"My friends are waiting for a text. To make sure you didn't murder me."
"Smart friends."
"The smartest." She finally sits up, reluctantly. "I really do need to go. Early shift tomorrow."
"I'll drive you."
"It's late?—"
"I'm driving you. Non-negotiable."
We make our way downstairs. The party in the main house has died down to a few stragglers. No one sees us leave, which is probably for the best. I'm not ready to share this, whatever this is, with the rest of campus yet.
The drive back to her dorm is quiet. Comfortable. Isla's hand finds mine on the center console, and I lace our fingers together like it's the most natural thing in the world.
When I park outside her building, she doesn't immediately get out.
"Thank you," she says. "For tonight. For the poetry. For being honest."
"Thank you for giving me a chance I definitely don't deserve."
"You're right. You don't." But she's smiling. "Two more dates, Thornhill. Don't waste them."
"I won't."
She leans across the console and kisses me one more time, quick and sweet and full of promise. Then she's gone, disappearing into her dorm building before I can process what just happened.
I sit in my car for a long time, my lips still tingling, my chest tight with something that feels dangerous like hope.
My phone buzzes with a text from Marcus:Did you survive?
I text back:Better than survive. I think I might actually have a chance.
Marcus:Don't fuck it up.
Sebastian:Working on it.
I drive back to the Legacy House in a daze. When I get to my room, I see Isla's already posted another photo, a selfie of her in her dorm, smiling genuinely for the first time in any of our date photos.
Caption:Date 3 complete. Status: Complicated but maybe in a good way? #ThornhillGala #PlotTwist
The comments are already flooding in.
OMG you're smiling for real
I ship it
Character development for Sebastian Thornhill???
I screenshot her post and send it to her:You're smiling.
Her response comes immediately:Don't get used to it.
Me:Too late.
Isla:Go to sleep, Sebastian. We both have early mornings.
Me:Goodnight, Isla.
