Chapter Five:Rumours and Reality
501 Words
The first morning at Maple Residence was quieter than Aria had expected.
Golden sunlight filtered through the curtains, filling the apartment with a warm glow.
For a few peaceful seconds, she forgot she was hundreds of miles away from home.
Then Emily knocked gently on her bedroom door.
"Please tell me you're awake."
Aria laughed.
"I've been awake for ten minutes."
"Good."
Emily pushed the door open, already dressed for the day.
"We've got forty-five minutes before our first lecture."
Aria glanced at the clock.
"I thought we had more time."
"So did I."
Emily shrugged.
"Until I actually checked."
About an hour later, the two girls left Apartment 4A carrying coffee cups and backpacks.
Emily reached for the door handle.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
The apartment door opened.
Almost at the exact same moment...
The door opposite theirs opened too.
Damian stepped into the hallway, adjusting the sleeve of his black jacket.
Behind him came Mason, still trying to finish a piece of toast.
"Morning," Mason said cheerfully.
Emily smiled.
"Morning."
Aria offered a polite nod.
"Morning."
Mason nudged Damian with his elbow.
"You know... normal people usually answer."
Damian looked at Aria.
"Morning."
His voice was calm.
Quiet.
Then he locked the apartment and started walking towards the lift.
Emily watched him disappear down the corridor.
"I think that's a new record."
"What is?"
"He spoke twice in less than twenty-four hours."
Mason laughed.
"Don't get used to it."
The four of them walked toward the lift together.
The silence wasn't awkward...
Just unfamiliar.
When the lift doors opened on the ground floor, a loud voice echoed across the residence lobby.
"There he is!"
A first-year student came running toward Damian.
Before anyone could react...
The young man tripped on the edge of the entrance.
His books flew across the polished floor.
Several students laughed.
Without saying a word...
Damian crouched down.
He picked up the scattered books one by one before handing them back.
"You alright?"
The boy nodded, his face burning with embarrassment.
"Y-Yeah,only wanted to get info about the basketball team."
Damian gave a small nod.
"Watch where you're going next time."
"Thanks..."
" Meet me at the court in the evening"
The boy nodded and hurried away.
Aria watched the whole exchange in silence.
She looked at Emily.
"I thought you said people were afraid of him."
"They are."
"But..."
Emily frowned.
"I've never actually seen him be rude to anyone."
Mason smiled to himself but said nothing.
He'd heard that sentence more times than he could count.
People feared Damian because of the stories.
Very few ever stayed long enough to discover the truth.
As they stepped outside Maple Residence, students walking across the courtyard greeted Damian from a distance.
Some with respect.
Some with caution.
Some not at all.
He acknowledged none of it.
He simply kept walking.
Aria found herself watching him.
Not because she liked him.
But because, for the first time...
She wasn't sure she believed the rumours anymore.
- Writer
