When Bad Boys Fall

A Thought And A Day

3:30 a.m

A soft knock on the door startled me. I jerked upright. My vision was blurry, and for a second, I forgot where I was. Then, the cold air of the dorm room hit me and the memory of what happened earlier in the classroom washed through me. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. The bright screen blinded me for a moment. 3:30 a.m.

My blood turned to ice. Who would be knocking at three in the morning?

"Taylor?" I whispered, my voice small and trembling. "Taylor, someone is at the door."

I turned my head toward the other side of the room, expecting to see the familiar lump of neon-pink blankets and messy blonde hair. The bed was perfectly flat and the sheets were pulled tight. Taylor wasn't there.That was when I realized. After the whole class drama the day before, I got to the dorm, face timed my mom and Benny so I could feel better and I had plans to go pick up my study materials at the penthouse but I had fallen asleep instantly. I haven’t stood up since then and most importantly, I hadn't locked the door. I had left it unlocked, assuming that if Taylor got back before I was up, she’d slide the bolt into place.

I stared at the door, my heart pounding so hard I was sure whoever was in the hallway could hear it.

If it were Taylor, she would have shouted my name. The knock came again. Louder. Faster. Bang. Bang. Bang. I slid out of my bed without a sound moving toward the door. I reached the back of the door and leaned my forehead against the cool wood.

"Who's there?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

Immediately, the door knob turned. The door began to creak open, pushed by someone on the other side. Panic shot through me like an electric shock.I grabbed the heavy metal curtain rod and raised it over my head, ready to swing at whoever was forcing their way into my life.

But the person was too fast. Before I could bring the rod down, a hand clamped onto my wrist. I was dragged forward, the metal rod clattering to the floor as I was pulled tightly against a hard, solid chest. A large hand slammed over my mouth, stifling my scream.

I kicked frantically. I tried to bite his palm, my muffled cries echoing in the small space. Let me go! I tried to yell, but it came out as a desperate grunt.

"Shhh," the stranger whispered. His voice was low, urgent, and vibrating against my ear. "Please don’t wake the whole hall. I’m not here to hurt anyone. I’m just looking for Taylor."

The voice. It hit me like a bucket of ice water. I knew that arrogance. I knew that deep, smooth tone.

He loosened his grip slightly, and I shoved him away with every ounce of strength I had. I spun around, grabbing my desk lamp and clicking it on.

"f*****g Ethan!" I shouted, the light revealing his messy hair and startled gray eyes. "Are you stalking me now? Get the hell out of here before I call the authorities!"

Ethan held his hands up in a mocking gesture of surrender. "Calm down. Lower your voice, seriously. If security hears a guy in here this early, I’m the one who gets kicked out, and you’re the one who gets a lecture."

I ran a hand over my face, feeling completely drained. The adrenaline was fading, leaving me shaky and furious. "How did you even get past the front desk? What is wrong with you?"

Ethan ignored me, his eyes scanning Taylor’s empty bed. "Where is she? I texted her three times, but she didn't reply."

"I don't know where she is!" I snapped. "She wasn't here when I fell asleep. I’m not her keeper, Ethan. We met just a week ago."

"You're roommates," he argued, crossing his arms over his chest. "You should know where she is at three in the morning."

"Why? Am I her mother? She’s your girlfriend or whatever, not mine!" I stepped toward him, pointing at the door. "Now leave. I mean it. I will scream so loud so I will be heard in the next building."

Ethan rubbed his face, looking suddenly, strangely human. The Campus King looked tired. "Look... I just needed to see her so I could crash here before sunlight, okay? My car broke down on my way home and I couldn't walk all the way to my apartment.Even if I do, the front desk would report to my dad.”

I looked at him; really looked at him. He didn't look like the jerk who has been making so much fun of me.

"Serves you right for staying out all night. Fine," I sighed, gesturing to Taylor’s bed. "Sit. Wait for her. But if you touch anything on my side of the room, I will break that lamp over your head."

I climbed back into my bed, pulling the duvet up to my chin. I didn't expect to sleep, but the room went quiet, the only sound being the hum of the mini-fridge and the rhythm of our breathing.

"I'm sorry."

The murmur was so low I thought I’d imagined it. I opened my eyes and looked across the dark gap between our beds. "Huh?"

"I'm sorry," Ethan repeated. His voice was clearer now, stripped of the sarcasm.

"Sorry for what? Breaking in? Almost giving me a heart attack?"

"How I treated you during the project ," he said. "In class. The Drip Queen thing."

I sat up, hugging my knees. "So, let me get this straight. If you hadn't run into me here as Taylor’s roommate, would you have ever apologized?"

Ethan sighed, a long, heavy sound. "I was going to do it. I swear I was."

"Then do it in front of the whole class," I challenged, my voice growing firm. "Just the way you mocked me. Do it publicly. Prove you actually mean it."

Ethan stared at me for a long time.

"How do you even know Taylor?" I asked, curiosity finally winning over my anger.

"Stepsister," he answered dryly. "My dad married her mom two months ago. It was... a quick transition." He paused, looking down at his boots. "My mom died earlier this year.I told you before, didn’t I?”

"No. I’m so sorry, Ethan."

I sat quietly for a moment, letting the weight of his words settle. Then, I added, "It doesn't give you the right to be a jerk, though."

Ethan let out a dry, short laugh. "No. I guess it doesn't."

We didn't talk after that and for the first time, I seemed to see him clearly.

8:30 a.m.

The sun seeped its way through the curtains inside. I stretched.

"Wakie wakie!"

I bolted upright. Taylor was standing in the center of the room, looking like she’d stepped out of a magazine. She was wearing tiny denim shorts and a white crop top that showed off a perfectly toned stomach.

"When did you get back?" I asked, rubbing sleep from my eyes.

"Just a bit ago!" she chirped.

"You know, you should really call if you’re going to stay out all night," I said, glancing at Ethan, who was still sitting on her bed, now casually flipping through a textbook. "I almost got kidn*pped by your brother because I thought I was alone."

Taylor laughed, a bright, bubbly sound. "Okay, Ethan told me! That was quite the morning, Aud. I'm sorry. I'll text next time, promise."

Ethan looked up and smirked at me. The Night Ethan was gone. The Jerk Ethan was back. "You act like such a mom, Audrey. Are you going to ground her?"

I fixed him with my coldest stare. "No, Ethan. I won't ground her, because unlike you, I don't need to boss people around to cover up my own personal misery."

"Ouch," Ethan countered, his gray eyes flashing. "Personal misery? That’s harsh, Drip Queen."

"Hey! Stop it," Taylor said, stepping between us. "It's too early for this. Audrey, I'm sorry. Ethan, be nice. We’re all friends here."

I didn't say another word. I grabbed my clothes and ducked into the bathroom. I knew Ethan wouldn't have the decency to leave the room while I changed, and I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of seeing me flustered.

When I came out, I pointedly turned on my hairdryer, the loud roar filling the room.

"Someone actually dried her hair today," Ethan called out over the noise, chuckling.

I clicked it off and glared at him. I grabbed my backpack, bid Taylor a quick goodbye, and strode out. I needed air. I needed coffee. And I needed to be anywhere that wasn't near Ethan.

I walked back to the snack bar. The smell of frying potatoes and fresh coffee immediately made me feel better.

"Hi, Audrey, You made it back," Mark said, leaning over the counter with a warm smile. "No splashes today?"

"Hi, Mark. No splashes. Just a very long night."

"I can imagine. What can I get the star student today?"

I ordered a muffin and a coffee. As he handed me the bag, his hand brushed mine, and he leaned in. "Hey, if you have a few hours free after class, call me. I’d love to pick you up. Make sure you get a better ride home than walking."

I looked at Mark. He was kind, he was safe, and he didn't call me names. "That’s really nice, Mark. I’d like that."

"Great. Text me."

I walked out of the shop, the warm muffin in my hand. For the first time since I arrived in Tulsa, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could handle this.

But as I reached the lecture hall, my phone buzzed. A new notification from the students forum.

I opened it and what I saw shattered me.