✽ Mandy ✽
I met Wesley on campus because it felt safer than anywhere else. Blackthorne College had crowds, open walkways, and too many eyes for anyone to do anything strange. Even with that logic, I still checked my surroundings as I passed the student center and followed the smell of grilled food to the outdoor tables. Wesley sat alone near a planter, hood up even though it wasn’t cold. In person, he looked more serious than his profile photos, like smiling was a choice he didn’t make often. When he spotted me, he stood and offered a small nod.
“Mandy?” he asked.
“Wesley,” I replied. “Hi,”
“Thanks for meeting me,” he said. “Campus can be annoying if you don’t go here,”
“I like the noise,” I admitted. “It makes me feel normal,” his eyes flicked over my face like he was checking if I
