Chapter:20
1430 Words
A week had passed since the late-night confessions. Since then, the bond between Alex and her roommates had grown even stronger. They cooked together more often, studied side by side, and left sticky notes on each other's doors with affirmations or silly jokes.
But tonight, something else weighed on Alex’s chest.
She stood in the kitchen, stirring a pot of noodles absentmindedly, when Sarah walked in wearing her silk robe and fluffy slippers.
“You look like you’re cooking your problems,” Sarah said lightly.
Alex chuckled. “Maybe I am.”
Within a few minutes, Maddie and Emily had joined them too, each drawn by the smell or maybe just the unspoken sense that something was about to be shared.
“Okay,” Alex said, turning off the stove. “I need to tell you guys something else.”
The roommates exchanged quick glances but stayed quiet, giving her the space she needed.
Alex leaned against the counter and exhaled slowly.
“Remember when I said I worked at the hotel over the holidays?”
They nodded.
“Well… something happened there. I met someone. And not in the usual ‘hey I met a cute guy’ kind of way. It was… intense.”
Maddie perked up. “Ooh, storytime?”
Alex gave a small, nervous smile. “Not the romantic kind—at least not at first.”
She explained everything. The night she found a wounded man in the hotel hallway. How he begged her to hide him. How she brought him to the dorm while her roommates were away. How he stayed for days—how they talked, bonded, even laughed through the madness. His name: Ethan Richmond.
Sarah nearly dropped her tea. “Wait, the Richmond family?!”
Alex nodded.
“Holy crap,” Emily whispered.
Maddie blinked. “That’s… insane.”
Alex braced herself for their judgment. But instead—
Maddie walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. “And you took care of him?”
“I did,” Alex said. “I didn’t even know who he was at first. And by the time I found out… I didn’t care. He was scared, hurt, and needed help. I couldn’t turn him away.”
Emily gave her a proud smile. “That’s badass.”
Sarah crossed her arms, pacing slowly. “So let me get this straight: you housed a runaway billionaire heir who might be involved in some serious family drama, and you didn’t think to tell us?”
Alex flinched. “I—”
“I’m not mad,” Sarah cut in, smirking. “I’m impressed.”
They all laughed, and some of the tension lifted.
Maddie tilted her head. “Do you still talk to him?”
Alex hesitated. “Yeah. He’s… complicated. But I think he really trusts me. And I care about him more than I expected.”
Sarah leaned in. “Does he care about you?”
Alex looked down, smiled softly. “I think he does.”
Emily picked up a spoon and pointed it like a wand. “Well, if he ever hurts you, I will personally destroy his entire family legacy.”
Maddie raised her tea mug. “To unexpected connections and fiercely loyal friends.”
They clinked their mugs together, even though one was holding chopsticks, and the moment felt perfect in its chaotic simplicity.
In a world full of power, secrets, and betrayal… Alex had something real.
Sisterhood.
---
Late Text from a Ghost – Ethan Reaches Out
It was almost midnight. The dorm was quiet except for the occasional rustle of pages and the gentle hum of lo-fi beats coming from Maddie’s room. Alex sat curled on her bed, laptop open, trying to finish a research paper—but her mind had been drifting all evening.
Then her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number: Still awake?
Her breath hitched. The number wasn’t saved, but she knew who it was.
Alex: Ethan?
A few seconds passed.
Ethan: Yeah. It’s me. I’m sorry I disappeared.
She stared at the message, heart racing. He had vanished after the holidays, leaving only a cryptic note and a thousand questions.
Alex: Where have you been? Are you okay?
Ethan: I can’t say much right now. But I wanted you to know… I didn’t forget you. I think about you a lot.
Her fingers hovered over the screen. Part of her wanted to be angry—he had left her in silence. But the part that missed him won.
Alex: I thought you weren’t coming back.
Ethan: I didn’t think I could. Things are… dangerous. But you were the only person who helped me when I had no one. I haven’t stopped thinking about that.
Alex’s stomach turned with a mix of emotion—fear, longing, confusion.
Alex: Why now?
Ethan: Because I need to see you again. Soon. Can we meet?
Before she could respond, a knock came at her door. She froze.
It was late.
Another knock. Quiet but urgent.
She slowly stood, crept toward the door, and opened it—just a crack.
There he was. Hoodie up, eyes tired but burning with the same intensity she remembered.
“Hey,” Ethan whispered. “I had to see you.”
Alex stared, speechless. The last time they stood this close, she was helping him hide. Now he was just… here.
“Can I come in?” he asked gently.
She opened the door wider.
Moments later, he sat on the edge of her bed, head in his hands.
“I’m sorry I left like that,” he said. “My family… they’re in deeper than I ever knew. I can’t trust anyone. But I trust you.”
Alex sat beside him, heart pounding.
“I don’t know what this is between us,” she whispered, “but you can’t keep showing up and disappearing like a ghost.”
Ethan looked at her with something raw in his eyes. “Then let me stay. Just for tonight.”
They sat in silence—close, breathing the same uncertain air.
From across the hallway, the soft sound of Maddie’s music played on. But in Alex’s room, the night had shifted.
He was back. And everything was about to get even more complicated.
---
Hidden in Plain Sight
The next morning, sunlight crept through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Alex stirred quietly, careful not to wake Ethan, who was still fast asleep on the far side of her bed, half-curled under her blanket.
She moved like a ghost, tiptoeing to the door and peeking out into the common area. No signs of movement—Sarah’s bedroom door was shut, Emily’s too, and Maddie’s fairy lights still twinkled, untouched since the night before. Safe, for now.
Back in her room, Ethan had woken. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll go before anyone notices,” he whispered.
Alex nodded, tension creeping into her shoulders. “You came in late, no one heard you… but next time, you have to tell me first.”
Ethan smirked, leaning in slightly. “That a promise there’s going to be a next time?”
Alex gave him a look, but the edges of her mouth twitched. “Just go before they wake up.”
Ethan crept out the door and down the hallway, disappearing like a shadow before morning fully bloomed.
---
Later That Day
Maddie plopped beside Alex on the couch, tossing a cushion at her. “You look weirdly happy today. Spill.”
Alex blinked. “What?”
Emily raised an eyebrow from the kitchen. “Yeah, you’re all... floaty.”
“I’m not floaty.”
Sarah walked in, sipping an iced coffee. “You’re absolutely floaty. You’ve got that ‘someone-texted-me-good-morning’ glow.”
Alex rolled her eyes, trying to hide her blush. “You’re all crazy. I just got good sleep.”
Maddie snorted. “A man-shaped nap, maybe?”
Alex stiffened. But before anyone could push further, she changed the subject.
“Hey, didn’t Maddie say we were going to the art show tonight?”
They all groaned in unison.
“Oh no you don’t,” Maddie pointed. “You’re not deflecting that easily. But yes—art show. You’re not skipping.”
Alex laughed, forcing herself to breathe. If they ever found out Ethan had stayed the night—in her bed—she didn’t know how they’d react. She trusted them, but this was different. Dangerous.
For now, her secret stayed safe.
But secrets don’t stay hidden forever
- Writer
