By Monday morning, Sophie's dorm room was starting to feel less like a hotel and more like a home. Fairy lights glowed softly above her desk, and Emma had plastered their shared bulletin board with campus flyers—clubs, concerts, volunteer sign-ups. The energy of the place buzzed through the walls.
Still, Sophie woke with the same nervous flutter she'd felt all week. Her first real class was in an old brick building at the far end of campus. She left early, hoping the extra time would calm her.
The hallway smelled faintly of chalk and old books. She found a seat near the window and pulled out a notebook. Students trickled in, chatting, laughing. She tried to focus on her notes but felt that all-too-familiar "new kid" ache settle in her stomach.
"Is this seat taken?"
She glanced up. Ryan stood there, backpack slung over one shoulder, hair slightly damp as if he'd just showered. He wasn't wearing his café apron—just a simple grey t-shirt and jeans. Without the counter between them, he looked taller, less composed, but still easygoing.
"No," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Go ahead."
He sat, dropping his bag to the floor. "Didn't know you were in this class," he said. "Intro to Sociology?"
Sophie nodded. "You too?"
"Yeah. Needed an elective." He leaned back in his chair. "Figured I'd try to learn why people act the way they do."
She smiled faintly. "That's… actually kind of fitting for you."
He raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
She hesitated, then shrugged. "You just seem like you're good at reading people."
Ryan chuckled. "Maybe. Comes with serving coffee to stressed students all day."
Before Sophie could reply, the professor called the class to order. She opened her notebook, but her mind drifted. She could feel Ryan's presence beside her, steady and warm, like sunlight through a window. Every so often he leaned over to ask a question about the syllabus or make a quiet joke, and each time she felt a little less invisible.
When the lecture ended, students filed out in groups. Sophie gathered her things slowly, unsure whether to walk with him. Ryan solved that for her.
"Want to grab coffee?" he asked casually. "My break's in fifteen minutes."
Her heart skipped. She thought of Emma's teasing voice—he's obviously into you—and tried to ignore the rush of hope that came with it.
"Sure," she said. "I could use some caffeine."
As they stepped into the bright morning, Sophie felt the nervous flutter in her chest shift into something else. Not quite calm yet, but lighter. Like maybe, just maybe, she was starting to belong.