The Fictional Man Among Us

PROLOGUE

As we returned home that day, the sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the campus. Stella, Nora, and Maya were still buzzing about Ryder's charm, their voices filled with excitement and wonder. They talked animatedly, their gestures mirroring their words, but something felt off to me. I didn't engage in their conversation; my mind was elsewhere. The walk back felt long and silent, each step echoing my inner turmoil.

When we reached our dormitory, the atmosphere was subdued. Cooper and I entered our room, and she moved about quietly, her actions deliberate. She didn't even cook, probably still full from Ryder's presence. I, on the other hand, felt restless. I went to my bed, the lower bunk, and sat down, staring at nothing in particular.

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the lamp casting long shadows across the walls. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional rustle of sheets or the creak of the bed as Cooper moved above me. I felt a sense of unease, a nagging feeling that something was not right. I tried to shake it off, but it lingered, casting a shadow over my thoughts.

I must have drifted off, as I woke up to find it was already 2 pm. I went to the restroom and then noticed Cooper's phone was still on. She had fallen asleep with it unlocked. Curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up her phone. What I saw surprised me – it was filled with pictures of Ryder. It seemed Cooper was even more charmed than the rest of us. She had searched for Damien Ryder on Facebook and found his profile. I couldn't resist scrolling through his pictures and posts.

Ryder was a gym instructor, explaining his perfect physique. His biceps and triceps added to his charm. As I scrolled through his posts and videos, I found myself blushing. He looked cute yet serious while playing video games. I was about to like one of his videos when I noticed Cooper had already liked it. I unliked it and liked it again, feeling charmed by him.

Suddenly, a notification popped up on Cooper's phone – a message from Ryder. "Hey 👋! What's up?" I couldn't believe it. Cooper had received a message from him. I clicked on the message, but it prompted me for a password. My curiosity got the best of me, and I managed to unlock it using her thumb while she slept.

It was then that I noticed Cooper had already messaged Ryder first, and he had replied to her message. "How are you Sir? I hope today's lesson wasn't stressful for you, Sir." I felt a pang of jealousy, but I continued the conversation, pretending to be Cooper. Ryder replied, asking if I was one of his students and how he could help me. I nervously replied, "I didn't understand today's subject due to the noise... I would love to get a one-on-one lesson with you, Sir."

Ryder agreed to meet me, thinking I was Cooper, at the faculty of law at 2 pm the next day. I was thrilled but then realized I had replied as Julianna when he asked of my name. I quickly corrected myself, "Sorry, I'm Riley," hoping he wouldn't notice my mistake. I returned Cooper's phone, feeling anxious about the drama that would unfold the next day.