.
"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "Just zoned out for a second."
We finished our meal mostly in silence, both of us lost in thought. When the plates were cleared, Adams leaned forward with that familiar glint of mischief.
"How about we check out the freshers' event tonight?" he asked. "You know, just to dance a little?"
I hesitated, but his grin was impossible to refuse. "Fine," I said with a laugh. "You win."
The event hall buzzed with lights, music, and laughter. As we stepped inside, a few heads turned. Adams had that kind of presence that drew attention, and walking beside him felt like stepping into someone else's story.
We danced, laughed, and maybe drank a little too much. The music wrapped around us until everything felt soft and dizzy. I could feel the warmth of his hand in mine, guiding me through the crowd, through the music, through the blur of lights.
By the time we left, the night air was cool and sharp. Adams offered to walk me back, but somehow, the path led to his dorm instead.
The air in Adams's room felt different, quiet, heavy with the echoes of music from the event hall. The soft lamplight brushed over the walls, turning everything gold and gentle.
We stood close, too close to pretend anymore. I could feel the warmth radiating off his skin, the rhythm of his breath matching mine. Neither of us spoke. It was as if the silence itself had a pulse.
He reached up, tracing his thumb lightly across my cheek, and for a moment I closed my eyes, letting the touch linger.
His scent, clean, familiar, wrapped around me, pulling me deeper into the moment.
He pulled me closer to him, still standing made me sit on the bed. While he stood facing me. closer than ever, Adams hands unzipped my dress from the back while standing at my front. He held my hands high up as he did the touching abd made me watch what he was doing to me.
I was feeling the moment already, I couldn't go back as I crave for him. Adams hands traced my skin down and pursed at my boobs. He caresses them like they were his basket balls, and he was traning.
And at the moment, I only want him to go down there... few minutes later I could hear myself morning and begging for more as he held my hands to the back, with his left hand. my face placed on the bed, my legs stretched to the floor, his right hand on my head pulling my hair softly, as he also moans softly and gasped for breath.