The nobody i fell for

THE NOBODY I FELL FOR Chapter One — Blake's POV The morning was unusually cold. A thin layer of mist hovered over the streets as I walked toward Westbridge University, my backpack hanging heavily from one shoulder. Above me, the sky was a soft shade of blue, almost silver around the edges, with clouds scattered across it like brushstrokes on a half-finished painting. Students were everywhere. Some hurried toward their lectures with coffee cups clutched between their fingers. Others stood in little groups, laughing loudly about things that probably wouldn't be funny by lunchtime. Cars rolled slowly through the campus entrance while bicycles zipped past without warning. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my hoodie. "Bro, you're walking like you're going to your own funeral." I looked sideways at Brent. He was walking beside me, completely relaxed, his headphones hanging around his neck and his backpack barely zipped. "I'm thinking." "That's dangerous." I rolled my eyes. "Shut up." He laughed. Brent had been my closest friend since our first year. Somehow, no matter how stressful things got, he always found a way to make me laugh. But today I wasn't really in the mood. My thoughts kept returning to home. My grandmother. The little kitchen table where she kept all her medicine neatly lined up. The bills tucked underneath the fruit bowl. The way she always smiled and told me everything was fine whenever I asked if she needed anything. I knew that smile. It meant things weren't fine at all. I sighed. "Man, I really need to get a job," I said. Brent glanced at me. "What happened?" "My grandma needs new medication. It's expensive." His expression changed immediately. "Oh." "Yeah." I kicked a small stone out of my path. "I can't just sit around and watch her struggle with it." "You know you can ask me for help." "I know." "So?" "So I don't want to." He frowned. "Blake—" "I appreciate you, bro. I really do. But she's my grandmother. I should be able to help her." For a few seconds, Brent didn't say anything. Then he suddenly snapped his fingers. "Wait." I looked at him. "What?" "I might actually know something." I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds suspicious already." He ignored me and pulled out his phone. "My cousin mentioned something yesterday. One of those wealthy families around the north side is looking for someone to work in their garden." I blinked. "A gardener?" "Part-time." I stared at him. "You think I'd make a good gardener?" Brent looked me up and down. "You already look like somebody who knows how to survive with five dollars in his pocket." I laughed. "That's not a qualification." "It is in my book." He turned his phone toward me, scrolling through something. "I don't know much about the job. Just that it's at a private estate and they apparently pay pretty well." "How well?" "Didn't ask." I gave him a look. "Then why are you telling me?" "Because I knew you'd ask." I shook my head, but I couldn't stop myself from smiling. A gardening job wasn't exactly what I'd imagined when I came to university. But I wasn't in a position to be picky. I needed money. My grandmother needed her medication. And sometimes you had to swallow your pride and do whatever honest work you could find. "Send me the address," I said. Brent grinned. "Now we're talking." He tapped on his phone. A few seconds later, mine buzzed. I pulled it out and looked at the message. An address. Nothing else. I stared at it for a moment before locking my phone and slipping it back into my pocket. "Maybe I'll go after lectures." "Maybe?" I looked at him. "Fine. I'll go." "Good." We continued walking toward our lecture hall, blending into the crowd of students around us. I had no idea what the job would be like. I didn't know who lived at the estate. And honestly, I didn't care. I just needed a job. That was all. At least... that's what I thought.