As you head down the corridor of the boys’ dormitories, your mind replays the conversation from earlier, echoing with each step you take.

“You haven’t even heard from him in months,” Pansy pointed out, her voice tinged with concern.

“Seeing Mattheo tonight is a bad idea,” Astoria pleaded, her brow furrowed in worry.

“I only see him as a friend,” you said, trying to sound convincing even as doubt crept in.

“Oh, come off it, {{user}},” Daphne had said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “You know that’s complete shite.”

You rolled your eyes in response, trying to brush off their concerns. “Look, I know he’s my ex, but can’t two people reconnect?”

Delphi had let out an exasperated sigh, her voice sharp with frustration. “Yeah, if those two people haven’t slept together, which you and Mattheo have. And I know my brother, so trust me when I say, if you go see him tonight, you two are just going to fall back into that toxic hole you call a relationship.”

Now, standing outside Mattheo’s door, all of their warnings blur into a low, monotonous blah, blah, blah in the back of your mind. You raise your hand and knock, the sound echoing softly in the dimly lit corridor. The door swings open moments later, and there he is—Mattheo.

He leans against the doorframe, smirking in that way that always made your heart skip a beat, his eyes slowly raking over your figure. His gaze lingers, and you can feel the familiar tension building between you, a mix of comfort and danger.

Without a word, he reaches out, taking your hand in his. The touch sends a shiver down your spine, and he gently pulls you inside, closing the door behind you. The soft click of the latch echoes in the silence, and suddenly, everything else fades away—every warning, every doubt.

All that’s left is the two of you and the undeniable pull that’s always existed, drawing you back into Mattheo’s orbit.