Jenny didn't press further. She simply slipped her arm through mine and nodded. "Fine. But don't think you're escaping me this time."
The two of us walked in silence at first, but I could feel the stares. Every step down the pathway seemed heavier, the murmur of voices chasing me like shadows.
By the entrance of the hostel, three upper-year girls leaned against the wall. Their voices weren't hushed enough.
"He'll use her and dump her."
"Freshmen never learn. She's just his newest toy."
My cheeks burned. My stomach twisted, but I forced my face to stay blank, eyes fixed straight ahead.
Jenny caught it. Her jaw tightened, and she glared at the girls before tugging me closer. "Ignore them. They're jealous, that's all."
I swallowed hard. "It doesn't feel like jealousy. It feels like…"
"Shhh." Jenny squeezed my hand. "Don't give them the satisfaction."
As soon as we reached our room, I shut the door firmly and leaned against it, as though I could keep the whole world out by locking it away.
Jenny threw her bag on the bed and crossed her arms. "All right. No more running. Talk."
My voice wavered. "Promise me first… you won't judge me."
Jenny's eyes softened, though her tone stayed sharp. "I'm your roommate, Rue. Not your enemy. Just be honest with me."
My chest rising and falling too quickly. Finally, I nodded.
Jenny sat cross-legged on the bed, watching me like a hawk.
"Start from the beginning," she said softly. "Not pieces. Everything."
I swallowed. My voice trembled.
"Do you remember… orientation day? When he walked into the hall?"
Jenny's brows drew together. "Jordan Rogers? Of course. Everyone remembers that. He picked you out in front of everybody."
I nodded slowly. "He asked my name. Just my name. And the very next day, he came into our class. He made that announcement.."
I nodded quickly. "That wasn't the worst part. That day, in class, he… he knelt in front of me right? Whispered so only I could hear. He told me to come to his room to study. Alone."
Jenny's brows shot up. "You went?"
I hesitated, shame washing over my face. "I told you I was going to the library. But I went to him."
Jenny let out a sharp breath. "Rue…
"I went to his hostel. The moment I entered, I regretted it. The boys there… They mocked me, booed me, called me names. I felt so small." My voice shook. "But when I got upstairs, to his floor, everything changed. The moment I stopped in front of his door… silence. Everyone went quiet because they feared him. His door had no number, no roommate's name. Just his name 'Rogers Eden.'"
Jenny whispered, almost to herself. "I've heard about that door."
I nodded. "I knocked. He asked me to go in,His room… Jenny, it was nothing like I expected. Neat. Spacious. His bed by the window, books stacked neatly, even his desk polished. He lived alone, no roommate, no clutter. Just him."
"He told me to sit at the desk, told me to read. He sat behind me, on his bed, phone in hand, typing away."
my hands trembled as she spoke.
"But I couldn't focus. His presence… It was too much. Every second, I was hyper-aware he was there."
Jenny raised an eyebrow. "And then?"
My cheeks flamed. "He ordered food. And then he went into the shower. I… I was supposed to be reading, but my mind kept wandering. I kept imagining… things I shouldn't. Him stepping out, me seeing…."
Jenny's eyes widened. "Rue!"
I buried my face in her hands. "I know. I was confused. I didn't want it, but my body betrayed me."
I inhaled shakily before continuing.
"When he came out… Jenny, he stood right next to the desk before me. Just a towel around his waist. His hair wet, water dripping down his chest. He was… he was breathtaking. My knees went weak. And then it happened. My pussy dripped, right there. I was humiliated."
Jenny's face softened in shock. She reached out but didn't interrupt.
"He saw it first" he touched it with his bare hands on my seat and rubbed it against his fingers. I was buried in shame i can't even look him in the eye anymore"
"He didn't shout at me. He just… smiled and said "are you that comfortable with me"
When the food came, I couldn't even eat. I was too ashamed. So he packed it up neatly and handed it to me. And then… he tied his jacket around my waist, with his own hands."
My voice broke. "That's the jacket you saw me wearing. That was the food packet I carried back with me that night."
Jenny sat back, clearly shaken. "So that was the jacket. And the food I saw with you."
I nodded, my voice trembling. "Yes. And Jenny, I don't understand myself anymore. He terrifies me. He pulls me in without even trying. I don't know if I'm drawn to him because I… like him, or if it's just fear. I can't say no to him. I don't know if I even want to."
Silence filled the room, broken only by my shaky breaths. Jenny finally reached out and grabbed my hands.
"You're confused because he's playing with your head. Rue, this isn't love….it's power. And you're letting it consume you."
Tears welled in my eyes. "Then why do I feel alive only when he's near?"
Jenny shook her head, her jaw tight. "Because danger is thrilling, Rue. But thrill doesn't last. And when it ends, it breaks you."
Jenny exhaled hard and shook her head. "You're not listening. Men like him don't settle. You'll end up broken, Rue. Please… don't let yourself become his next mistake."
I wiped my eyes quickly, shaking my head. "You don't understand. It doesn't feel like a mistake."
Jenny's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then promise me something. Promise me you'll be careful."
I gave a shaky nod, though my heart knew caution was already slipping through my fingers.
A sudden buzz broke the tense silence. My phone lit up on the bed.
Jenny leaned over. "Who's that?"
Rue picked it up, and her stomach dropped. A headline glared back at her:
"Final-Year King Jordan Rogers Claims His New Plaything?"
My breath caught. Below it was a zoomed, blurry picture me and Jordan earlier that day, his hand gripping her wrist outside the school premises
"No!!…" I whispered.
Jenny snatched the phone. "Oh my God." She scrolled down, eyes widening at the comments.
"Another victim."
"She won't last a week."
"Lucky bitch."
Jenny gasped. "Rue, it's already everywhere."
I hugged herself, my entire body trembling. "They're all laughing at me…"
Jenny pulled me into a side hug, trying to shield me from the cruel words. "Ignore them. It's just gossip."
But I knew the whispers in the hostel corridor were already turning into proof.
Another buzz. This time, a private message.
My pulse quickened as I opened it.
Jordan: "You think I wouldn't know where you went? Cute, you lied about another lecture. Don't make me come get you."
My heart pounded so hard I thought Jenny would hear it.
Jenny leaned closer, reading over my shoulder. "Rue… what does he mean by that?"
My lips parted, but no sound came out. The phone shook in my hands.
Jenny's eyes filled with alarm. "Rue. He knows where you are?"