The Fictional Man Among Us

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 3

***** The Unforeseen Encounter *****

JULIANNA

Anticipation and excitement bubbled within me as I bustled around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for everyone. I swiftly moved to the bathroom, eager to freshen up before the day's activities. Just as I was about to step out, a sudden shout from Cooper startled me. "What the hell! Everyone, gather here right now!" her voice rang out angrily, and I instinctively hid behind the bathroom door, straining to hear their conversation.

"What's wrong with you? Did you have another heartbreak from your secret boyfriend?" Stella's stern voice cut through the air, clearly perturbed by Cooper's outburst.

"Damien..." Cooper tried to explain before Stella and Maya interrupted in disbelief. "Damien what?" they both exclaimed, prompting Nora, who had just woken up, to join the conversation. "At least let me finish my statement," Cooper retorted irritably. "Okay, okay... go on," they all relented. "Damien... Damien Ryder told me to come by 2 PM today to the Faculty of Law," Cooper explained, confusion evident on her face as she tried to make sense of the situation. "How?" Stella asked. "When?" Nora inquired. "How come? Where did you guys meet?" Maya added, all expressing their confusion. It was then that I realized I was in trouble.

"You all are pretending you don't know what's going on?" Cooper questioned, trying to figure out who had tampered with her phone. "And where's Julianna?" she added, directing suspicion towards me. "Julianna!" they all called out, now suspecting me.

I shamefully emerged from the bathroom, clad in just a towel, my feet dragging along the floor. It was evident from my expression that I was the culprit behind the mischief. "Poor me 🥲, how can I get out of this mess?" I lamented inwardly. "So... explain yourself," they demanded sternly, their eyes fixed on me as if I were on trial. I couldn't help but feel like I was in a courtroom, about to defend myself against their accusations.

"I... I woke up yesterday..." I began, attempting to explain before Cooper's attention was diverted. "OMG 😱! It's my man!" she exclaimed in surprise, causing everyone, including me, to stare at her in bewilderment. "Who's your man? 🙄" Maya questioned, rolling her eyes. "Let her dream," Nora chimed in. They all rushed over to Cooper, eager to see what Damien Ryder had said. "I wouldn't be available by 2 PM anymore because I have an impromptu meeting... so get your ass up off the bed and come and meet me," the message read, sounding rude yet commanding, and we all blushed.

It was as if we could hear his voice. "Cooper, you're so lucky!" Nora commented, as the others also saw this as an opportunity to get closer to Ryder. Cooper beamed foolishly, seated on Nora's bunk, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. "Thank you so much, Julianna 😊," Cooper said to me, patting my back teasingly. I was so annoyed and blushed slightly, realizing that Ryder had saved me from having to explain myself, albeit unintentionally.

Another text from Damien Ryder came through: "This is almost 10 AM, be coming straight away." Upon seeing this, Cooper dashed to the bathroom. The other girls knew that if they waited to take their bath, they wouldn't meet the 2 PM deadline, so they quickly got dressed. "Dirty girls 😁," I laughed, knowing I would have done the same if I had planned to join them.

They all got ready and left the house, leaving me behind. "These girls are ungrateful. I created the opportunity, and I couldn't even get a thank you," I grumbled, heading to the kitchen because my stomach was already growling. "Seriously! This fool didn't eat the breakfast I used all my strength to cook," I complained angrily.

I devoured all the food and collapsed tiredly on my bed, my stomach full. I lay there, unable to move, my mind consumed with thoughts of how I could also get my chance with Ryder.

Suddenly, I heard a voice from next door shouting, "Over here, Ryder!" My body surged with energy as I jumped up from my bed and rushed outside, paying no mind to the fact that I was only clad in a towel. I scanned the area but found no trace of Ryder or anyone else. Our area was known for being quiet and sparsely populated. "Am I starting to hallucinate and hear voices now?" I questioned myself after waiting for hours outside. As I turned to go back inside, I caught sight of Ryder and another man walking out of the neighboring door. I slapped myself thrice to confirm that it wasn't a hallucination, but indeed, I saw him. "What about the meeting he had with Cooper?" I wondered silently. I sneaked behind a corner, barefoot, and listened in on Ryder's conversation with the man.

"What about your meeting with the girl and the other one you said texted yesterday?" the unknown man asked Ryder. "Yeah!... I told them to meet me by 10 AM, but as you can see, it's 11:12 AM," Ryder replied. "Like seriously! You came to my place around 10:06 AM," the man exclaimed in surprise. "I told them to come by 10 AM, and I even waited 5 minutes more, but since I couldn't see them, I came over to your place," Ryder explained, emphasizing his punctuality. "You must be joking," the man said incredulously.

"Do I look like I'm joking? I'm time-conscious, so I don't joke with a minute," Ryder replied firmly. "Hmm... seems you're already adapting your dad's business and behaving like a businessman," the man teased. "But I guess you'll be more ruthless than your dad," he added, and they both chuckled.

As they locked the door and prepared to leave, I was filled with thoughts and eager to find a way to approach them. "I would be following you in my car," Ryder informed the man. "I'm sorry, that wouldn't be possible. I told you it's my bae I want to take on a date, and she's living nearby. She must not see you, or she won't crush on me anymore," the man chuckled, finishing his statement. It was true; whether the man was handsome or not, beside Ryder, he looked ordinary. The man hopped into his car and drove off, leaving Ryder behind.

"This is a perfect timing," I thought to myself, determined to approach Ryder directly as he was trying to call, presumably his driver. My feet dragged along the floor as I approached Ryder. "Hi," I said to him in a low tone. "Why are you out here like this?" he asked, gesturing to my towel and bare feet. I was tongue-tied the moment he spoke, my heart racing. I had to gulp down and gathered the courage to speak, but as I looked at him, my mind wandered, imagining resting my breasts on his chest and feeling his warmth, his left hand gripping my ass. Lost in my thoughts, I felt my nipples hardening. "Will you answer me?" he pressed, bringing me back to reality.

"Snake! Snake!" I blurted out awkwardly, trying to come up with an excuse. He seemed to believe me, given the way I was dressed. "So, where is the way to your house?" he asked, picking up a stick. I felt a wave of heat rush through me as I noticed his physique through his shirt. He had another tattoo below his left abs, which only added to his allure. "Why are you so perfect?" I blurted out, the question slipping from my lips before I could stop it. He pretended not to hear, but I knew he did. He was so reserved yet exuded a powerful aura. He picked up the stick, and we walked to my hostel door, my heart pounding in my chest. I was shamelessly walking towards my door, even though there was no snake in my dorm. "Hell... no 🤦‍♂️!" I thought to myself as I reached for the door handle, ready to open it.