Rumors? or Reality

As much as I wanted to shake off the encounter and pretend Jamie didn’t just rattle me, I couldn’t stop replaying his words in my head. I like you, Julia Watson.

Ugh.

Olivia was still grinning as we walked away from the crowded hallway, her excitement practically buzzing in the air around us. “You do realize what this means, right?”

I sighed. “Please, enlighten me.”

She dramatically threw her hands in the air. “You’ve caught the attention of the Jamie Carter. Campus heartbreaker. Ultimate flirt. The guy every girl either wants or hates. And you, my dear, have officially become his next target.”

I stopped in my tracks, staring at her. “Target?”

“Oh, yeah.” She nodded seriously. “I’ve seen it before. He finds a girl who doesn’t instantly fall at his feet, and suddenly, it’s his mission to win her over.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Well, he’s wasting his time with me.”

She gave me a knowing look. “You sure about that? Because, if I recall correctly, you were staring at him all day.”

I groaned. “I was not—”

She cut me off with a laugh. “Relax, Julia. I’m just saying, be careful. He’s charming, but he’s also trouble.”

I let out a long breath, pushing my hair out of my face. “Noted. Now can we please talk about something else?”

Olivia smirked but thankfully dropped the topic as we made our way toward the dorms.

The rest of the evening was thankfully drama-free. After grabbing some food, I headed back to my dorm, texting Abigail to catch up on her day before finally crashing onto my bed.

Yet, no matter how hard I tried to push Jamie from my thoughts, his words lingered.

We’ll see about that.

I hated how confident he was. I hated that stupid smirk.

But what I hated most of all… was the tiny part of me that was curious.

As I stood outside of campus, tapping my foot impatiently, I glanced at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time. Abigail was late—again.

A few more minutes passed before I finally spotted her, casually strolling toward me with that signature look of nonchalance.

“Hey! Where have you been? I’ve been standing here for like an hour!” I called out, crossing my arms, trying to keep my irritation in check.

Abigail gave a sheepish laugh, not at all bothered. “Sorry! I had to stay back in class for something,” she said, reaching into her bag. “Here, I got you something.”

She pulled out a can of BBQ Pringles and handed it to me.

“Aww, thank you! I’m glad you thought of me,” I chuckled, gratefully taking the snack. I turned to Olivia, who had been standing beside me the entire time. “Right, this is Olivia. Olivia, this is Abigail—my best friend.”

Olivia looked at Abigail cheerfully before extending her hand for a handshake. Abigail glanced at Olivia’s hand twice, her expression unreadable, before finally offering a smile so fake it made me uncomfortable.

The two exchanged an awkward glance before hesitantly shaking hands. It was one of the most uncomfortable interactions I’d ever witnessed. Abigail barely touched Olivia’s hand before quickly pulling it back, leaving Olivia looking a bit confused, her brow furrowed in mild surprise.

“Okay, Julia, you ready to head home?” Abigail asked abruptly, grabbing my hand and dragging me off before I could say anything else.

“Oh—uh—okay! See you tomorrow, Olivia!” I called over my shoulder as Abigail pulled me away, leaving Olivia standing there in a confused state as she waved goodbye.

Once we were out of earshot, I yanked my arm back from her grasp. “What was that about, Abbi? She’s really nice.”

Abigail scoffed, not missing a beat. “Yeah, sure. She’s real nice.”

I frowned, narrowing my eyes at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Abigail let out a small laugh, her eyes darting around as if making sure no one was listening. “Well, I heard from a few people that Olivia’s kind of… weird.”

“Weird?” I repeated, confused. “How?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “You know, she has this obsessive side. Some people are saying she’s got a stalker-ish vibe. Like, she tends to fixate on people. It’s honestly a little creepy.”

I stared at her, processing what she was saying. “A stalker? That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Abigail leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’m just telling you what I heard. People are saying she’s known for following people around, keeping tabs on them. I’m not saying it’s true, but if I were you, I’d be careful.”

I stood there for a moment, feeling a strange unease settle in my chest. "I didn't get that vibe from her," I said, trying to shake off the feeling of doubt creeping in.

I raised an eyebrow. “How did you even hear about that? It’s the first day, and you’re already gossiping?”

Abigail shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’ve got my sources. You know how college is—people talk. And I just happen to be a good listener.”

Abigail shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’ve got my sources. You know how college is—people talk. And I just happen to be a good listener.”

“How do you even know they were talking about Olivia? It could be someone else,” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Abigail smirked, clearly enjoying my questioning. “Come on, Julia, look at her. They described her spot on.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You’re unbelievable.”

She grinned, unfazed. “Hey, someone’s gotta keep up with the rumors. Besides, I’m just looking out for you.”

I glanced back toward where Olivia had been standing, a strange feeling settling in my stomach. “I guess so. But, still, it feels a bit harsh to judge someone like that without really knowing them.”

Abigail let out a dramatic sigh. “You’re such a softie. I’m just saying, watch yourself. People like Olivia don’t exactly scream ‘trustworthy’ to me.”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” I said, brushing it off. “I’ll keep an eye out. But I’m not gonna judge her based on rumors. I’ll figure it out for myself.”

Abigail smirked. “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

We continued walking, the weight of her words lingering in the back of my mind. We continued walking, the weight of her words lingering in the back of my mind. After a quiet bus ride, I finally made it home. I stepped off the bus, waving goodbye to Abigail, who was heading in the opposite direction to her off-campus apartment. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of relief that I was heading home—back to the comfort of my mom’s house.

The walk to my house was short, just a few blocks away. As I opened the front door, the familiar scent of home greeted me. The smell of fresh laundry mixed with the faint aroma of my mom’s cooking lingered in the air. It was a simple, comforting feeling, one I always appreciated after a long day.

“Hey, mom, I’m home!” I called out as I kicked off my shoes by the door, hanging my jacket up.

Mom’s voice floated from the kitchen. “Hey, sweetie! How was your first day at college?”

I smiled, walking into the kitchen where she was stirring something in a pot. “It was... interesting,” I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. I leaned against the counter, trying to figure out how to phrase everything that had happened.

“Interesting? Is that code for ‘crazy’?” she asked, raising an eyebrow and giving me that knowing look she always did when I had something to say.

I chuckled, sitting down at the kitchen table. “I mean, yeah, kind of.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “There was this guy, Jamie... he kind of... um, took an interest in me, I guess.”

Mom stopped stirring the pot and turned to look at me, a playful smile on her face. “Oh really? Is he cute?”

I rolled my eyes. “Mom! It’s not like that. He’s just... I don’t know. He’s the type of guy who thinks everyone should fall at his feet. He said some stuff today that kind of rubbed me the wrong way.”

She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Hmm, sounds like someone is trying too hard.”

“That’s what I thought!” I said, relieved she was on the same page. “But the thing is, I’m not sure if it’s all just an act. I mean, he’s really confident, and he said some things that were kind of... unexpected.”

Mom tilted her head, clearly interested. “What did he say?”

I hesitated for a moment before recounting his words: “He told me he liked me, and that I was different because I didn’t instantly fall for him like everyone else does.”

Mom raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. “Well, that’s a red flag. Sounds like he’s used to getting attention and is just looking for someone to chase him.”

I nodded, agreeing with her assessment. “Exactly! But the thing is, I can't stop thinking about it. I don’t know why. It’s like... I’m curious, but I also know I should stay away.”

Mom gave me a soft smile, walking over to where I was sitting and placing a hand on my shoulder. “Sweetheart, trust your instincts. If you feel unsure about him, don’t ignore that. Sometimes, people can put on a pretty good show, but it’s their actions that speak louder than words.”

I sighed, feeling a bit better. “You’re right. I’ll be careful. I just don’t want to get caught up in something that’s not good for me.”

She smiled warmly at me. “And you won’t. You’ve always been good at reading people. Just keep your guard up and take things one step at a time.”

I nodded, appreciating her reassurance. Dinner was soon ready, and we shared a quiet meal together. The food was delicious, and I found myself momentarily distracted by the comforting taste and the easy conversation. My mom was always good at helping me unwind, and the evening felt like a peaceful escape from the overwhelming start to college life.

After dinner, I headed up to my room, tired but not quite ready to sleep. I took a long shower, letting the warm water wash away the tension in my muscles. The steam seemed to clear my mind a little, but as I stood under the spray, Jamie’s words echoed in the back of my thoughts.

“I like you, Julia Watson.”

It was frustrating. Why couldn’t I shake those words from my head? I wasn’t supposed to care, but somehow, I did. The thought of Jamie—his confidence, that stupid smirk, and the way he’d said it—kept circling around my mind.

I dried off, changed into my pajamas, and crawled into bed, trying to push the thoughts aside. But no matter how hard I tried to fall asleep, they lingered.

With a sigh, I pulled the covers up to my chin, staring at the ceiling in the dim light. Tomorrow would be a new day, and maybe it would be easier to forget.

But for now, all I could think about was Jamie and what kind of game he was really playing.