Chapter Two – Sparks and Shadows
592 Words
Jason woke up with the weight of two unread messages on his phone.
The soft morning light filtered through the blinds of his small dorm room, casting faint stripes across the messy sheets. His roommate, Dylan, was still snoring — a muffled, rhythmic sound from room. Jason stretched, ran a hand through his hair, and reached for the phone on his nightstand.
The first message was from Sam:
> Morning, Carter. Soccer practice today at 3. You’re coming. No excuses.
The second was from Bella:
> If you’re free this afternoon, I’d like to show you something.
Jason stared at the screen for a long moment, his heart beating a little faster than it should have.
Sam’s text was bold, straightforward, and impossible to misinterpret.
Bella’s was softer — but somehow heavier, like there was meaning behind the words that he couldn’t quite see yet.
He rubbed his forehead.
Great. Day two and I’m already in dangerous territory.
---
Breakfast with a Choice
By the time Jason got dressed and headed out, the campus was buzzing. Students hurried toward morning classes, coffee cups in hand, conversations blending into a low, constant hum.
He decided to grab breakfast at the campus café — the kind of place where every table had mismatched chairs and the air always smelled faintly of cinnamon and espresso.
Jason had just ordered a coffee and bagel when a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
“Well, well. Look who’s up early.”
He turned to see Sam, in black leggings and a Hillcrest soccer hoodie, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She looked… annoyingly good for someone who probably woke up ten minutes ago.
“Early? It’s almost nine,” Jason said, smirking.
“For a college student, that’s basically sunrise,” Sam teased, stepping in line beside him. “Mind if I join you?”
He didn’t. But before he could answer, his phone buzzed again — a new text from Bella.
> I’ll be in the art studio until lunch. Come if you can.
Jason’s grip tightened slightly around his phone. Sam noticed.
“Who’s that?” she asked, her tone light but eyes sharp.
“No one,” Jason lied quickly. “Just… a class thing.”
Sam tilted her head, studying him for a beat before grinning. “Right. Sure.”
They grabbed their orders and found a small table near the window. Outside, leaves drifted lazily in the breeze, and the sun painted the quad in warm light.
Sam leaned forward on her elbows. “So, Carter… what do you think of Hillcrest so far?”
“It’s… nice,” Jason said, biting into his bagel. “Good vibe. People seem friendly.”
“People? Or girls?” Sam asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Jason chuckled. “You’re fishing.”
“Always,” she admitted shamelessly. “And I have a feeling you’re not as boring as you pretend to be.”
Before he could respond, the café door opened — and Bella walked in.
She was wearing a cream sweater dress with a thin belt at the waist, her long dark hair falling loose over her shoulders. She looked effortlessly elegant, carrying a small sketchbook under one arm.
Jason’s pulse skipped.
Bella scanned the café, her eyes landing on him — and Sam — at the same time.
Her expression didn’t change, but Jason could feel the shift in the air.
“Friend of yours?” Sam asked, though her tone made it clear she already knew the answer.
- Writer
