The dorm door was hanging open, just a crack, so Evan nudged it wider and stepped inside.
Out on the balcony, Jack and Ryan had already finished their cigarettes.
"Can't sleep? Want to play a couple games?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, but Evan's not back yet. Without him, it's just us—and let's be real, we never win," Ryan said, tempted but not quite convinced. He knew their skills, and losing just isn't fun for anyone.
"Right? Where the hell is he, anyway? It's almost ten. Did he disappear or something?" Jack frowned, glancing at the clock. Then, right on cue, the door creaked open behind him. He spun around, half expecting someone else.
"Who are you? Which dorm—wait, what? Evan?!"
Jack's jaw just about hit the floor. For a second, he honestly didn't recognize Evan at all. The guy strolled in with his hair all neat, clothes sharp and put together—like someone out of a magazine, not the Evan they knew.
Jack just stared, lost for words. He couldn't believe it. Evan had ducked out for a few hours and came back looking like a totally different person. Handsome, even. It didn't seem possible.
Ryan, standing off to the side, didn't pay much attention at first. He heard Jack yelling and rolled his eyes—of course Jack was making a big deal out of nothing. Evan was back. Big deal. But then he glanced over and caught sight of Evan—and just blurted out, "Holy crap!"
He got it now. Their roommate, the same guy they saw every day, had basically transformed in one afternoon: new hair, new clothes, new everything. Anyone would be shocked.
Jack and Ryan just stood there, blinking at him.
Nathan, who'd been half-listening from his bed, heard their voices and sat up, annoyed at the commotion. But the second he saw Evan, he froze, eyes wide. No way—that was Evan? Did he get plastic surgery or something? No, wait, that's not it. It's just a new haircut and some new clothes. But still—how could someone change so much?
Nathan just stared, a mix of disbelief and, yeah, a little jealousy. He always bragged that he was the best-looking guy in the dorm, but now… he had to admit, Evan had him beat. And not just looks—Evan seemed different. More confident, calmer. Like he knew something the rest of them didn't.
No way, Nathan thought. What gives you the right?
Evan closed the door behind him and finally noticed the three of them gawking at him, like he'd grown a second head.
"What?" Evan grinned. "Don't tell me you guys don't recognize me."
Jack shook himself out of it and circled Evan, checking him out from every angle. "Dude, what happened? You just got a haircut and put on some decent clothes, and it's like—you look amazing. Seriously, it suits you."
Ryan joined in, still staring. He didn't say much, but you could see he was impressed.
"I'm not even kidding, Evan. If I didn't know it was you, I'd think you got work done. But honestly, this is better than surgery. I'm jealous, man." Jack laughed, then nudged him. "With that look, you'll definitely get a girlfriend, trust me."
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, no question."
It's true what they say—if a guy thinks another guy is handsome, you know it's legit. And Evan had crossed that line. Not movie-star gorgeous or anything, but there was something about him now—calm, confident, just kind of magnetic. That stands out more than looks sometimes.
"Seriously, tell us where you got your hair cut. Ryan and I need a new look. Yours is like magic—your old hair was so basic, but this is actually cool," Jack said, getting hyped about the idea.
Ryan leaned in, eyes shining. "Yeah, where'd you go? I want a makeover too."
Both of them waited, looking at Evan like he held the secrets of the universe.
Evan just stared back for a second, kind of overwhelmed. Honestly, he thought Jack and Ryan were making this a bigger deal than it really was.
He pulled off that dramatic transformation after the haircut mostly because Evan knew the change wasn't magic. His features had always been decent—the old hairstyle had just hidden them. Once it was gone, everything showed.—too long, always covering his eyebrows and eyes. No wonder he looked like a new person once he chopped it off.
But Jack and Ryan? No way. Jack's skin always looks rough, and Ryan's got those scars on his face. A new hairstyle's not going to suddenly turn them into heartthrobs. Not gonna happen, but you can't exactly say that out loud.
Besides, the place Evan went to? Way out of Jack and Ryan's budget. One haircut there costs more than what they live on for a whole month.
Evan tried to keep his real thoughts to himself. "You could try the barbershop near the college gate," he said, playing along. It was a harmless white lie. That place only charges five bucks. Jack and Ryan could swing that, at least for one visit.
"The barbershop near the gate? Hell yeah, I'm going tomorrow! Watch me get handsome too!" Jack sounded fired up.
Ryan didn't say a word, just balled up his fists like he'd already made up his mind. The two of them were clearly plotting the same thing—barbershop tomorrow, new look, maybe new luck.
Evan's makeover really got to them. Even Nathan, sprawled out on his bed, kept sneaking glances at Evan. He started wondering if maybe he should give the barbershop a shot, too.
"Okay, go ahead."
Evan nodded at Jack and Ryan but kept quiet, grabbing his towel and heading for the bathroom. He liked to wash up while the dorm lights were still on. Once they went out, it got pitch black, and sure, you could use your phone's flashlight, but that's just annoying.
As he walked, Evan started thinking about renting a place off-campus again. Everything would be easier—no more random room inspections or worrying about lights out. Plus, he could see Emily and Lena whenever he wanted, no sneaking around. Living alone sounded really nice.
The school didn't mind if students rented places, as long as they told their counselor and signed a waiver saying the college wasn't on the hook for anything that happened off-campus. Evan knew this because some freshman had posted about it on the school forum. But rent was steep, especially for students, so hardly anyone actually did it.
He shook off the idea for now and grabbed his towel, ready to head out. That's when Jack caught his arm.
"Damn, Evan, your watch is very nice. What brand is that? Looks seriously expensive, got this fancy vibe I can't even describe."
Jack stared at Evan's watch, eyes wide. He didn't really know what the Patek Philippe logo looked like—most people didn't. Sure, folks had heard of the brand, but the actual logo? Not a clue. Still, Jack could tell it was a special watch.
Honestly, it was a beautiful piece. The light blue face, the understated shine—it just looked expensive. And it was, too. That watch cost more than a house or two back in a small town.
"It really does look nice. What brand is it, though? I can't tell," Ryan said, coming over for a closer look.
Nathan, stretched out on his bed, chimed in from across the room. "What brand could it be? Probably some no-name knockoff."
He couldn't see the logo from where he was, but even if he could, it wouldn't have mattered. In Nathan's mind, Evan was broke. No way that was a real luxury watch.
Jack just laughed and shook his head. "No-name or not, it looks awesome. Seriously, what brand is it, Evan? I'd buy one if I could."
"My family got it for me. Not sure about the brand," Evan said with a little smile. He waved them off. "Alright, enough about the watch. I'm gonna wash up before they turn off the lights."
He disappeared into the bathroom, door clicking shut behind him. Evan wasn't the type to show off. He didn't mention the brand or the price because he knew it'd change things in the dorm. If Jack and Ryan found out how much the watch cost, things would get weird. He liked how things were now, so he kept it to himself.
He washed his face and started brushing his teeth.
Out in the dorm, Jack and Ryan kept talking about the watch.
" Evan's watch is really nice. If I ever get the chance, I want one just like it," Jack said, still thinking about it.
Nathan rolled his eyes from his bunk. "Why bother with some no-name watch? If you're gonna buy one, get a real brand. You'll just embarrass yourself if you wear a cheap one and someone actually knows watches."
He paused, looking smug. "My family said they'll buy me one when I graduate."
Jack shot him a look. "Not everyone's like you, Nathan."
Nathan completely missed the sarcasm. Instead of getting annoyed, he nodded with a smug smile, clearly pleased with himself.
"Yeah, that's true. A watch over $2000 isn't something everyone can afford. Just get a random brand—it still tells time," Nathan said, looking way too pleased with himself.
Jack's face darkened. He couldn't believe Nathan didn't catch his sarcasm. What an idiot. He stewed for a bit, then dropped the idea of asking Evan about the watch. Now that he thought about it, walking around with some generic watch just didn't sit right with him.
One day, when he graduated and started earning, he'd get himself something real. A proper brand. He kept thinking about it.
—
Evan washed up in record time. The second he stepped out of the bathroom and tossed his things onto his bed, the dorm lights snapped off. Instantly, chaos erupted up and down the hall.
"Holy crap, lights are off already?"
"I haven't even rinsed the shampoo out of my hair! Somebody, hurry up and get in here with a phone light!"
"Out again? Seriously, if I had the cash, I'd rent my own place. Way easier to get a girlfriend that way, hehe."
The whole thing was actually pretty funny, especially the poor guy probably standing in the bathroom right now, hair full of foam.
Evan just shook his head, flicked on his phone's flashlight, and climbed into bed.
"Hey, Evan, wanna play a couple games? I'm waiting for you to carry me and Ryan," Jack called from the next bed as soon as Evan lay down.
Evan was about to say yes, but then his phone buzzed. Emily and Lena had both sent him a bunch of messages, asking if he'd finished washing up and if he wanted to chat.
He changed his mind right away. Games were fun, sure, but girlfriends—those took priority. Especially when you had two.
"Nah, you and Ryan play. I've got something else going on," Evan said.
Jack groaned, "Come on, just a couple rounds?"
Ryan chimed in too, "Yeah, come on. What else are you doing? It's way too early to sleep."
But Evan stood his ground. No dice.
Jack and Ryan gave up with a sigh and started their game without him.
Nathan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, half-expecting Jack and Ryan to call him over for a game. Jasmine was already "asleep," so Nathan had nobody else to chat with.
He waited. They jumped into the game without him. No invite. Nothing.
Annoyed, Nathan pressed his lips together, shot a look at their beds, and finally just opened the game on his own.
Honestly, he didn't even feel like playing with them right now.
Lying in bed, Evan stared at the dark ceiling, his thoughts unusually clear. For the first time, he felt in control of his own pace—no rush, no pressure. Outside, the dorm buzzed with noise, but inside, his world had quietly begun moving in a completely different direction.
As Evan turned them away, he could feel several gazes lingering on his back. Admiration, curiosity, and something sharper mixed together in the cramped dorm room. He didn't react, but inside, he was clear-headed. Attention was a double-edged sword—and tonight was only the beginning.
*******