Page 5 of Cold Front
“I’m tired,” I said, my voice flat.
His smile dimmed a little, but he didn’t back down. “Tired, huh? Rough day?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Look, it’s late. Can we skip the small talk?”
Eli blinked, his smile fading entirely. “Sure. Didn’t realize asking about your day was such a crime.”
“It’s not—” I cut myself off, irritation flaring. I didn’t want to snap at him, but I was too wound up to stop myself. “I just don’t have the energy for this right now, okay?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t look angry. More... curious. “You know, you’re kind of a mystery, Niall. Most people at least fake being friendly. But you? You don’t even bother.”
I stared at him, not sure how to respond. He wasn’t wrong, but hearing it out loud made my chest tighten.
“Look,” he said, softer now, “I’m not trying to make your life harder. I get it—you didn’t ask for a roommate, and I’m probably the last person you wanted moving in. But we’re stuck with each other, so maybe we could try not to make this miserable?”
His words hung in the air, heavy and uncomfortable. Part of me wanted to push back, to tell him to mind his own business and stop trying to figure me out. But another part—the quieter, more tired part—knew he had a point.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, my voice clipped. It wasn’t exactly an olive branch, but it was all I could manage.
Eli sighed, shaking his head. “You’re exhausting, you know that?”
I didn’t answer, just grabbed my bag and headed for my room. As I closed the door behind me, his words replayed in my head, over and over.
You’re exhausting.
Maybe he was right.
CHAPTER3
ELI
First week on a new campus, and I already felt like a fish out of water. MU wasn’t anything like CHU back in L.A. The air here was cooler—not cold exactly, but a noticeable change from the dry heat of California. Late August in Michigan felt different: humid, with a faint crispness in the mornings that hinted at fall around the corner. The buildings had an older, more classic feel, and the vibe was… quieter. Not bad, just different.
The business lecture hall was enormous. Rows of long, narrow desks climbed up in tiers, each one with those little flip-up surfaces too small to fit anything useful. The fluorescent lights hummed faintly overhead, and the room smelled like a mix of stale coffee and someone’s aggressively minty gum. A far cry from the sunlit, sleek classrooms I’d grown used to back home.
Why MU? The question hadn’t stopped swirling in my head since I landed. I’d told myself it was for the business program. For a fresh start. But deep down, I knew the truth. I needed distance—hundreds of miles of it—between me and my ex. Sometimes, exes don’t stay in the past, and I wasn’t about to let myself get pulled back into that mess. Not again.
I slid into a seat near the middle—not too close to the front to seem overeager, but not far enough back to get lumped in with the students who only showed up when attendance was mandatory. As I pulled out my notebook, someone dropped into the seat next to me.
He had this effortlessly cool, artsy vibe. Messy brown curls peeked out from under a knit beanie, and his oversized hoodie looked more intentional than lazy. Definitely didn’t scream ‘business major.’
I offered a polite smile but didn’t get a chance to say anything before the professor began speaking.
“Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I’m Professor Williams. Welcome to Intro to Marketing Principles,” she said, her voice crisp and no-nonsense. She was tall, with dark brown skin and a striking presence. Her box braids were pulled back into a high bun, and her gold-rimmed glasses reflected the light as she moved. “This class is about understanding people. What they want, what they need, and what makes them choose one product over another. Marketing is psychology, sociology, and a little bit of theater. Pay attention, and you’ll leave this class with the tools to sell just about anything—yourself included.”
Her tone was commanding, the kind that made you sit up a little straighter. She launched into the syllabus, and I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting. Everything here felt unfamiliar. No familiar faces, no comfortable routines. And then there was Niall—my roommate who made silence feel louder than any conversation.
“Not a fan of marketing?” The guy next to me spoke quietly, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I blinked, realizing he’d caught me staring at the professor with what was probably an expression bordering on blank. “What?”
He smirked, tilting his sketchbook in my direction for me to look. On the page was a quick sketch of the professor mid-gesture, her expression exaggerated for effect. “Just saying, you don’t look thrilled to be here.”
I chuckled under my breath, glancing from the sketch to him. “That’s really good. And, uh, I’m here for the degree. Not sure if that makes me a fan.”
He shrugged, leaning back. “Fair enough.” He tapped his pencil against the page, smirking. “Keeps me awake during lectures. Better than zoning out completely.”
“I’m Eli, by the way,” I said, keeping my voice low.
