•⋅⊰∙∘☾✶☽∘∙⊱⋅•✾•⋅⊰∙∘☾✶☽∘∙⊱⋅•
When winter break finally rolled around, I had formed a rather unique bond with the exhaustion I thought I had gotten rid off.
We weren’t at odds anymore; we were more like freaking old friends at this point, sharing an uneasy coexistence.
I let it settle in the bags under my eyes, and in return, it allowed me just enough energy to keep pretending that I had my life together.
Exams had transformed the entire campus into a chaotic battlefield of caffeine, anxiety, and students staring blankly at textbooks, as if the answers might leap out and apologize for being so elusive.
I was just like everyone else.
Between juggling my classes, working at the flower shop, and spending time at Joy’s Café, not to mention the basic need for food and sleep, I was running on fumes, barely holding it all together with instant coffee and pure stubbornness.
Damien, for his part, seemed to take my exhaustion as a personal challenge, determined to remedy it through sheer willpower and an alarming number of coffee mugs.
"You need to sleep," he insisted.
I glared at him from across the table. "I’m studying, I’m not like you who just passes exams in fucking flying colors by glancing at your materials once."
"You’ve been at it for four hours." Damien said, "You dozed off ten minutes ago."
"I was contemplating with my eyes closed." I responded, not exactly remembering that occurrence.
"You were snoring."
I straightened up, feigning indignation. "I do not snore."
Damien raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "You do sometimes."
"Humph, sounds like something a jealous person would say."
"Jealous?"
"Jealous of my incredible studying- while-napping skills."
He stared at me, weighing whether this back-and-forth was worth his energy, and then slid a mug toward me. "Drink."
I eyed the coffee suspiciously, "Did you make this?"
"Yes."
Despite myself, I smiled and wrapped my hands around the warm mug.
Damien had turned into a surprisingly attentive caretaker over those two weeks, in that annoyingly sweet way that made it hard to get upset.
He’d bring me coffee while I studied, make sure I ate when I forgot, which was way too often and remind me to take breaks, which felt a bit patronizing since I was an adult who could make my own questionable choices without help.
Sometimes...
At times he’d just sit next to me with his own textbooks, our shoulders brushing under the warm glow of the desk lamp, the only sound being the soft scratching of pens.
Other times, when I pushed too hard, he’d close my laptop without warning.
"Time for bed, Sunshine." He said, leaving no room for arguments. But you know me...there was always room for arguments.
"I have more work to do."
"Tomorrow."
"I have notes."
"They’ll still be there tomorrow."
"I also have a deadline and an exam in the afternoon." I mumbled still staring at the Preston Hall laptop. I didn’t need to look up at his face to tell that he was getting... exasperated.
"You’ll have a funeral if you keep this up." Damien responded with a chuckle.
I narrowed my eyes. "Was that a threat?"
"Just an observation."
And somehow, despite all my protests, I listened, mostly.
Exams wrapped up on a Friday afternoon, and I stepped out of my last exam room, pausing to stare at the sky as if it owed me an apology, inhaling the cold air like I was just surfacing from underwater.
I had made it.
Barely.
But still, I counted it as survival, I texted Damien right away, buzzing with relief.
Me: I’m done. FREEDOM!!!!
His reply came almost instantly.
Damien 😈: Good.
Me: That’s it?
Damien😈: Come home.
I stared at the message, unimpressed by his lack of drama.
Me: You could at least congratulate me.
A few seconds passed, enough time for me to think he might actually consider it.
Damien😈: I’m proud of you.
I couldn’t help but smile at my phone, standing there in the cold with depressed and tired college students passing by. Then I quickly locked the screen, trying to maintain a shred of dignity.
By that evening, the campus had transformed completely. Students were hauling suitcases to cars, parents were arriving to pick up their kids, and the dorm hallways that usually buzzed with noise had gone oddly quiet, almost like the whole place was letting out a sigh after holding its breath for weeks.
Winter break had officially begun.
I should’ve been excited.
Instead, I was mostly thinking about my dad. I would have loved to spend the break with him I’m the hospital, but the doctors insisted he needed plenty of rest.
Dad was still recovering and needed more rest than ever, and while I didn’t fully understand why I had to limit my visits, I wasn’t about to argue with medical professionals.
I mean I would...but my Dad’s life was in their hands so, I needed to keep my damn mouth shut for once.
So, I figured I’d stick around campus. It wasn’t glamorous, but it beat eating instant noodles while convincing myself they were a balanced meal. I had come to terms with that brand of sad independence ages ago.
That evening, I found Damien on the couch with me, scrolling through my phone.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Planning my exciting winter break."
He shifted beside me, close enough that I could feel his shoulder against mine. "And?"
"I’m staying here."
He stared at me like I’d just said something outrageous. "No."
I blinked. "The fuck you mean no?"
"You’re not staying here."
I glared at him, what was he going to chase me out now that it was winter break? I didn’t really have a place to go, I sold my family house a long time ago to help with the medical bills.
Wasn’t like anyone else was living there anyway...
"But I live here." I said.
"I know."
"Then I should have a say, why can’t I stay here?"
Damien smirked, "Because you’re coming with me."
I braced myself. "Oh, where are we going to then?"
He smiled that troublemaking smile. "You’ll see."
I frowned immediately."Oh, absolutely not."
His grin widened. "I haven’t even told you anything."
"You said ’you’ll see.’ That’s suspicious as hell."
"It’s a surprise." I said, "I remember I promised to take to somewhere special when I came back from my trip to see my family."
"You know I hate surprises."
"I know."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"Because watching you squirm is entertaining."
I gasped, clutching at imaginary pearls. "So evil!"