Love ruled by time

er students, who walked wide-eyed and laughing, maps in hand and dreams in their pock

w. For Brianna, it felt more like an escape - not from h

ement. Her dorm loomed ahead: brick, old, and too quiet for a place that held hundreds of people.

were desperate to feel something. She'd believed it once

anym

he

uilding something that didn't depend on anyone els

ide the room that would be hers for the next year. It

if her heart still

s already h

bright eyes, a messy bun, and a wide grin

oommate!" she bea

g a small, polite smil

uitcase. "You're lucky. I grabbed the side with the view but

d anyway. Lydia's energy filled the room like sunshine trying to brea

, placing her bag

p-where she was from, what she planned to major in, how excited she was about orientation

In fact, she reminded Brianna of someone

stopped tru

sat on the edge of her bed, looking out the window. The campus wa

beside her. A t

e settled. I'm proud o

long time before replyi

fi

s, staring up at the ceiling. The shadows of moving branc

this part of her life would look different - shared with someo

were ju

well, love

broke t

s quiet now

mories crept in-slow, uni

d her heart a little fuller than usual. He had walked her home, hand brushin

down the narrow street like music. She remembered how light everything fel

had told her that day. "Yo

believ

ed her hand or smiled at her like she matte

she

Until she found out that she'd been nothing mo

sked for an

the satisfaction of

she

h polite smiles and deflective words. She promised herself she would never let someone get that clo

ling herself bac

her was still. Her

wall. Maybe the past would always follow her. Maybe it would

was he

n't going t

hat's what sh