I stand by the bed, holding my breath, and watch the sleeping guy. His face, usually tense and slightly furrowed, now seems so serene, as if all his worries have melted away. He is peacefully asleep, his breathing steady, almost hypnotic. I can't look away.
Who would have thought everything could change so much in just one week? Just seven days ago, we were strangers to each other, two random dots on the map of life that might never have crossed paths. If he hadn't thrown that hurtful word at me—cheat—I probably wouldn't have even noticed him. But his audacity struck a nerve, and I couldn't stay silent.
Honestly, I never could have imagined what he'd really be like. During our first meeting, he seemed quiet, almost unnoticeable, but behind that outward modesty hid a razor-sharp personality. How he infuriated me when he decided to report me to the dean! I was ready to tear him apart at that moment, but instead, I chose a more refined revenge—I simply erased him from my world. We barely crossed paths after that, and I was sure it would stay that way.
But everything changed at that dorm party. I, of course, had no intention of missing it, even though that jerk lived there. My mistake was that I'd already had quite a bit of fun before it even started. By the time I got there, my head was spinning, and my legs barely obeyed me. I felt awful and desperately wanted to sleep. Home was far away, and I didn't dare get into someone else's car in that state.
And then, through the fog in my head, I saw him. He stood in the distance, like a random guest in his own life. What's he doing here? flashed through my mind, but I quickly pushed the thought away. I didn't care. The only thing I wanted was to collapse into his bed and pass out. And without thinking, I walked up to him and asked for just that. To my surprise, he didn't refuse.
Now, looking at him, I can't help but smile. Look how brave we are, I think, sleeping in the same bed together! Aren't you afraid I haven't forgotten your past words and might cause some trouble?
But at this moment, in the silence of the room, where only his breathing can be heard, I feel something strange. Something that makes my heart beat a little faster. Maybe it's curiosity? Or something more? I don't know. But one thing is clear—nothing will ever be the same again.
Then comes the argument, the Olympiad, which I show up to straight from another party. If it hadn't been for the alarm reminder that woke me up in the morning, I probably wouldn't have even remembered it. My head is splitting, my thoughts are jumbled, but I still make it there.
But let's go back to that argument. Why do I suggest it? The answer is simple and banal: to have fun. But not with this nerd—more like at his expense. I imagine him walking into the club, stunned by the loud music and the crowd, and within half an hour, running back to his cozy little world of books and silence. I think it will be funny to see him step out of his comfort zone. But here's where things go sideways. This guy doesn't just run away screaming. He stays. And not just stays—he dances with me. His movements are awkward, but there's a sincerity in them that makes me forget everything. I melt in his arms, feeling my heart start to beat in rhythm with the music. I want to dance with him more and more, forgetting about everything else in the world.
But the evening was ruined by Ivan. Whether he was jealous or just lost his temper, he started coming onto me with a persistence I hadn't expected from him. Before, he'd only made occasional hints, a couple of times suggesting I come over to his place, trying to kiss me, but each time I turned him down. This time, though, it was like something had come over him. He was aggressive, insistent, and I felt fear gripping me. In the end, he almost assaulted me right there. I was overcome with a terrible fear. Memories of what happened to Yegor flashed through my mind. I didn't want a repeat, didn't want to be stripped of my choice again, for my body to become someone else's property once more. I cried from helplessness, from the pain in my cheek where this former friend had struck me.
And then he stepped in— Nerd. That same guy I'd thought was weak. He didn't just stand up for me; he fought for me. And he didn't just fight—he won. I was shocked. There was a fury in his eyes that I'd never seen before. And then, when it was all over, he came to me. His hands were warm, his voice quiet but firm. He cared for me in a way no one ever had before. No one had ever protected me like he did. No one had ever looked at me with such tenderness, as if I were something fragile that needed to be cherished. In that moment, I realized that everything I'd thought about him was wrong.
I couldn't understand what was happening to me. Everything I knew about him, everything I thought, crumbled to dust. He wasn't who I thought he was—not just a nerd, not someone who hid in his books and was afraid of life. He was strong. Stronger than I could have imagined. And when he hugged me on the street, I felt something inside me begin to change. Maxim was the one who managed to break down my walls without even trying. And I didn't know how to feel about it.
The fear that had gripped me began to fade, giving way to something new, something warm and unfamiliar. I couldn't understand what it was, but I knew one thing—I didn't want to be alone anymore.
His movements were careful, as if he was afraid of hurting me. He didn't ask unnecessary questions, didn't demand explanations, he was just there. And there was something incredibly soothing about that. I looked at him, trying to understand how he'd managed to do what no one else could. How had Maxim made me feel safe when I'd almost forgotten what that felt like? And then I realized that maybe all this time, I'd been looking in the wrong place. Maybe I'd been searching where I shouldn't have. Maybe the answer had been right in front of me, but I'd been too blind to see it.
Nerd wasn't perfect—awkward, strange, sometimes even irritating. But he was real. And that was his strength. I didn't know what would happen next. I didn't know how things would turn out. This was the beginning of something new, something I'd been so afraid of but desperately needed. And maybe it was scary. Maybe I wasn't ready yet. But I knew one thing—I didn't want to run anymore. I realized it was time to end this whole charade with the bet, and I suggested we call it off. After all, I was ready to fulfill his condition just to put an end to it. But then I got the third shock of the evening. He didn't want to end it, and we'd continue our two weeks of fun.
I definitely hadn't expected that from him. But there was more. More dancing, more kisses, tequila. The tequila thing was especially strange. I'd never drunk it like that before, though I'd seen others do it many times. Salt, lime, the sharp taste that burns your throat and makes the world around you blur a little. But that evening, everything was different. Everything was... brighter. That was the first time I looked at him not as the Nerd, but as a man. A handsome man.
My transformation of him, the change in his style, revealed what had been hidden behind those awful clothes and awkward manners. Max was... attractive. And I couldn't look away.
And again, that word—for the first time. For the first time, I wanted a guy so badly. I liked Yegor, but this was different. With him, it was more of a friendship than a relationship. We were close, but not like this. Not like this. I didn't feel any sexual attraction to him, though he apparently thought otherwise. But here... here everything was different. Every glance, every touch, every chuckle—it was like it ignited something in me that I'd never felt before. I couldn't understand what was happening to me, but I knew one thing—I couldn't ignore it anymore.
We danced, laughed, drank tequila, and I felt the boundaries between us blurring. He was no longer the guy I wanted to laugh at, but the one who made me feel alive. The one who awakened something in me that I'd long suppressed. And in that moment, when he took my hand again, I realized that maybe this wasn't just fun. Maybe it was something more. But I wasn't ready to admit it. Not then. Not in that moment. Instead, I just allowed myself to be. To be here, with him, in this strange, unexpected, but thrilling moment.
I wanted Max. It wasn't just desire—it was something deeper, something that drove me crazy. Our kisses, our touches—it was like they lit a fire in me that I couldn't control. I started this bet to teach him a lesson, to laugh at him, but in the end, I was the one caught in the trap of my own feelings. He didn't back away from me. His feelings were just as strong and sincere. Even though I still try to pretend that I don't feel anything for him, my body betrays me. Every glance, every gesture, every sigh—it all screamed that I couldn't stay indifferent. But how doesn't he see it? Or does he see it and just not let on?
We started spending more and more time together. He opened up to me, told me about his fears, dreams, and weaknesses. And I realized that maybe this was exactly what I wanted. Even if I didn't realize it myself.
And we almost had our first time. Almost. But the past, as always, came back to steal that moment from us. It burst into our reality like an uninvited guest and destroyed everything we had started to build. And I... I was scared.