Night with consequences

Pascal had always been one of those guys on campus—charming, good-looking, and the type to turn heads wherever he went. But the only person whose attention he craved was Vanessa, a strikingly beautiful and elusive classmate who, despite her natural allure, kept most people at arm's length.

For weeks, Pascal tried to strike up conversations with her in class or during lunch breaks, but she brushed him off every time. His persistence only made her roll her eyes more. Until one day, he decided to send her a gift: a Louis Vuitton gold wristwatch, the kind most girls on campus could only dream of.

Vanessa was stunned by the gift. No one had ever gone to such lengths for her before. It wasn't just the price tag; it was the attention, the validation. She wore the watch the next day, and when Pascal saw it gleaming on her wrist, he knew the door had been cracked open.

Pascal didn't waste any time. He caught her after class that afternoon, leaning against the wall near the exit, a casual smile on his face.

"Enjoying the watch?" he asked.

Vanessa didn't meet his eyes but nodded. "It's… nice."

"Glad you like it. Maybe you'll let me take you out sometime?" His voice was confident, but there was an underlying tension. He wanted her, and she knew it.

Vanessa hesitated, but then, surprising even herself, she agreed. "Alright. But no promises."

That evening, Pascal took her to one of the most exclusive spots in the city. As they sat under the dim lighting, sipping wine and exchanging flirtatious glances, she felt the walls she had built around herself start to crumble.

By the time they got back to his apartment, her resistance was gone.

Inside, the tension between them was palpable. Pascal wasted no time pulling her close, his fingers trailing along her body, igniting fires she hadn't felt in years. He moved with a confidence that left her breathless. His hands were firm but careful, as though he was savoring every moment.

Her initial resistance dissolved into moans and gasps as pleasure overtook her senses. "Take it easy, Pascal, aah…"

"Relax," Pascal whispered, his voice low and commanding. "I want to make this last."

But just as Vanessa gave herself fully to the moment, her eyes fluttering shut as he moved his fingers expertly, there was a sound—a creaking door downstairs.

Pascal froze, his body tense as he glanced toward the bedroom door. "Did you hear that?" he muttered, his voice tight.

"Ignore it," Vanessa urged, pulling him back toward her, her breath ragged. "It's probably nothing."

But Pascal couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He got up, walked toward the window, and looked out at the street below. A red bus stopped outside, its doors opening briefly to let a small girl step off before continuing down the road. The sight of the girl struck him in an unexpected way, filling him with a sense of unease he couldn't quite explain.

Pascal returned to the bed, but the moment had passed. As he climbed back under the sheets, something shifted in Vanessa. She was no longer the sultry, seductive woman he had held moments ago. Now, her face was blank, almost distant, as though she had come to a sobering realization.

"What's wrong?" Pascal asked, confused by the sudden change in her demeanor.

Vanessa sat up, pulling the duvet tighter around her body. "You're just like all the others," she said coldly, her voice devoid of emotion.

Pascal blinked, caught off guard. "What are you talking about? We just shared something amazing. Why are you—"

"Because I know how this ends," Vanessa interrupted, her voice bitter. "You'll graduate in three days, leave campus, and forget I exist. Just like every other guy who's ever used me for a good time."

Pascal's chest tightened. "That's not true. I wouldn't do that."

Vanessa's laugh was humorless. "Wouldn't you? Look around, Pascal. Girls like me… we're nothing more than a passing thrill for guys like you."

Pascal sat in silence for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He didn't want to admit that part of what she said was true. But there was something deeper he hadn't told her, something he hadn't told anyone.

"You're wrong about me," he said, his voice quieter now. "There's something you don't know."

Vanessa looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Pascal hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I'm not staying for graduation. I'm leaving. Tomorrow."

Vanessa's eyes widened in shock. "What? Why?"

Pascal's expression grew serious. "My dad… He's dying. Cancer. I've been pretending everything's fine, but the truth is, I've been using this semester to escape the reality that I'm about to lose him. Tomorrow, I'm flying back home to be with him."

Vanessa stared at him, speechless. The man she thought she knew was unraveling before her eyes, revealing a side of himself she hadn't expected. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want pity. I just wanted to feel alive, even if it was only for a little while."

Vanessa's anger melted away, replaced by empathy she hadn't felt in a long time. She knew all too well what it was like to feel abandoned. Her own father had left when she was young, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves. The fear of being left behind was something she carried with her every day, and now, seeing Pascal's vulnerability, it struck a chord deep within her.

"I'm scared too," Vanessa admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've spent my whole life feeling like people leave. I just… I don't want to feel that way again."

Pascal reached out and took her hand, their fingers intertwining. "I'm not leaving you like that. I'll stay in touch. I promise."

Later that night, after Vanessa had left, Pascal sat on the edge of his bed, scrolling through his phone. He sent a quick text to his father: "Dad, I'm coming home tomorrow. See you soon."

As he was about to turn off the phone, a new message appeared—an unknown number.

The message read: "I know what you did, Pascal. And so does she."

Pascal's heart raced as he stared at the screen. Who sent this message? And what did they know?