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Days had already rolled by before Denzel finally texted me again.
The message was simple, nothing dramatic - but it made something in my chest loosen. We started talking more after that. It wasn't forced. He asked real questions, not the small, empty ones people ask just to fill silence. It felt like he actually wanted to know me.
And for the first time in a long while, I let myself talk.
About school.
About the stress.
About how everything in my life felt like it was happening too fast and too quietly at the same time.
Denzel listened - not with long speeches, just with those calm, steady responses that made me feel seen instead of dramatic. And he shared things too, little pieces of his day, his thoughts, things he had on his mind.
Later, I walked with him because he needed to get something done. It wasn't a big moment, just us moving through campus side by side. But when I got tired, I told him, and he didn't make a fuss. I left first.
When I got back to the dorm, I saw Lily and Zoey sitting together, talking in low voices. Whatever it was, it seemed serious, but I didn't interrupt. I just slipped inside, grabbed my towel, and went straight to shower. The hot water felt like a reset button.
After bathing, I grabbed my bag and headed out again. I didn't want to stay in the room. I went to get lunch off campus, something quiet and simple, then pulled out my books and studied for a while. It felt good to be alone with my thoughts in a place nobody expected anything from me.
By the time I got back to the dorm that night, my body felt heavy with exhaustion. I changed into my nightwear, dropped onto my bed without thinking twice, and the moment my head hit the pillow, sleep pulled me under.
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