20 - a step closer

                                    

                                          
The campus was quieter than usual as the last of the evening light faded into the horizon, leaving only the soft hum of streetlights illuminating the paths. The cool night air was sharp, the kind that made you feel alive, like the world was taking a breath before it went to sleep. Adrian and Harper walked together through the half-empty campus, their footsteps the only sound breaking the silence.
It had been a long day, but neither of them seemed eager to go home. There was something peaceful about the night—the way it wrapped around them like a blanket, offering a sense of privacy and calm. Adrian, usually so closed off, seemed to relax with every step. His shoulders were no longer stiff, his hands no longer clenched into fists.
"So, did you ever get that textbook for philosophy?" Harper asked casually, her voice soft against the stillness of the evening.
Adrian's gaze flickered over to her, and for a brief moment, it almost seemed like he was surprised by the question. "Nah. I just borrow the notes from Rachel and Jamie," he replied. "They're way better at that stuff than I am."
Harper gave him a playful look. "I think we both know that's not true. You're probably just overthinking it again."
Adrian smirked but didn't offer a full response. The air between them felt charged, but in a way that wasn't uncomfortable—more like a quiet understanding was beginning to settle in. Still, there was that familiar barrier, the one Adrian usually put up, but Harper noticed it wasn't as strong tonight. Something about the night, maybe.
"I don't know, it just feels like everything's more complicated when you're the one who's trying to figure it all out," he muttered, his voice laced with an exhaustion that wasn't just physical.
Harper hesitated for a second, her fingers brushing the rough stone wall of the campus building they passed. She was quiet for a moment, her eyes reflecting the dim light from the street lamps as she searched for the right words. "I get that," she said slowly. "I'm the same way. I overthink everything. It's like... trying to see something through foggy glass."
Adrian glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "You? Overthink?" His tone was teasing, but there was a warmth there that wasn't usually present.
Harper smiled faintly, but her eyes were serious when she met his gaze. "Yeah, sometimes. Especially when it comes to... well, people." She rubbed her arm, a slight shiver passing through her, not from the cold but from something else. "Like when I first tried to talk to you. I was overthinking everything—whether I was making the right choice by even reaching out."
Adrian stopped walking for a brief second, clearly caught off guard. "Why would you think that?"
Harper smiled slightly, tilting her head as she looked up at the night sky, the stars barely visible behind the blanket of clouds. "Because you were distant. And I didn't know why. I thought maybe you didn't want me to keep trying. I didn't know what I was walking into, honestly."
Adrian stopped walking too, his gaze softer now as he looked at her. "It wasn't about you. I just... I don't know how to let people in sometimes." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, not quite meeting her eyes. "But you didn't give up on me."
Harper studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing with concern. "Yeah, but I didn't know the full story. I mean, I know we all have our things, but I didn't realize how much you were dealing with. I guess I wasn't prepared for... all of it."
There was a beat of silence as Adrian seemed to chew on her words. It wasn't the kind of silence that felt uncomfortable, though—it was the kind that invited deeper conversations.
"I've been dealing with more than just school and whatever else. There's a lot of things I didn't expect to have to handle," Adrian said quietly, his tone uncharacteristically vulnerable. His eyes softened just a little. "Like... my mom."