Chapter 4 Best Girl, Mira
Amelia skipped her next class, she was still pissed about everything. The only place she could get a little bit of peace was her room, she walked towards the dorm area hoping Mira was still in class.
The dorm hallway was busy and noisy.
She dragged herself down it slowly with tired steps, her bag hanging heavily from one shoulder. Her head throbbed not from noise, but from Nathan Miller, whose voice seemed permanently lodged in her ears.
She stopped in front of Room 314 and fumbled with her keys. The door swung open before she could knock.
“There you are!”
Mira stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, and eyes sharp. Her excitement fizzled the second she took in Amelia’s expression.
“Oh,” Mira said, lowering her voice. “Wow. You look like someone who encountered a ghost.”
Amelia stepped inside and let the door shut behind her.She slammed her bag down near the desk.
Mira tilted her head. “Okay, before you say anything, was your phone stolen?”
Amelia blinked. “What?”
“I’ve been calling you,” Mira said, holding up her own phone. “Like, a lot. But it went straight to voicemail. I thought someone snatched it. Or you fell into a ditch. Or.”
Amelia pulled her phone out of her pocket. The screen lit up with missed calls.
“Oh,” she muttered. “I put it on silent.” She lied, not wanting to admit that she had a lot on my mind when Mira's call came in.
Mira stared at her. “You never do that.”
“I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”
“Well, congratulations,” Mira said dryly. “You finally got the best athlete for your project.”
Amelia sighed and walked toward her bed, sinking onto it with a soft thud. She leaned back on her elbows, staring at the ceiling like it might offer answers.
Mira sat on her own bed, legs tucked under her. “So, let’s rewind. How did the meeting with Dr. Victor go?”
Amelia let out a laugh that held no humor. “He told me I’m perfect for the assignment.”
Mira’s eyes lit up. “See?”
“No,” Amelia said quickly. “No, see, that’s the problem.”
Mira scooted closer. “Amelia, that’s good news.”
“He said it like I didn’t have a choice.”
Mira shrugged. “Actually, you don’t.”
Amelia groaned and dropped her head back. “He basically said I’m the best person to work with Nathan.”
Mira clasped her hands together. “I knew it.”
Amelia shot her a look. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because that’s amazing.”
“It’s terrifying.”
“Because it’s Nathan Miller?”
“Yes!”
Mira grinned wider. “Okay, but look at the bright side.”
“There is no bright side.”
“At least he’s more handsome than Connor.”
The name landed like a slap.
Amelia's head snapped up. “That was unnecessary.”
Mira blinked. “What? It’s true.”
“I didn’t ask for a comparison.”
“Still,” Mira said carefully, “if you have to work with a hockey player, at least it’s not…”
“Don’t say his name again.”
Mira raised her hands in surrender. “Alright, I'm sorry.” Mira leaned against the desk, arms crossed, smiling. “Amelia, come on. Working with Nathan Miller? That’s not a punishment. That’s….”
“A nightmare.”
“That’s confidence-boosting,” Mira corrected. “Don’t forget he’s insanely handsome.”
Amelia shot her a look. “You’re not helping.”
“I’m being supportive right now.”
“You’re being distracted by cheekbones.”
Mira grinned. “Those are very supportive cheekbones.”
Amelia sat up, rubbing her temples. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what actually happened.”
Mira’s eyes sharpened. “What happened?”
Amelia hesitated, then sighed. “I stumbled in the cafeteria.”
Mira gasped dramatically. “Oh no.”
“And I ended up,” Amelia continued flatly, “in his arms.”
Mira’s mouth dropped open. “Nathan?”
Amelia nodded once.
Mira screamed.”Girllllllll, you, what?”
Amelia winced. “Lower your voice.”
Mira slapped both hands over her mouth, eyes sparkling. “Oh my God. Oh my God. You fell into his arms.”
“I did not fall into his arms,” Amelia said defensively. “I stumbled.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“It’s not romantic!”
“Was he holding you?” Mira asked with a smile on her face.
“Yes.”
Mira squealed again. “I would’ve stayed there. I’d just” She closed her eyes dramatically. “breathe him in while listening to his heartbeat. I’d kill to be in that position for days.”
Amelia grabbed a pillow and shoved it at her. “Snap out of it.”
Mira laughed, catching it. “Okay, okay. What did he say?”
“That he swept me off my feet.”
Mira giggled. “A classic guy.”
“And that he has an effect on ladies.”
Mira sighed dreamily. “He’s not wrong.”
Amelia narrowed her eyes. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am,” Mira said. “I just happen to enjoy chaos.”
Amelia sat up straighter. “He took off my glasses.”
Mira froze. “He what?”
“He said he wanted to look into my eyes.”
Mira slowly stood up. “I need a moment.”
Amelia crossed her arms. “It wasn’t romantic. It was annoying.”
Mira stepped closer, sniffing the air exaggeratedly.
Amelia frowned. “What are you doing?”
Mira leaned in, sniffed her shoulder, then her hair. “Just checking.”
“Checking what?”
“If you smell like him.”
Amelia pushed her away. “Mira!”
“Worth a try,” Mira said, laughing. “So what about the actual meeting with him?”
Amelia’s expression darkened. “That.” She sighed. “I went to the meeting twenty minutes late, hoping he'd get tired of waiting and leave. Can you believe he waited for twenty minutes?”
“He waited for you?”
“Yes.”
“That’s serious.
“Yes.” She looked down at her hands.“And smiling with other girls like this was fun.”
“Smiling?” Mira beamed. “That’s cute.”
“It’s disturbing.”
Mira squealed softly. “Did he order anything? Coffee? Juice? Oxygen?”
Amelia shot her a flat look.
Mira cleared her throat. “Right, serious face.”
Amelia stood and paced the room. “I told him to ask for a change since we didn’t like each other. That this was chaos.”
“And?”
“He knew my name.”
Mira gasped softly. “Did you tell him earlier?”
“No, that's the part I found unsettling.”
“Then he looked you up after you stumbled into his arms.”
Amelia raised her voice. “Mira!”
“Sorry. Sorry.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, that’s… a lot.”
“The creepy part was when he touched my hair,” Amelia whispered.
Mira screamed into her hands. “Girllllllll, you had fun.”
Amelia gave her dagger looks.
Mira cupped her hands. “I'm sorry, dear.”
“He even called me feisty.”
Mira laughed. “Oh, you are.”
“He said I’d be the best thing to happen to his semester.”
Mira dropped onto Amelia’s bed. “That’s a good line.”
“And he called me ‘baby.’”
Mira screamed into a pillow.
Amely threw her hands up. “Do you see why this is a disaster?”
Mira peeked out. “I see why this is fun.”
Amelia stopped pacing. “You’re enjoying my suffering.”
“Just a little.”
Amelia grabbed her phone, needing something solid to ground her. The screen buzzed immediately. Her stomach dropped.
Mira noticed her face go pale. “What?”
