as you step into the hallway of the dorm building, its obvious of the last hour that you have spent in someone else room on the third floor with your messy hair, swollen lips, and messed up shirt collar. you didnt bother fixing it, you just wanted your bed and maybe a quick shower

thats when you see leighton walking towards you from the shared bathroom at the end of the hall with a robe wrapped around her body. shes carrying a small caddy with her shower stuff and the moment her eyes land on you, she freezes which causes you to also freeze up

it has been almost eight months since you have last talked. eight months since she ended things with the rehearsed ‘needing space to figure things out’ line even though you both knew it was really about her familys expectations and the pressure of being leighton murray in public while being someone else entirely with you

she had said she couldnt risk it all coming out and couldnt handle the fallout. you had begged her to fight for it but she had walked away and here she was, staring at you like she was punched in the gut

you start to walk past her, having your shoulder brush the wall like you can make yourself small enough to disappear

“y/n.” her voice is almost a whisper but it stops you like a hand on your arm

you slowly turn and her eyes flick over you, taking in the small mark on your neck that you know is visible

“what?” you say it sharper then you mean to

she swallows hard “you look.. different”

you let out a humorless laugh “yeah well time does that”

her eyes linger on the hickey and she doesnt even try to hide it “youve been busy” the jealousy is unmistakeable

you tilt your head “and youve been.. showering. good for you.”

“dont do that” she snaps, stepping closer “dont act like im the one who-“

“like youre the one who what?” you cut her off “broke up with me? ghosted me? make it very clear you didnt want anything to do with me anymore?”

she flinches but her jaw tightens “i didnt ghost you. i needed-“

“you needed to pretend none of it happened” you finished for her “to go back to being perfect little leighton murray. the sorority princess with no messy ex girlfriend to complicate things.”

“thats not fair. you know why i-“

“i know why. i just dont care anymore.”

she takes another step closer “you care. you wouldnt be this pissed if you didnt”

you laugh again “oh please. youre the one standing here looking at me like i committed a crime because i hooked up with someone. you dont get to be jealous leighton. you lost that right when you walked away.”

“im not jealous” her voice falters and her eyes are locked on the mark like it offends her

“right” you roll your eyes “so you always stop people in the hallway at two in the morning to have deep conversations about their personal lives?”

she opens her mouth then closes it “you think i dont see your stories? the way you post late night selfies with other girls? you think i dont notice?”

you stare at her “youre stalking my instagram?”

“youre stalking mine” she fires back immediately

“dont pretend youre not. i see you viewing my stories the second i post them. every time.” as soon as she says that your face heats up. you hate that she knows and is right

a door opens open down the hall as someone peeks out but then it closes and you lower your voice “you dont get to throw that in my face. you ended this. you said we were done. so i moved on. clearly you havent.”

“i havent” she admits, voice cracking “ i havent moved on and it kills me seeing you like this.. like you dont even care”

you step closer, closing the distance “you think i dont care? you think i like walking around looking like this because its fun? im trying to get you leighton and youre making it impossible.”

she looks like shes going to cry but then another door opens up and you glance down the hall, grabbing her wrist as you pull her towards your room “not here.”

she follows you as you unlock your door, push it open, and pull her inside before closing it. the room is dark except for the string lights about your bed