The morning sun streamed through the dorm windows, catching dust motes dancing above the cluttered coffee table where Nate had once again left his mountain of snack wrappers and half-empty energy drink cans. The room smelled faintly of burnt toast, a sign that Ria's latest "healthy breakfast" experiment had gone sideways.
Kol rubbed his eyes, still half-dreaming about the almost kiss he and Sara had narrowly avoided last week, when Jess barged in, waving her phone like she'd just discovered treasure.
"Guys, you won't believe this meme," she announced, plopping down beside Sara, who was desperately trying to concentrate on a statistics problem. "Kol, it's basically you — 'Denial King of Campus.'"
Kol groaned, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward. Sara glanced over and snorted softly, earning a sharp glance from Kol.
"Hey, I'm not denying anything!" Kol protested, though his voice lacked conviction.
Sara bit her lip, fighting the blush that rose hot to her cheeks.
---
Meanwhile, Lina was deep in conversation with Aarav in the music room, trying to get him to focus on his latest composition for the drama club's play.
"You're distracted again," Lina teased, nudging him playfully.
Aarav sighed. "It's just… my dad's situation is getting worse. I don't want to mess things up here, or with you."
Lina reached out and squeezed his hand gently. "We'll get through this, like last time. Remember when you almost lost your voice before the big show, and I made you drink that awful honey-lemon stuff?"
Aarav laughed softly. "Yeah, and I thought I was going to die."
Their laughter was interrupted by Nate, Jess, and Ria barging in, each holding something ridiculous—a guitar, a water balloon, a box of cookies.
"Rehearsal break!" Nate declared, eyes sparkling with mischief.
---
Back in the lounge, Sara and Kol found themselves cornered by the gang for a spontaneous "truth or dare" game — Nate's idea of bonding, which quickly spiraled into chaotic dares and embarrassing confessions.
Jess dared Sara to serenade Kol with a cheesy love song.
Sara's cheeks burned, but she sang off-key with exaggerated passion, causing everyone, including Kol, to burst into laughter.
Kol's turn came, and Nate dared him to write a poem about Sara — but with a ridiculous twist: it had to include the words "pineapple" and "astronaut."
Kol rolled his eyes but scribbled quickly:
"Sara's laugh is like a pineapple bright,
Out of this world, like an astronaut's flight."
The group howled, and Sara covered her face, laughing so hard she nearly cried.
---
Later that evening, Kol and Sara sat on the rooftop, the city lights flickering below.
Sara leaned her head against Kol's shoulder. "You think we're ever going to stop pretending?"
Kol tightened his arm around her. "I don't know if I want to."
Their eyes met, the silent space between them filled with everything they wouldn't say.
---
Meanwhile, Lina and Aarav shared a quiet moment by the lake on campus, watching the stars reflect on the water.
Aarav reached for Lina's hand, fingers intertwining.
"Whatever comes, I'm not letting go," he promised.
Lina smiled, heart pounding