31

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Today was the last day of my first year in college and I was excited to finish the last paper. It was the easiest course for me, so it didn't give me any difficulty in studying. Just before the start of the exam, I packed up the rest of my things and put them in a corner. 

I had even become emotional because I could not believe I survived a whole year in college. Just yesterday, I was almost giving up but now, I was standing strong waiting for what the future might bring. 

After I had made sure I would not forget anything, I sent a text to Lucas, to give me his address so I could take a taxi to his place, but he had declined and said he'd pick me up. I was already planning on living in his house, and I didn't want him to waste gas from his house to school and back to his house but when I saw he was stubborn, I gave in.

Some hours later, I was done with my last paper, and I ran out of class, excited. I even ignored the weird looks everyone in the hallway aimed at me, which I did not care about. 

When I left my faculty building, I saw Maddy and froze for some seconds before running up to her and hugging her tightly. She laughed in my arms before I pulled away and noticed Clark in the car a little far away from where we stood.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"We came here to wait for you until you were done with your last paper. We also wanted to go celebrate," Maddy said.

"Celebrate? Celebrate where?"

Maddy shrugged. "At a club or something. Are you in?"

I was about to respond but I remembered I had told Lucas the time to come on campus which would be any minute from now. I didn't want to tell him to go back, and it would not be considerate on my part since he wasted gas to get here. 

"I wish I could come," I said and the smile on her face dropped.

"Why? Do you already have plans?"

"Not exactly but I'm supposed to be somewhere in a few minutes and it's important. Maybe we could celebrate some other time?"

Maddy pouted. "But I'll be leaving school tomorrow morning."

Now I felt bad but getting my things to Lucas' house was more important especially when I don't know when this celebration would end.

"But it's okay. We can go out before school resumes next session," Maddy said and hugged me tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"You're hugging me too tight, Maddy. I can't... I can't breathe," I said through short breaths.

Maddy giggled and released me then poked my cheeks with her index fingers.

"I'll see you in a few months," Maddy said and walked backward. "Bye, Jackie."

I waved. "Goodbye, Maddy."

I watched as she turned around and jogged over to Clark's car. She boarded it and Clark honked, making me wave at them.

I waited until they drove out before I left my faculty to my residential building where I saw Lucas already waiting by his car. He was leaning against his car with his attention on his phone and when I got close, he raised his head and met my eyes.

I gulped at the intensity of his blue eyes on my face and the reality of living with a man as good-looking as Lucas hit me hard. We would be living in the same space, seeing each other every day and night, talking to each other. My only hope was that his house had two bedrooms because I would not leave my room.

"Hey," he said in a soft tone. "How was your paper?"

"It was great," I replied, and he nodded.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah. You can come up and help me carry somethings even though it's not much. It's just two pieces of luggage, a medium bag with my books and other things but—"

"Hey, calm down. I'll help you. Show me the way," he said, pointing at the building.

"Sure, your highness," I teased, and he chuckled deeply, which was a bit raspy-like.

In silence, we parked my things from my room to his car and when we were done, I looked at the building with blurry vision as I realized I am closing an old page and opening a new page in my life.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked behind me and I blinked, forcing the tears away.

"Yes, let's go."

[|]

The drive to his place had been quiet. The only thing taking over the silence had been the radio, and I was glad he didn't strike up any conversation because I had nothing to say.

He parked in a free outdoor parking space facing a tall apartment building. The place looked expensive on the outside and I wondered what his apartment would even look like. There were cars parked in different spots and people walking in and out of the building with pets or with other people.

"This place looks nice," I said as I got out of the car.

"It's alright," he said as he opened the trunk.

I went to the back of the car and shifted my hand to one of my luggage. As I did, he also shifted his hand to the same luggage, making our fingers brush. I gasped at the sensation of his warm fingers and pulled my hand back. I felt tingles all over my body at what just happened, and I was confused as it was just a single touch. 

Plus, if Lucas had felt the same thing, he didn't say anything instead he grabbed the luggage and the medium bag out of the trunk.

"Take this one," he said, handing over the medium bag which I took without hesitating. "I'll take the other."

I swallowed and walked away from the car, still thinking about what had happened. Why did I feel so hot when our fingers touched?

I shook my head and pushed the thoughts far away from my mind. 

A few minutes after using the golden elevator of the building and walking through a wide hallway with doors on each side of the wall, I followed Lucas to a stop in front of a similar door and watched him unlock it with a key.

"Nice hallway," I said, and he chuckled.

The door clicked and he pushed it open. He was too tall, and I could not see the interior, so I kept my eyes down, waiting to see what his apartment looked like.

"Welcome to my safe place," Lucas said and when I saw him move into the apartment, I stepped in and saw hardwood floors.

I raised my eyes and gasped. It was like a studio apartment. The kitchen with modern equipment was on the left side with an attached dining table made out of marble and fine wood stools. On the right were two long couches and a large slick television then a glass coffee table with magazines scattered on the top. 

I stepped further and saw wooden steps leading up to a room with a balcony. I could see the edges of a bed and a wide window that went from the ceiling down to the kitchen. I craned my head upward and saw a chandelier hanging from the center of the place, illuminating the white ceiling despite the daylight beaming through the long windows.

The place was calming with grey and white walls. It had no signs of a young adult man but a mature man. It was my type of place and I loved that I would be staying here until I found my place, probably similar to this if I stole money from a bank.

"What do you think?"

I got startled by his voice as I had forgotten he was there. I blushed at my shameless staring and cleared my throat then faced him.

"It's a beautiful place," I said and looked around one last time, taking in the little details I had missed. 

"Thanks," he said. "Well, I'll go get your things upstairs in the closet. Make yourself at home."

I was too distracted to even respond as I had spotted a shelf with all the things related to basketball. I walked over to the shelf close to the television and eyed the brown ball, the medals, the trophies, and pictures of the basketball team on the shelf. I smile when I saw a picture of the cheerleaders, especially a grinning Maddy in front with her red and white pom-poms. 

I eyed the business books on the shelf and wondered what Lucas was studying. When I heard his footsteps coming down the steps close to me, I moved away from the shelf and faced him when he appeared in my line of vision.

"Your things are in the closet. You have your own space in the closet, by the way, so feel free to arrange your things," he said and took off his jacket. 

My eyes immediately went to his muscular arms and swallowed. I was going to be under the same roof with a hot guy like Lucas. My only prayer was not to fall into temptation.

"Are you hungry?" Lucas asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"No... I'm not," I replied.

"Okay. I'll be going out in ten minutes. You can go upstairs and check the room out."

That got my attention for the first time. He had not used the word 'your' and left me confused.

"Sorry, do you mean one room or two?" I had to be sure.

Lucas met my eyes for some seconds and smirked. I hated that look on his face.

"One room, Jackie. This apartment has one room."

I felt my breath hitch in my lungs. I was going to sleep on one bed with Lucas? 

Was it too late for me to change whose house I stayed in?