The Pastor’s Daughter and the Devil’s Hidden Princess

Chapter3:SafeDistance protocol

Chloe’s POV

The rest of the evening was quiet.

Painfully, awkwardly quiet.

I unpacked my bags the best I could. Not like the closest was exactly big but I made sure my church-approved skirts were neatly folded on my side of it and my blouses hung in a straight, orderly line.

I even placed my worn leather Bible right on the nightstand beside my bed, a small shield against whatever dark, chaotic energy Jax seemed to radiate.

Jax didn't say another word to me for the rest of the night.

Quite odd.

She slipped out of the room around sunset and didn’t return until long after midnight, her boots clicking softly against the floor.

I had pretended to be asleep, listening to the heavy rustle of her leather jacket as she tossed it over her chair before the room fell completely silent once more.

~

By morning, I was determined to follow my father's golden rule: keep my distance.

Classes hadn't officially started yet, which meant the campus was mostly filled with restless upperclassmen and wandering freshmen like me trying to figure out where everything was. I smoothed down the fabric of my blue midi skirt, buttoned my cardigan all the way to the top, and decided to take a walk to clear my head and find the campus chapel or library.

Anything to stay out of that room.

Stepping out into the crisp morning air felt wonderful.

The sun was warm, filtering through the giant oak trees that lined the walkways, and students were gathered in small clusters on the lawns, laughing and chatting. It was so vibrant, so entirely different from the rigid, suffocating routines of home.

‘I could get used to this.’ I muttered to myself.

I kept my eyes mostly on the footpath, clutching a small notebook to my chest.

“Watch out!” a voice chirped, right before a soft shoulder bumped gently against mine.

I stumbled to the side, my notebook slipping from my fingers and scattering a few loose index cards onto the grass.

“Oh, I am so sorry” the girl said quickly, dropping to her knees to help me gather the papers.

She had bright, bouncy blonde curls, big expressive brown eyes, and wore a bright yellow sundress that looked practically illegal compared to my wardrobe. “I wasn't looking where I was going. My name is Maya, by the way.”

I blinked, kneeling down to grab my cards. “I'm Chloe. And it's totally fine, really. I promise.”

Maya handed me the last card with a warm, beaming smile. She stood up and dusted off her knees, looking me up and down with genuine curiosity.

“Chloe... wait, are you a freshman? I don't think I've seen you around orientation events.”

“Yeah, just moved in yesterday,” I replied, standing up and brushing off my skirt. “Room 304.”

Maya’s eyes went wide. “Oh! The third-floor south wing? Wow. That's right near the mechanic's hangout zone. Are you holding up okay? Everyone knows to steer clear of that building.”

I let out a dry, nervous chuckle. “You have no idea. My roommate is... well, she's something else.”

“Let me guess. Jax Knox?” Maya asked, lowering her voice preparing for a gossip as we started walking side by side down the path.

I stopped dead in my tracks. “You know her?”

“Everyone knows Jax,” Maya said, waving a hand dismissively, though there was a clear edge of caution in her tone. “She runs with that notorious motorcycle crowd on campus. Cold, keeps to herself, and has a temper that can snap a broomstick in half. My brother told me never to look her in the eye if I value my peace of mind.”

That description fit the girl in the black leather jacket a little too well. A shiver ran down my spine, though part of me couldn't help remembering the way those eyes had stared down my father without a single flicker of fear.

“Right. Well, we're keeping our distance from each other,” I said firmly, adjusting my cardigan. “It's safer that way. For both of us.”

“Smart girl,” Maya beamed, linking her arm happily through mine as if we had been friends for years. “Come on. Classes don't start until Monday, so I'll show you where the good coffee is and where we can hide from the overzealous campus evangelists.”

I froze for a second.

‘My father would kill me’ I thought.

I laughed, letting Maya pull me along toward the student center. It felt nice. For the first time since arriving at Crown University, I felt like I might actually find a normal rhythm here.

Back at the dorm later that afternoon, the reality of the ‘Safe Distance Protocol’ set back in.

Jax was already sitting on her bed when I slipped through the door, her long legs stretched out, tapping a wrench rhythmically against her palm.

She didn't look up when I walked in.

She didn't greet me, didn't sigh, and didn't make a single sarcastic comment. She just acted as though I was an invisible piece of furniture taking up space in her peripheral vision.

I quietly walked over to my side of the room, set my notebook down, and sat on the edge of my mattress. I opened my Bible, staring down at the pages, trying to focus on the text instead of the quiet, brooding presence just a few feet away.

Jax clearly wanted nothing to do with me either. Her silence was heavy, almost defensive, as if she were building an invisible wall just as high as mine.

I glanced up from my book, sneaking a quick look across the room. Jax was staring blankly out the window, her jaw clenched tight.

We were both trying so hard to ignore each other, trapped in the exact same tiny room. And yet, sitting there in this weird quiet, a strange, persistent voice at the back of my mind whispered that this fragile distance couldn't possibly last.

‘Why in Christ’s name am I even bothered?’