Chapter 3: The Quiet Roommate and the Loud Night
The rustle of pages stopped.
Noel glanced at the empty snack wrapper beside his book, expression unreadable.
He turned his head slightly—Luca was sprawled on the bed, one arm hanging off the edge, chest rising and falling in that unbothered rhythm only deep sleep could bring. Vest clinging to his torso, shoes still on.
Noel exhaled, a slow, almost automatic breath that barely escaped his lips, as if he were releasing a thread of tension he barely realized he was holding.
He set his pen down with precision, closed his book, and tugged his hoodie’s cap over his head. No words. No note. Just the soft click of the door behind him.
Outside, the campus breathed a different kind of quiet. Streetlights buzzed faintly, casting long shadows on the sidewalk.
Noel walked past a group laughing near the vending machines—eyes down, hood up—ignoring the smell of smoke and the cologne drifting in the night air.
The corner store buzzed softly under flickering fluorescent lights, the faint crackle of an old pop song blending with the scent of stale chips and spilled soda.
The hum wrapped around Noel like a worn-out lullaby, barely noticed but ever-present.
He didn’t hesitate—grabbed two bags of chips, a bottle of iced tea, and something sweet he didn’t usually go for.
He stood at the register, hoodie still on, hands in pockets while the cashier scanned items.