chapter 6 -sleepless night

After lunch, Eva and I returned to our dorm room, feeling the satisfying heaviness of a good meal. The sun had begun its slow descent, casting a warm, golden light through our window. The room felt cozy and peaceful, and soon, the lull of afternoon drowsiness washed over us.

"I'm so full," Eva groaned, flopping down onto her bed with exaggerated dramatics. I chuckled, nodding in agreement as I settled on my own bed, the mattress creaking slightly beneath me.

A few minutes of peaceful silence passed before our laughter broke out again. We had spent the last few hours studying, but somehow, everything seemed to turn into a joke. Whether it was about our professors' quirks or the silly mistakes we made while solving problems, we couldn't stop giggling.

"I swear," I said between laughs, "if I have to listen to Professor Matthews mispronounce 'algorithm' one more time, I might lose it."

Eva snorted. "At least he tries! Remember when he couldn't even remember your name? He called you 'Anna' for the whole class."

I groaned, remembering the awkward moment. "Yeah, well, I'm just glad Ethan didn't notice that."

At the mention of his name, Eva shot me a knowing look, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Speaking of Ethan, you've been asking about him a lot lately. Is there something I should know?"

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I rolled my eyes to cover my embarrassment. "It's not like that. I'm just… curious."

"Uh-huh," Eva teased, sitting up and crossing her arms. "Curious, sure. Well, for your information, his parents are doctors. His dad's a cardiologist, and his mom's a surgeon. He live alone nearby, he stays at home instead of in the dorms. He's not around much outside of classes, but when he is…"

She trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, making me laugh. "Okay, okay, I get it. No need to rub it in."

Despite her teasing, I couldn't help but feel a tiny flutter in my chest at the thought of Ethan. He had been so kind earlier, complimenting me on my math skills and giving me that heart-melting smile. It was hard not to be curious about him.

Later that evening, after finishing our studies and talking with my parents, I felt a sense of calmness. I'd made sure to remind my dad to take his medication, especially after his stroke. They always worried about me, being away from home for the first time, but I tried to reassure them that I was fine and adjusting well.

As the night deepened, the room grew quiet, and the comforting rhythm of Eva's soft breathing filled the space. I lay in bed, feeling the weight of sleep tugging at my eyelids. But just as I was about to drift off, something disturbed the stillness.

A faint, acrid smell lingered in the air, tickling my nose. At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just a fleeting sensation, but the smell grew stronger. My curiosity got the better of me, and I sat up, inhaling deeply.

It smelled like… cigarette smoke.

I frowned. Smoking wasn't allowed inside the dorms, and it was definitely unusual to smell it this strongly. I glanced over at Eva, who was still sound asleep, completely undisturbed.

Quietly, I slipped out of bed, pulling on my slippers and wrapping a sweater around myself. The dorm hallway was dimly lit, and the silence made every creak of the floorboards seem louder than it was. The smell grew more intense as I stepped out into the corridor, the air thick with cigarette smoke. My nose wrinkled in disgust, but what caught my attention next was the faint thumping of music coming from the right wing of the dorms.

What the hell?

I cautiously walked toward the source of the noise, the smell growing stronger with each step. As I rounded the corner, I saw it—the door to one of the rooms was slightly ajar, and smoke was billowing out into the hallway. Laughter and heavy music spilled out from inside.

I hesitated, standing a few feet away. Part of me wanted to march over there and complain, but another part of me wasn't so sure. I had no idea who was inside that room, and I didn't want to make a scene, especially when I barely knew anyone here.

Still, the smoke was irritating, and the noise was getting louder. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

Turning on my heel, I hurried back to my room and gently shook Eva awake. She blinked up at me, confused, as I whispered, "Eva, there's a bunch of people smoking and blasting music in the right wing. It's so loud, and the smoke is everywhere. We should report them."

Eva rubbed her eyes and groaned. "Ugh, not again. That's just the Zayn's gang. They do this all the time. It's been like this for years."

I blinked at her, surprised. "Wait, you've been dealing with this for years? Doesn't it bother you?"

She sighed, sitting up and brushing her hair out of her face. "It used to, but you kind of get used to it after a while. They're not going to stop, and no one really enforces the rules around here. Trust me, it's not worth the trouble."

I frowned, not entirely convinced. "But what about the smoke? It's everywhere. How do you sleep through that?"

Eva shrugged. "I just ignore it. They usually calm down after a few hours, anyway."

I bit my lip, feeling conflicted. I couldn't imagine getting used to the smell of cigarette smoke, let alone the noise. But if Eva had been putting up with it for years, maybe she was right. Maybe there was nothing we could do.

Still, I couldn't just ignore it. I was too wound up, too uncomfortable. "I don't think I can sleep like this," I admitted, glancing at the door.

Eva gave me a sympathetic look. "It'll pass, I promise. Just try to sleep."

I nodded, though I wasn't entirely convinced. Eva lay back down, pulling the covers over her head, while I climbed back into bed, my mind racing. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on anything but the smell of smoke or the thumping of the bass from the music down the hall. But it was no use.

I tossed and turned, unable to settle down. Every time I thought I was close to falling asleep, the sound of laughter or the smell of cigarettes would snap me back to full consciousness.

This is impossible.

I groaned inwardly, burying my face in my pillow. The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity as the noise continued unabated. It wasn't just the smoke or the music that bothered me—it was the fact that I felt powerless to stop it. There was no way I could just let this become part of my routine.

After what felt like hours, the noise finally began to die down. The laughter became more muted, the music lowered in volume, and the smell of smoke started to dissipate. I didn't know whether they were finally going to bed or just taking a break, but either way, the silence was a welcome relief.

I exhaled slowly, my body finally beginning to relax. The tension that had knotted in my shoulders all night started to melt away, and sleep tugged at my consciousness once more.

But even as I drifted off, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.