Chapter Seven
Ridgefield University
Emma
College
M om and I arrive on campus and it stretches out in front of us, alive with people and movement, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I’m surrounded by more strangers than familiar faces. Ridgefield University has this buzzing energy—everyone rushing around, carrying their belongings, chatting with their families, seeming to all know exactly where they’re going. And here I am, clutching my map like a tourist.
But I’m here. And I’m not alone.
“Looks like you’re already lost,” Ethan’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see him standing there, hands in his pockets, leaning casually against a brick column. His expression is relaxed, but there’s a spark of something in his eyes—maybe he’s just as nervous as I am. Not that he’d ever admit it, of course .
I can’t help but smile, feeling the tension in my shoulders loosen a bit. “Maybe I just wanted to see if you’d notice.”
He chuckles, stepping up beside me. “Trust me, I noticed. You looked like you were about to ask that squirrel for directions.”
I nudge him, rolling my eyes. “Hey, it’s a big campus. Just wait until you get lost and see how hilarious it is.”
“Oh, I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about,” he teases, and I notice the way his hand brushes my arm as we walk. The casual, comfortable warmth of it feels grounding, a reminder that no matter what, we have each other.
“Okay, let’s do this,” he says as he grabs one of my boxes marked ‘dorm room’, “what room are you in?”
We make our way into the building, finally reaching my dorm room. Ethan offered to help me move in, even though he’s on the other side of campus with his football buddies. Who was I to turn down muscle? I know my mom and I could have done it but he offered!
I can tell he’s excited, this is his dream come true, a full ride for football, a chance to prove himself on a bigger field. Maybe even get noticed by the NFL one day. And as much as I feel my own excitement for being here, there’s a part of me that worries about how things will change between us. This is a whole different world here.
“So, how are you feeling?” he asks, as he helps lift a box onto my bed. “Ready to conquer Ridgefield?”
“Conquer? Let’s just focus on surviving, first,” I laugh, trying to ignore the slight flutter in my stomach. “It’s…a lot, you know? All these people, this huge campus. Everything feels so different.”
“Yeah,” he says, looking around. “But different can be good, right?”
His words linger, and when I meet his eyes, there’s something steady and reassuring about the way he looks at me. “Yeah. Good.”
For a moment, I felt confident we can do this, navigate everything, keep what we have, even in this new world.
Later in the afternoon, after my mom leaves and I’m unpacked, I wander over to the common room. There’s a welcome event for incoming freshmen, and I figure it’s a good way to ease in, maybe meet a few people. But even in a crowd, I feel like I’m missing something. Or someone.
Ethan has football orientation tonight, so he won’t be around. But I know he’s here on campus, and it’s weird not having him by my side. For years, he’s been the person I turned to for everything, except for that little bit of time our junior year. But now, it’s as if we’re navigating two different worlds under the same roof.
I pull out my phone, wondering if he’s done yet. Part of me wants to check in, but I stop myself, not wanting to seem…clingy. He’s here, we’re both here. That should be enough, right?
And just as I’m debating whether or not to text him, my phone buzzes.
Ethan : Still lost without me?
I grin, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders as I type back.
Me : Hardly. Pretty sure I’m thriving.
Ethan : Thriving, huh? I give it two days before you’re bribing squirrels for help.
Me : Rude. I’ll survive. Maybe even conquer, remember?
Ethan : I’ll believe it when I see it. But hey, I’m done with orientation soon. Want to meet up?
Me : Yeah, I’d like that. Meet me outside the library?
Ethan : Deal.
I put my phone away, feeling a thrill rush through me. Having Ethan here somehow makes everything feel less intimidating. He’s my lifeline in this sea of newness. And maybe I shouldn’t need that—I mean, college is supposed to be about independence, right? But knowing I can count on him just feels…right.
Outside the library I spot him before he sees me, leaning against one of the stone columns with his phone in hand, his face lit by the glow of the screen. The campus lights cast shadows around him, making everything feel a little surreal, like the first night of the rest of our lives is right here.
“Hey, stranger,” I call out as I approach.
He looks up, his face breaking into a smile. “About time. I was beginning to think you got lost on the way here.”
“Oh, please. I just took the scenic route.” I roll my eyes, trying to keep things light, even though everything feels so…loaded lately. Every look, every smile. And standing here with him, I feel that weight even more, the air between us is charged with something.
Something we never say.
“Scenic, huh?” He raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips, and for a second, it’s just the two of us in this unfamiliar world. “Just…make sure you’ve got your mace on you at all times, okay? Especially if you’re planning on taking the ‘scenic route’ after dark.”
His tone is teasing, but there’s a seriousness in his eyes that makes my heart do a little flip. He’s always looking out for me, even when he’s pretending not to.
“Well, welcome to college, Em.”
He pulls me into a hug, and I sink into it, the familiar warmth and scent of him grounding me. Something I needed. But this hug feels different, like there’s something more behind it. Something I can’t quite place. I find myself holding on just a little longer than usual, breathing him in, feeling the steady beat of his heart against mine.
When we finally pull apart, I glance up at him, catching his eyes before he looks away, his expression unreadable.
“So, how was orientation?” I ask, clearing my throat, trying to brush off the moment.
“Intense. They really drill into you about the program, expectations, all that stuff.” He shrugs, but there’s a light in his eyes—a spark of excitement I’ve only ever seen when he’s talking about football. “It’s different here, Em. Bigger. Like I finally get to see how far I can go, you know?”
I nod, smiling. “I’m really happy for you, Ethan. You deserve this. All of it.”
He glances at me, a softness in his eyes. “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t be here without you.”
We stand there for a moment, not saying anything. The night air is cool, but there’s this undeniable buzz between us, the kind that makes my heart race for no reason. It’s the same feeling I’ve had for weeks now, something deeper, something I’ve actually felt for some time. But now, standing here with him, I can’t help but wonder if he feels it too, if all of this means as much to him as it does to me.
We wander around campus, talking about everything and nothing, letting the excitement and the newness wash over us. Ridgefield’s main quad stretches out in front of us, with the imposing clocktower in the distance and the soft glow of the dorm windows around us. The reality of college settles in, and the fact that this is our life now—that we’re here, together, on the same campus.
“So, any thoughts on our next steps?” he asks, nudging me as we walk.
I laugh. “Next steps? We just got here, Ethan.”
“Yeah, but… I don’t know.” He shrugs, looking almost bashful. “Guess I just want to make the most of it, you know?”
I nod, my smile fading as I glance at him. “I know.”
He stops walking, turning to face me. “Promise me something?”
“What’s that?” I ask, curious.
“That no matter what happens, we stick together. This place is huge, and I don’t want to get lost in it without you.”
My heart skips a beat. “Of course, Ethan. We’ve got each other. Always.”
He smiles, and for a moment, the world narrows down to just us, two best friends ready to take on everything Ridgefield throws our way.
And as I look up at him, I realize that maybe this is only the beginning of something even bigger than we imagined.
The next few days pass in a blur of classes and endless amounts of homework. I find myself slipping into the rhythm of college life, but it’s strange without the comfort of our hometown, the familiar places that made up our world. Still, having Ethan here, meeting him for lunch, spotting him around campus—makes it all a little easier.
One evening, I’m sitting in my dorm, attempting to tackle an endless reading list, when there’s a knock on my door. My roommate, Sarah, looks up from her desk, giving me a questioning look, but I wave her off and open the door to find Ethan leaning against the doorframe, grinning.
“You’re not doing anything important, are you?” he asks, glancing at my stack of textbooks.
“Only the basics of Comparative Literature,” I say, crossing my arms and feigning annoyance. “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you from a night of boredom.” He holds up a plastic bag. “Thought we could take a break, get some snacks, and explore the campus a little. Or would you rather stay in and read about ancient philosophy?”
I hesitate, glancing back at my pile of reading, then back at his hopeful grin. “Fine. But if I fail my first assignment, it’s on you.”
He laughs, grabbing my hand as I step out into the hallway. The familiar warmth of his hand in mine sends a rush through me, but I brush it off as we make our way down the dorm stairwell and out into the cool night air.
We end up at the campus quad, where a group of students has gathered around one of the designated fire pits, flames flickering and casting warm light over the crowd. Someone’s strumming a guitar, and a few people are scattered around, laughing, talking, completely at ease. The whole scene feels surreal, like we’ve stepped into a movie about college life.
Ethan plops down on the grass, patting the spot beside him. I sit, hugging my knees to my chest as we watch the flames flicker and cast shadows around us.
“So,” he says, glancing over at me, “how’s dorm life treating you?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “It’s…interesting. My roommate’s great, though, so that helps. But the showers? Not exactly luxurious. ”
He chuckles, leaning back on his hands. “Same here. And my suitemates… let’s just say I’ve learned more about the art of ‘subtle snoring’ than I ever wanted to know.”
I laugh, the sound echoing. Being here with him feels like a break from everything—that uncomplicated bubble where everything’s simple, just the two of us, and all the other worries fade away.
After a few minutes, the guitar strumming stops, and the bonfire crowd starts to disperse, leaving us alone under the stars. I glance over at him, noticing the relaxed expression on his face as he stares up at the sky.
“Did you ever think we’d end up here?” I ask softly, breaking the comfortable silence.
He turns to me, his gaze warm and steady. “Honestly? I always hoped we would. Maybe I didn’t know how it would look exactly, but… yeah.”
The way he says it makes my stomach flip. I want to ask him what he means, to push for more, but something stops me. Maybe it’s the fear of shattering the moment, or maybe it’s the unspoken understanding that’s always been there between us.
Instead, I lean my head against his shoulder, letting the silence fill the space between us. For a while, we just lay there on the grass, breathing in the night air, watching the stars, and nothing else in the world matters .
And in that moment, I realize that as long as I have Ethan by my side, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.