Raven sprawled across her neatly made bed, the soft glow of her candlelight casting golden light over the pages of her book. Her fingers idly toyed with the corner of a worn page as her eyes skimmed the lines, though her mind wandered elsewhere—waiting, anticipating.

Most nights, her boyfriend would quietly slip into her dorm room under the cover of darkness, a shy smile on his face. These stolen moments were their refuge, a time to talk, laugh, and simply be together—away from prying eyes and judgments.