Chapter Five: Friends, Teasing, and Tiny Troubles
1172 Words
Mellie was curled up in her dorm chair, sketchpad balanced on her knees, when Lila burst through the door, nearly knocking over a stack of textbooks.
“Mellie! You will not believe what I just saw!” Lila exclaimed, flopping onto the bed beside her.
“What now?” Mellie groaned, brushing stray strands of hair from her face.
Lila’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Dave Carrington. In the quad. With that girl from Econ class. I swear they were laughing together. And guess what? He looked… ridiculously happy.”
Mellie’s heart sank a little, and she put down her pencil. “Lila… he’s not—he wouldn’t…”
“Oh, please!” Lila waved her hand dramatically. “I know my friend, Mellie Thompson. You’re hopelessly smitten, and yet, you don’t even trust the boy who’s been practically walking you around campus like a golden retriever for the last week.”
Mellie groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I just… I don’t want to be hurt. He’s… complicated.”
“Well duh! He’s Dave Carrington! Billionaire bad boy, campus legend, heartbreaker extraordinaire!” Lila leaned back on the bed, smirking. “But also… kind of adorable when he’s trying not to be a complete i***t. Which, from what I’ve seen, he totally is for you.”
Mellie peeked up, a tiny smile tugging at her lips despite her worries. “You think?”
“I know,” Lila said, nudging her. “You’re like a magnet for trouble… and somehow, he’s your kind of trouble.”
---
Meanwhile, Dave was lounging on a bench near the fountain with Ethan and Marcus, his two closest friends, who were fully enjoying the show.
“So… you’re actually… smiling?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I… am,” Dave admitted reluctantly. “It’s… different.”
“Different?” Marcus leaned closer, grinning. “You mean like… you’re turning into a normal human being? Next thing we know, you’ll be knitting scarves and baking muffins for her.”
Dave shook his head, smirking despite himself. “Shut up. It’s not like that. I just… I don’t know. She makes me want to… be better.”
Ethan snorted. “Better? The same guy who left half the campus in tears last semester? Really?”
“Shut up!” Dave shot back, cheeks warming. “You don’t get it. She’s… different.”
“Yeah, we get it,” Marcus said with a grin. “You’re smitten. Big time. Admit it.”
Dave groaned but couldn’t deny it. “Fine. I like her. A lot. But it’s not… just that. She’s… real. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Uh-huh,” Ethan said, nudging him. “We’ll see, buddy. Try not to ruin it before she sees the real you.”
Dave ran a hand through his hair, suddenly aware of how complicated this was becoming. He wasn’t used to wanting someone more than a thrill… but Mellie was changing that. And he didn’t want to mess it up.
---
That evening, Dave found himself wandering past Mellie’s dorm, trying to “casually” check if she was around. He wasn’t sure why he cared so much about what she was doing, but he couldn’t help it.
Mellie stepped out just then, sketchpad in hand, and froze when she saw him.
“Hey,” he said softly, smiling in that way that made her stomach flutter.
“Hi,” she replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Working on something?” he asked, nodding at her sketchpad.
Mellie shrugged, smiling. “Just… some leaves. The quad looked pretty today.”
Dave leaned closer to peek. “Wow. That’s… really good. You’re talented.”
“Thanks,” Mellie murmured, cheeks warming. “It’s… relaxing.”
They walked together toward the campus café, where Lila had promised to meet Mellie. Dave noticed how Mellie’s smile seemed to light up even the quietest corners of the campus. He felt that familiar tug in his chest—a mixture of admiration, attraction, and a strange new protectiveness.
At the café, Lila was already there, sipping on a bright pink smoothie and scrolling on her phone.
“Ah! There’s my favorite hopeless romantic!” she exclaimed as Mellie and Dave approached. “You two look like a cheesy couple from one of those romance novels I pretend to hate.”
Mellie groaned, hiding behind her sketchpad, while Dave laughed. “Ignore her. She’s ridiculous.”
“Oh, I’m ridiculous?” Lila shot back, pointing a finger at him. “You’re the one who’s falling head over heels for Mellie and haven’t even admitted it yet. Honestly, it’s cute, in a kind of tragic way.”
Dave laughed, but this time a little sheepishly. “Maybe I’m just… learning to appreciate what really matters.”
Mellie’s cheeks warmed, and she glanced down at her smoothie, suddenly grateful for the pink straw to hide behind.
---
After smoothies, the three of them wandered back to the quad. Dave noticed Mellie’s laugh again, the way it bubbled up effortlessly. And when Lila left to meet her own friends, the campus seemed quieter, cozier, and just theirs.
They kicked up piles of leaves as they walked, teasing each other, laughing at Dave’s exaggerated missteps as he tried to balance on the cobblestones.
“You’re terrible at walking like a normal human,” Mellie said, giggling as he stumbled.
“And you’re terrible at… not laughing at me,” Dave shot back, grabbing her hand to steady himself.
Mellie’s heart fluttered at the touch. She felt lighter than she had in weeks. She felt… happy. Truly happy.
Dave noticed, and a strange, thrilling feeling swept through him. He wanted to be the reason she smiled, the reason she felt safe and joyful. More than that… he wanted to be the kind of man she deserved, even if it meant changing all the reckless habits he had carried for years.
---
By the time the sun dipped behind the campus buildings, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, Dave walked Mellie to her dorm. They paused at the steps, the air filled with the scent of fallen leaves.
“Thanks for today,” Mellie said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Don’t thank me,” Dave said, leaning just a little closer. “Just… let me keep showing you how fun life can be.”
Mellie smiled, and for the first time, she felt completely safe letting someone in—even someone as complicated and notorious as Dave Carrington.
“And… tomorrow?” he asked, his voice teasing but hopeful.
“Tomorrow,” she agreed, the word slipping from her lips with a quiet certainty.
As he watched her go inside, Dave realized something powerful: he wasn’t just falling for Mellie. He was discovering a version of himself he hadn’t known existed—a better, kinder, braver version.
And he couldn’t wait to see where this would go.
- Writer
