Chapter 3 Running away

I blinked a few times, dazed, feeling disoriented as I looked at his face, but I snapped back to reality when his eyes moved down, scanning me from head to toe, furrowing his brows even more when he looked back into my eyes. Was he blushing?

I followed his gaze slowly and realized what he had been looking at. I was wearing a towel. JUST A TOWEL!

A towel that wasn't very large, to my dismay.

My eyes widened, and I felt my heart race. "Oh my god," I whispered, feeling my face heat up even more as the realization that I was standing in front of this guy with only a towel wrapped around me hit me like a truck.

I quickly brushed past him, not at all delicately, bumping into his arm, and dashed into my room, closing the door behind me. My heart was pounding so fast it hurt as I leaned against the door, trying to steady myself and regain my senses, which were all scrambled and shaken by the embarrassment I was feeling.

What was he doing here? Wasn't this dorm supposed to be for girls only? Did he have permission to be here?

So many questions and no answers, leaving me even more anxious and nervous.

I peeked through the peephole in the door, and to my surprise, he was still there, standing. Now he was leaning against the wall, looking at my door, his expression serious yet confused, clearly lost in a million thoughts in his own head.

In the privacy of my room, I could now take a good look at him from head to toe without seeming like a complete idiot. Though, deep down, I was sure he had already formed a terrible opinion of me.

His arms were crossed over his chest. His shirt was open, and only now did I realize it was part of the academy uniform. The crest of the wolf and moon was on his chest. Underneath, he wore a simple white tank top, along with the light brown uniform pants. He looked like he had dressed in a hurry, not caring which pieces he grabbed. Even so, he looked hot as hell.

His hair wasn't styled conventionally like the others; it fell over his eyes like a messy fringe, similar to mine, covering part of his gorgeous eyes. He seemed so lost. What could be bothering him?

"I told you, you didn't have to wait." I looked toward Ella, who had returned from wherever she had gone, now standing in front of him, blocking my view of his slim body. He looked at her, his gaze softening as he did. "Here." She handed him something I couldn't see, as she was in the way. "Please be careful."

The careful look he gave her as he nodded, along with the sweet smile, made my heart melt. He must be her boyfriend. It made sense for a beautiful girl like her to have such a handsome boyfriend. "I owe you for this."

"Just come back before classes start," she softly demanded, and I felt a little guilty for eavesdropping on their conversation. I shouldn't even be here. I should be dressed and lying in bed, ready to sleep. But I couldn't move; it was as if my body had a mind of its own, and all it wanted was to watch this guy for a little longer.

"Who was the girl in your room?" My heart raced again when he nodded toward my door, showing it to Ella.

"Oh, she' s already out?" Ella looked toward my door as well, and I almost felt like they could see me there, spying on them. "She's a new student. Her hot water ran out, so I let her use my shower."

"Hm," he nodded briefly, pushing away from the wall and casually shoving his hands in his pockets. He was taller than I had noticed before. "Be careful with the people you let into your life again, Ella."

What? What was he implying with that? "I can take care of myself, Rowan." Her voice had a hint of sharpness, but maybe it was just my imagination. Why would she be rude to her boyfriend?

Rowan. He had a beautiful name. It somehow suited him.

"I don't need your advice." He sighed, watching her go into her room and slam the door behind her without bothering to close it softly, clearly showing her mood.

His expression grew a little sad as he watched where she had gone, but then he looked back at my door, and I couldn't decipher the serious look he directed at it. But it made my heart race. I backed away from the peephole before I could see him leave, moving away from the door slowly, feeling my breathing grow heavy and suffocating.

He had been looking at the door with such intensity that it felt like he was looking straight at me, as if there was no door between us. There were endless questions in his face, in his eyes. Questions that I didn't know the answers to.

And I shouldn't care. I didn't know him, and after the embarrassment I experienced today, I didn't want to know him.

I finished getting ready before I could embarrass myself further and lay down, ready to sleep and start a new day tomorrow. A new chapter in my story.

I woke up with sunlight hitting my face and groaned as I remembered I hadn't closed the curtains before sleeping. Since I had fallen asleep earlier than expected, I was well-rested when I got up, so I decided it was time to enter the academy, get to know the place, and, most importantly, find something to eat. My stomach was begging for it.

I grabbed my uniform from the top drawer and got dressed. A light brown plaid skirt, which stopped about five fingers above my knee, a long-sleeved white blouse, and a black vest with the academy's crest on the left chest. I combed my hair with my fingers, adjusting my fringe as well, though it didn't make much of a difference. I looked out at the sky and noticed it was cloudy, so I put on a pair of white tights, which didn't stand out much against my skin since I was just as pale.

Being cooped up at home with my parents had its effects.

I slipped on my loafers, grabbed my glasses, my phone, and left the room slowly.

The hallway was empty and silent; most people were probably still asleep, I guess. I descended the stairs slowly, admiring the structure around me. I was never going to get tired of looking at it. There were already a few people moving back and forth inside the dormitory, all too busy with their own problems.

The fresh morning breeze soon hit my face, and I couldn't help but shiver with excitement. It smelled fresh, a freshness I didn't feel at home; it was different and good.

I approached the empty kiosk in the nearby courtyard, enjoying the fresh wind blowing against my face, making the tree leaves dance, and I stared into the forest for a while. The morning light had already broken through the sky, yet it was still a bit dark inside the forest.

Something about it was comforting, like a refuge for noisy minds. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, taking a moment to familiarize myself with it. The sound of the wind passing through the trees, the rustling of the leaves in the branches, like a calming song, all of it drowned out the growing sound of voices around me. People waking up, getting up to start another season.

It was as if I connected with nature...

I quickly opened my eyes when I heard the sound of dry leaves moving on the ground, a sign of someone approaching, and to my surprise, there he was. Rowan was there. He was only wearing pants, no shirt or shoes.

I held my breath, surprised.

He was a few meters away, but I could clearly see his defined and beautiful torso, his large and strong arms, his broad chest, and his perfectly sculpted Adonis belt that left much to the imagination as it reached the waistband of his pants. I shouldn't be thinking about that!

I blinked a few times to see if this was real, feeling my heart race so fast I could hear it. He was emerging from the edge of the forest as if it were the most normal thing in the world while putting on a white tank top, a piece of clothing that made his body look ridiculously bigger.

I hadn't seen many young men in my life due to my parents' restrictions, but without a doubt, Rowan was sculpted by the gods; his beauty was otherworldly.

Seemingly sensing my presence, his eyes found mine, and his steps gradually slowed until he stopped, staring at me shamelessly.

I exhaled, feeling my heart pound. Why was he so serious? Why was he staring at me?

Maybe because I had been staring at him, again... Oh Goddess!

He started walking again, but this time in my direction.

Oh shit, shit, shit! Was he going to confront me or something?

I quickly fled before he could reach me, finding my way back inside the academy as fast as I could. What was I going to say if he asked why I was staring at him so much? And if he was mad? I had never fought with anyone in my life, and I doubted I could win a fight against someone almost twice my size.