Tim hated lying, but lately, it felt like he had no other choice. All he wanted now was to be trapped within the four walls of his apartment, away from the rest of the world. He stubbornly believed he could handle his demons on his own. He didn't need anyone's help, and he certainly didn't want their pity.
Sleep still eluded him at night. When the insomnia grew too heavy to bear, he spent his hours drawing. Only the low hum of music in his headphones and the scratch of a pencil against his sketchbook could bring him any semblance of calm.
A whole week passed without him stepping foot outside the house. Ethan and the other club members texted almost every day, but Tim only replied with short, dry messages that left no room for conversation.
Ethan:The lecturers keep asking about you. At least attend classes next week, or they won't let you take the midterms.
Tim:Don't worry.
The last thing Tim wanted was to go back to the university and face crowds of people. If he forced himself to go out in this state, he feared the fragile mask he wore would shatter completely.
Logan:Remember there's an internal competition tomorrow. You have to show up.
Tim:I remember.
Truthfully, he had thought about quitting the club altogether. He had already proven he could easily win, so a part of him felt it was a waste of time. Yet, for some strange reason, he couldn't bring himself to walk away. Being part of the team gave him a flicker of happiness he hadn't felt in a very long time. Deep down, he knew that if he cut this last tie, he would never leave his house again and that would destroy his mental state completely.
Thursday arrived, and the atmosphere at the campus shooting range was tense.
"Is everyone here?" Logan asked, reviewing the attendance sheet.
"Everyone except Tim," Al replied, leaning against an equipment table.
Logan sighed. "Let's start then. As always, Tim will be the last contestant if he shows up."
Willy scoffed from the sidelines. "I wouldn't be so sure he's coming."
Seb chuckled, nudging Willy's shoulder. "You two fight like cats and dogs. Honestly, I'm sure he'll show up just to annoy you."
The competition proceeded, and as expected, Willy, Seb, Al, and Logan secured the best scores. The event was nearly over when the university rector suddenly walked into the range.
"Hello, everyone," she greeted, gesturing for them to relax. "I need a few minutes of your time. There's something important I need to address."
The team turned their full attention to her.
"For those who don't know, there's an upcoming national competition where we need two representatives from our university," the rector explained, her expression grave. "William and Sebastian were scheduled to go, but Sebastian is currently facing an unexpected visa issue. There is very little time left, and if we can't find another qualified participant, we will be forced to withdraw entirely."
Willy stepped forward, his brow furrowing. "But this competition is incredibly important for our ranking."
"Maybe we can find someone else from the elite tier who won't have visa issues," Seb suggested, looking frustrated.
"Or maybe we can try reapplying for the visa with an expedited request?" Al offered.
The rector shook her head helplessly. "You have until the final registration day. If you can't find a replacement by then, I'll have to cancel the trip."
Suddenly, the heavy door of the range clicked open. A figure stepped inside, his face completely hidden beneath a dark mask and a low-brimmed hat.
"Hi, guys," Tim's muffled voice echoed through the quiet room.
Without greeting anyone properly or offering an explanation for his lateness, he walked straight to his designated shooting booth. He expertly loaded his weapon, lifted it without a single trace of hesitation, and took aim.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Five perfect shots. Fifty points, right in the bullseye, as usual.
He lowered the weapon, turned around, and walked directly toward the rector, pulling his mask down slightly. "Hello. Sorry for not greeting you properly earlier. I heard you'd be here today, so I brought these documents for you." He handed over a neat folder.
The rector smiled warmly, accepting the papers. "That's perfectly fine, Tim. I'll inform the lecturers about this. Get some rest and come back to campus soon."
"Goodbye," Tim said, nodding.
The entire room stared in absolute shock. Nobody could understand what had just happened. How could he act so casually after disappearing for a week?
Willy's patience snapped. "Wait! Where do you think you're going?"
Tim didn't even bother to look back as he packed his gear. "I'm done here. Going home."
"The meeting isn't over!" Willy shouted, marching over to him. "You show up late for the competition, and now you just turn around and leave? If you keep this up, you're going to get kicked out of the club."
Tim let out a low, mocking chuckle, which only fueled Willy's anger.
"You can't just do whatever you want here, Tim," Willy hissed.
Tim finally turned, his eyes cool and calculated. "The club bylaws state that I only need to attend the official weekly competitions and maintain my baseline score to keep my spot. Show me exactly where I broke the rules, Willy."
The room fell completely silent. Everyone knew these two couldn't stand being in the same breathing space.
"Enough, both of you!" the rector interrupted, stepping between them. "Willy, Tim already informed the administration that he wouldn't be able to attend regular lectures and daily training. He has special administrative permission."
"That's completely unfair to the rest of us!" Willy protested, gesturing angrily. "He shows up once a week for ten minutes to shoot, and that's it?! He contributes nothing to the club's daily operations. We don't need dead weight on this team."
The rector's expression turned solemn. "Tim is dealing with ongoing health issues. That is the reason he cannot be on campus regularly."
Willy froze, the words dying in his throat. A sudden wave of guilt washed over him. He had sensed that something was off with Tim during the tryouts, yet instead of holding back, he had lashed out.
Tim observed the shift in Willy's expression, a sharp, dangerous glint appearing in his eyes. He stepped around the rector.
"What did you just say, Willy? That I'm doing nothing for the club?" Tim asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "I just overheard your little predicament. I'll replace Seb for the national competition. But, oh wait... there's just one small issue. I'm not entirely sure my health will allow me to travel. But then again, you only need one more participant to save the team, right?"
The rector's eyes lit up. "Perfect! I'll handle the arrangements immediately. I completely forgot your scores qualify you to go, Tim. Weren't you planning to visit your parents in that area anyway?"
"No, I was actually with them this week," Tim lied smoothly, flashing a brief smile. "But I'll do anything to help the club."
Willy opened his mouth to vehemently object, but the rector cut him off before he could speak. "I'll take care of all the paperwork today. Excuse me, boys."
As soon as the rector left the room, Tim stepped into Willy's personal space, leaning in until his lips were just inches from Willy's ear.
"I'm really looking forward to this," Tim whispered, his voice dripping with playful malice. "I'm so glad you're coming with me. Oh, and guess what? I could have easily fixed Seb's visa issue with a single phone call because I happen to know the ambassador personally. But... I won't. Enjoy being stuck with me."
Tim slowly placed one hand on Willy's shoulder, his fingers tracing up to the side of Willy's neck, asserting his presence.
"Maybe I'll even introduce you to my parents while we're out there," Tim murmured, his eyes locking onto Willy's furious gaze. "Enjoy your freedom while you can, roommate. Because from now on, I'll be your shadow. I promised I'd stay by your side every single moment, and I always keep my promises."
Willy's jaw clenched so hard his muscles trembled. "Fuck you," he muttered under his breath.
Tim's grin widened, completely unfazed. "I know you want to. You can try if you like, but just so you know, I'm really not into one-night stands."
Willy looked like he was about to explode. He violently shoved Tim's hands off him, turned on his heel, and stormed out of the range, slamming the heavy door behind him so hard the glass rattled.
Tim simply smiled, thoroughly amused, as he watched him vanish. He turned back to the rest of the stunned group. "Does anyone happen to have Willy's class and training schedule?"
Logan blinked, still processing the chaotic interaction. "Yeah... yeah, I have it. But why do you need it?"
Tim slung his bag over his shoulder, the picture of innocence. "I just want to sort out a few logistics with him. Forgot to ask before he rushed out."
"Okay," Logan sighed, pulling out his phone. "I'll send it to you."
"Thanks a lot, Logan. You're the best," Tim said brightly.
He pulled up his mask, waived a brief goodbye to a very confused Ethan, and walked out. And so, the plan officially began: I'll be with you, every moment.