Confessions under Neon Lights

The past few weeks had been nothing but a whirlwind of lectures, revision notes, and sleepless nights. End-term exams had officially taken over everyone's lives, and Victoria, like the rest of her friends, was drowning in coursework.

Her dorm room was a mess of textbooks, coffee cups, and scattered sticky notes. Aria had moved into her bed with a blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon, mumbling random facts from her Journalism syllabus. Grayson, Aspen, and Kimber had taken over the library, forming their own study cult where they spent hours buried in notes, only breaking for emergency snacks.

Victoria was exhausted, but there was something thrilling about the chaos. The shared struggle, the mutual complaints about professors, and the collective countdown to freedom made everything bearable.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the exams ended. The moment Victoria walked out of the exam hall, she stretched her arms and took a deep breath. The crisp winter air filled her lungs, and for the first time in weeks, she felt free.

And just like that, Grayson had another plan.

"You're kidding," Aspen groaned when Grayson revealed his latest adventure idea.

"Nope," he said, grinning. "We're going to the Catskills this weekend. Hiking, lakes, fresh air—exactly what we need after weeks of torture."

Aria squinted at him. "You do realize we're all sleep-deprived zombies, right?"

"Which is why we need this trip," he countered. "Come on, don't make me drag you all there."

Victoria laughed. She knew better than anyone that once Grayson set his mind to something, there was no stopping him.

"Fine," Kimber sighed. "But I swear, if I see one textbook during this trip, I'm throwing it off a cliff."

The group, packed up and left for the trip early Saturday morning.

The Catskills were even more breathtaking than Victoria imagined. The mountains stretched endlessly, their peaks covered in a dusting of snow. They hiked through the trails, stopping to take pictures, throwing leaves at each other, and marveling at the frozen lake they found along the way.

Grayson, as expected, had come fully prepared. He had mapped out the trails, packed enough snacks for an army, and even brought a first-aid kit—"just in case," he had said.

The entire day was spent in fits of laughter. Aspen and Aria attempted to build a snowman but ended up getting into a snowball fight instead. Samir and Harry kept slipping on the icy ground, much to everyone's amusement. Kimber and Mylo found a quiet spot near the lake and forced everyone to take "aesthetic" group pictures.

Victoria couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this much.

It was moments like these that made her realize how lucky she was to have such amazing people in her life.

By the time they started heading back, the sun had long set, and their stomachs were growling. Grayson, being the designated planner, led them to a small diner along the highway.

The place had a warm, cozy vibe—red booths, neon signs buzzing above the counter, and the scent of freshly baked pies filling the air. They all ordered burgers, fries, and milkshakes, diving into their food with exhaustion and satisfaction.

After everyone finished eating, Victoria was just about to lean back when Grayson nudged her.

"Hey, can we talk for a sec?"

She blinked at him. "Uh, sure?"

He led her outside, the cold air instantly biting at her skin. The parking lot was mostly empty, save for a few cars. The neon lights of the diner flickered above them, casting a warm glow over Grayson's face.

He looked nervous.

That was rare.

"What's up?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Grayson took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now."

Victoria tilted her head, confused.

Then he said it.

"I like you, Tori."

She froze.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at her carefully. "I've liked you since the beginning. I just… never said anything because I didn't want to ruin what we have. But then you started dating Damon, and I realized that keeping it in wasn't making anything easier."

Victoria felt her heart hammer against her chest.

"Grayson…"

"I'm not saying this to pressure you," he added quickly. "I just need you to know. And I need to know—how do you feel?"

Victoria opened her mouth, but no words came out.

She had never thought about this before. Grayson had always been her friend, her safe space, the person who dragged her on spontaneous trips and stayed up all night talking to her about the weirdest things.

Did she like him back?

"I… I don't know," she admitted honestly. "This is a lot, Gray."

He let out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah. I know."

They stood there for a moment, the night air wrapping around them.

"I just—" Victoria sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I like Damon. But I care about you, too. I don't know what to do with this."

Grayson nodded, his face unreadable. "That's okay."

She looked up at him. "What now?"

He offered a small smile. "Now, it's up to you."

Victoria swallowed.

Grayson always knew how to make things simple. But this? This wasn't simple at all.

The rest of the ride back to NYU was quiet. Victoria sat next to Aria, staring out the window, her mind racing.

Later that night, when she returned to her dorm, Kimber knocked on her door.

"You okay?" Kimber asked, plopping down on Victoria's bed.

Victoria sighed. "You know, don't you?"

Kimber winced. "Grayson might have told me what he was planning."

Victoria groaned, burying her face in a pillow. "Of course he did."

Kimber chuckled. "Look, Tori. I know this is a lot. And I'm not here to tell you what to do. But I do know that Grayson really, really cares about you."

"I know," Victoria whispered.

"And Damon?"

Victoria hesitated. "I like him. But… it's different."

Kimber nodded as if she understood exactly what she meant. "Maybe you just need time."

Victoria let out a small laugh and then sighed. "Time. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."

Before Kimber could say anything else, the door burst open, and Aria and Aspen walked in.

"We bring snacks," Aria announced, holding up a bag of chips.

"What were you two talking about?" Aspen asked, flopping onto the bed.

Victoria and Kimber exchanged a quick look.

"Nothing important," Kimber said smoothly.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Suspicious."

But they didn't push.

As the four of them settled in for another late-night gossip session, Victoria tried to push her feelings aside.

But deep down, she knew this wasn't something she could ignore forever.