Chapter 3 ~ Plumbing Issue And More
1665 Words
{Grace’s POV}
Manners exist for a reason.
They are not fundamental decorations. Nope.
I was staring at Damien now with the words I had said hanging in the air, and he was staring back at me.
With this, he didn’t look shocked like everyone else. His gaze was more… assessing.
Like I’d suddenly become a puzzle he was required to solve.
On the other hand, Sofia who was beside me, looked seconds away from collapsing.
“Grace,” she whispered harshly but I didn’t get the chance to focus on her as Damian spoke again…
…his expression still unreadable and his voice colder now. “Do you need a reason to leave because I can help you with?”
The way he spoke made the air grow tense, but then…
“Well, actually. Yes, I need a reason,” I replied. “That’s how communication works.”
With that guy near the back literally whispered, “Oh my God.” And another student pulled out their phone but I wasn’t focused on all of that. Only partly conscious of them because I wanted to know what this dude was about.
Damian, the dude, tilted his head slightly now, eyes never leaving mine. “Nobody’s ever explained basic social cues to you?”
“Actually my parents did a wonderful job,” I said politely. “That’s why I say please before ordering people around like a pot-bellied medieval king.”
An instant round of shocked laugh escaped some people nearby before immediately being silenced.
Sofia looked ready to pass out now while Damian remained perfectly calm, which somehow made the whole thing more intense… or interesting.
“I don’t answer to you,” he said evenly.
I shrugged lightly. “Same here.”
Another wave of gasps swept round, this one somehow prominent than the first. The air felt tight now, thick with tension and disbelief.
Because apparently nobody at Montclair University had ever spoken to Damian Reyes like this before.
And honestly?
That’s really unhealthy if this truly is his attitude.
Damien’s eyes narrowed slightly now. Not angry. Focused.
…which should not have affected me as much as it did.
“Do you always talk this much?” he asked now.
“Only when people are unwisely impolite.”
“If you knew who you were talking to, you’d leave.”
“If you asked like a normal person, I probably would’ve already gone.” I fired back and that seemed to genuinely catch him off guard.
It was not a dramatic expression. Just a slight pause— tiny but there.
Our growing audience on the other hand did then usual.
Clusters of whispers spread through the room while Sofia continued begging me to shut up using weird sign languages.
But unfortunately for everyone involved, I was annoyed now.
And tired.
And emotionally attached to my burger.
Deadly combination.
Damian looked at me for a long moment. He didn’t express much but he definitely wasn’t pleased. I could tell.
And I didn’t care. He was wrong and that’s that.
So I stared back while taking another bite.
Because at this point?
Commitment mattered.
Finally, Damian stepped back slightly and he didn’t do it like he was defeated. No.
He still appeared completely composed which I found impressive. And this could have signified peace but then something had shifted…
His gaze moved over me once more, lingering just briefly before he turned away.
Instantly, students parted for him like they had collectively rehearsed this while his friends followed behind him without question.
And just like that, he left, and the room stayed silent for approximately three seconds…
…then chaos exploded.
“Oh my goodness!”
“Did that seriously just happen?”
“She spoke back to him—”
“Oh. She’s cooked!”
“Who IS she?”
Sofia whipped toward me so fast her curls nearly smacked me in the face.
“What have you DONE?!”
I blinked up at her. “Finished my burger and addressed someone’s lack of home training.”
Her jaw dropped.
I took a sip of my drink calmly.
“He’s unbelievably beautiful,” I admitted. “Which honestly makes the personality even more disappointing and irritating.”
“Grace!”
“What?!”
“You do NOT argue with Damian Reyes!”
I looked around at all the staring students. Some still openly watched me like I’d wrestled a tiger and survived.
Honestly, everyone was overreacting. The bloke wasn’t paying their taxes.
I stood up finally, grabbing my tray and bags.
“Anyway,” I said, “I’m done eating and my spine is starting to file complaints against me, so can we please go handle the accommodation thing now?”
Sofia stared at me like she no longer recognized me in our bloodline.
**
After some strenuous minutes of trekking, we got to the accommodation office and the place looked like stress had physically manifested into architecture.
Papers covered every surface.
Folders spilled from cabinets.
Sticky notes clung to walls like emotional support decorations.
Behind the desk sat a man who looked approximately six business days away from complete psychological breakdown.
He had glasses sliding down his nose, two phones ringing simultaneously, and the exhausted expression of someone who hadn’t slept since last summer.
“Name?” he asked while typing aggressively.
“Grace Reyés.”
“Spell it.”
I did. He typed faster.
One phone rang again. And he answered it immediately while still typing.
“No, if the washing machines are smoking then unplug them— no, UNPLUG THEM first before emailing me pictures, Derek—”
He hung up and pointed vaguely at us. “Sit. Or stand. Live your truth.”
I already liked him a little.
Sofia did not.
The man continued typing furiously before suddenly freezing.
“Huh.”
That was not a reassuring huh.
“What?” I asked carefully.
“So your assigned housing developed a plumbing issue this morning.”
My stomach dropped.
“What kind of plumbing issue?”
He adjusted his glasses. “Wet kind.”
Oh. Wonderful.
“Maintenance is working on it now, but the building’s temporarily inaccessible.”
“Temporarily?” I repeated weakly.
“Could be days. Could be a week. Depends how committed the pipes are to destruction.”
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Then one of his phones rang again.
“Accommodation services. If you’re calling to yell, I cannot help you.”
He listened for three seconds.
“No. Raccoons are technically not covered under standard housing policy.”
He clicked.
Meanwhile I was standing there, my worry growing.
“So…” I said carefully. “Where exactly am I supposed to stay?”
“That’s the fun part,” he replied immediately and I grew a confused expression.
Fun part?
He typed again.
“There are currently no available replacement spaces.”
My heart physically sank. Why me?
“If you’d arrived earlier this morning, maybe,” he muttered distractedly. “But right now? Nothing.”
I closed my eyes briefly and took in a deep breath to cool things down in there because I was panicking hard now.
Fantastic.
Amazing.
Love this for me.
Beside me, Sofia looked equally stressed but just then, the administrator suddenly snapped his fingers.
“Unless.”
I looked up instantly.
“You can temporarily stay with your brother.”
I blinked.
“My what?”
“Brother. Temporary arrangement. Same unit. Problem solved.” He printed papers rapidly without looking at me properly. “You’ll move back once maintenance finishes repairs.”
I frowned. “I don’t have a brother.”
“No one ever has a brother, Miss Reyés, but then there’s humanity and reality.”
What?
“What does that even mean?”
Before I could question him further, he shoved keys and papers toward me while simultaneously answering another phone call.
“Yes?”
Pause.
“No, you cannot legally classify your roommate as paranormal activity! God!”
Sofia leaned closer to me now. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“I genuinely don’t know.”
A few minutes later, another staff, an escort officer, showed up and was assigned by the man to guide us toward the temporary residence.
The walk there felt calmer somehow. Quieter.
Campus lights had started glowing softly against the evening sky while students drifted between buildings in smaller groups now.
“So,” I said while dragging my suitcase beside me, “best classes to avoid?”
Sofia still looked traumatized from the Damian situation. “You almost died two hours into arriving here.” She said instead and I grew a frown.
“I didn’t almost die.”
“You publicly challenged Damian.”
“Those are not the same thing.”
“To me they are. To everyone, they are!” She voiced and I thought she was dramatic. Thankfully then, the residence building eventually came into view and— wow.
Worthy wow. (ww)
“This is student housing?” I whispered.
The building looked more expensive than my future.
Modern glass. Dark stone walls. Massive windows glowing warmly from inside.
Sofia looked equally surprised. “If this is where rich students live, I need to start making better financial decisions.”
“I was literally just thinking that.”
The escort officer handed me an extra key now as we got closer.
“Your roommate should be inside.” He told me now.
Roommate.
Okay.
Another girl. Hopefully someone nice whom I can learn to gossip with. Hopefully.
The escort officer knocked once now and after a moment, footsteps sounded from inside, after which the door opened and I…
I froze, dismayed and utterly confused— because standing before me, in a frame of nothing less than six foot zero, was Damien.
The same “all must tremble before me” bloke.
“Oh you have GOT to be kidding me.”
- Writer
