Chapter 80 : The Dorm House
HAYDEN’S POV
I don’t know what pisses me off more—him… or the fact that I care.
The living room felt too small and tight, as if the walls were closing in on me. That guy is still sitting on Stephen’s lap, watching us like he accidentally walked into the middle of something he doesn’t understand and he did.
Because I don’t even understand it.
“Are you serious?” I ask again, my voice lower now, sharper.
Stephen tilts his head slightly, studying me like I’m the one being unreasonable. “I asked you the same thing.”
My jaw tightens. “You just met him.”
“And?” he shoots back.
“And you brought him here?” I gesture vaguely, like that explains everything.
Stephen’s expression shifts, something colder slipping into place. “It’s my dorm house too, remember?”
That hits again, right where it shouldn’t.
I exhale sharply, dragging a hand through my hair. “Yeah. Fine. Do whatever you want.”
The words taste like crap coming out of my mouth, but I force them out anyway because that’s what I’m supposed to say.
That’s what someone who doesn’t care would say.
Stephen watches me for a second longer, his eyes narrowing slightly, like he’s trying to peel something out of me I’m not giving him.
Then he asked. “Are you jealous?”
The question lands like a punch straight to the chest. “What?” I scoff immediately, too fast. “No.”
His gaze doesn’t move or soften. “Doesn’t look like it.”
“I said I’m not,” I snap, sharper this time. “Why would I be?”
There was a beat. Then Stephen huffs out a quiet, humorless breath, like he expected that answer.
“Right,” he mutters.
Something about that, about the way he says it like he doesn’t believe me, makes something twist even tighter inside my chest.
I turn away before I can say something I’ll regret, before I can let any of that show.
“Whatever,” I say, dismissively. “I don’t care what you do.”
Another lie. God, I’m full of them today.
Silence stretches for a second too long, awkward and tense, before the guy on the bed finally shifts.
“Uh… I should go,” he says carefully.
“Yeah,” I said immediately, not even looking at him. “You should.”
Stephen’s gaze snaps back to me, something flashing in his eyes but he doesn’t argue or stop him.
After a second, the guy grabs his stuff and slips past me, muttering something under his breath as he leaves. The door clicks shut behind him, and just like that…It’s just us again.
The silence that followed was worse i let out a slow breath, forcing my shoulders to relax. “Look,” I start, keeping my voice as steady as I can, “you don’t have to… do all that.”
Stephen leans back against the desk now, arms crossing over his chest. “Do what?”
“This,” I gesture vaguely again, frustrated.
“Bringing random people over like, like you’re trying to prove something.”
His eyes narrow slightly. “I’m not proving anything.”
“Sure,” I mutter.
Another pause. Then, because I don’t know how to fix this, because I don’t even know what this is, I just shrug.
“If you’re that desperate,” I say, the words coming out harsher than I intended, “just watch porn or something. Do whatever. I don’t care. Just… don’t bring people here.”
The second it leaves my mouth, I almost regret it, almost.
Stephen just stares at me for a second, his expression unreadable.
Then he lets out a short breath. “Fine.”
That was it. There was no argument or pushback. Just… fine and somehow, that felt worse.
I didn't wait around for anything else. I just turn and walk to my room, shutting the door behind me a little harder than necessary.
The silence here is supposed to help but it doesn’t because I can still feel him out there.
I dropped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to ignore it.
This is what I wanted, right? The space and distance? No more… whatever that was. So why does it feel like this?
I close my eyes, dragging a hand over my face.
I just need to sleep. That’s all I need to do.
Sleep, and tomorrow this will all feel less… complicated.
But then….a sound breaks through the silence.
My eyes snapped open and I froze, listening.
At first, I thought I had imagined it but then it came again.
A low exhale, I shifted from movement from the other side of the wall.
My stomach tightens.
I know what that is. Stephen was touching himself and moaning so loudly.
I swallow hard, turning onto my side, like that will somehow block it out but it doesn’t.
Because once I hear it, I can’t unhear it.
Every small sound feels amplified in this room. Every breath, every movement, it all seeps through the walls like it’s happening right next to me.
“Shit…” I mutter under my breath, pressing the heel of my hand against my forehead.
I told him to do that. This is on me.
So why does it feel like torture?
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to focus on anything else but my brain won’t cooperate.
It keeps dragging me back to it to his loud moans and groans.
Fuck, he was just outside.
I groan softly, rolling onto my back again. This is ridiculous.
I don’t care about him touching himself. I don’t.
Another sound slips through the wall, but it hits just as hard.
My chest tightens and before I can stop it, before I can even think…my body reacts.
I went still as my dick goes harder and harder.
“Seriously? Fuck.” I mutter to myself, frustrated.
This is exactly what I didn’t want and what I was trying to avoid.
I drag a hand down my face again, exhaling sharply. It doesn’t matter or mean anything.
It’s just… a fucking hard on. That’s it.
But I was fucking hard, it was almost painful. Maybe I should…
No. I need to stop thinking about him and the way he moans when I slide my dick into him.
Fuck!
I turn onto my side again, pulling the pillow over my head this time, as that’ll help.
It barely does because the sounds don’t fully go away and neither does the way my mind keeps circling back to him.
My chest tightens again, heavier this time.
I told him that we fucking were a mistake. So why does it feel like I’m the one lying here, unable to sleep, while he just….Moves on?
The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I clench my jaw, staring into the darkness.
This is good…I guess.
More moaning sounds slip through the wall, and I squeeze my eyes shut harder, like I can block it out.
But I can’t and the worst part? I don’t think my body wants to.