Wishful Thinking

There's a sharp knock at my dorm room door. When I open it, I recognize the girl standing in the hallway almost immediately—Lauren McLaughlin. The redhead from General Chemistry. I've seen her three times a week in a lecture hall packed with nearly 200 students. I've noticed her walking in, sitting a few sections away, laughing with the girl beside her before class starts. I've never actually spoken to her.

And now she's standing outside my dorm room.

She doesn't look happy.

Before I can even process how she knows where I live, Lauren raises her phone and holds it directly in front of me. On the screen is the AI picture I made. Me and her. Her arms around me, one hand resting against my back, a huge smile on her face like she's exactly where she wants to be. Except none of it ever happened. Her greenish-hazel eyes stay locked on mine.

"Okay," Lauren says, her voice sharp. "You have about five seconds to explain why I just found a picture of me hugging you on your Instagram."

She lowers the phone just enough for me to see the color rising across her freckled cheeks.

"And before you say anything—yes, I know it's AI. We've literally never spoken."

She holds the phone up again, pointing at the smiling version of herself on the screen.

"So... why the hell did you make this?"

I look at the floor, my stomach twisting.

"I... I don't know," I say quietly. "Wishful thinking, I suppose. I'm... I'm sorry, Lauren."

Lauren narrows her eyes, studying me intently as I stare at the floor. A blush creeps up her neck, visible even on her fair skin. Her greenish-hazel eyes are sharp, assessing.

"Wishful thinking?" she asks, her voice lowering. "What does that mean exactly? Are you saying you... you like me? Enough to generate some fake, overly affectionate picture of us together?"

She shakes her head, red curls bouncing with the movement.

"Because that's pretty weird, Eros. I mean, we've never even talked!"

Despite her words, there's a hint of curiosity in her tone, a sparkle in those greenish-hazel eyes.

"How long have you... I mean, why me?"

She bites her lower lip, suddenly self-conscious.

"Because..." I pause, choosing my words carefully. "Well, look at you. I'm serious, I'm sorry I did it, and I'll do anything to make it right."

Lauren's blush deepens at my compliment, spreading across her cheeks and down her neck. She fidgets with the hem of her fitted navy top, unconsciously drawing attention to her curves. There's a moment of silence between us—charged, heavy.

"Look at me?" she says finally. "What, because I'm just some random girl you saw in chemistry?"

She huffs, but there's no real anger behind it, more confusion and embarrassment.

Taking a deep breath, she steps even closer, invading my personal space. Her voice drops to almost a whisper.

"Anything to make it right, huh?" she asks. "That's a dangerous offer."

She tilts her head, studying my face intently. After a long moment, she speaks again, slowly.

"Okay. Here's the deal. You're going to tell me everything," Lauren says. "In fact, come by my dorm tonight. My girlfriends will be there, and we're going to interrogate you before we come up with a suitable punishment for what you did with that fake picture. Eight p.m., okay?"

She looks at me expectantly.

"Yes... sure thing, Lauren," I respond, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

Lauren raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, you think you can handle an interrogation by me and my girlfriends?" she asks.

She crosses her arms under her ample chest, inadvertently emphasizing her curves. Leaning in even closer, her lips nearly brushing my ear as she whispers, "We might find out all sorts of interesting things about you, Eros Apostasia. Things you didn't intend to share."

Pulling back, she meets my gaze with a challenging glint in her eye.

"Eight o'clock sharp," she says firmly. "Don't be late."

With that, she turns on her heel and saunters down the hallway, an extra sway in her hips, leaving me staring after her retreating form.

At eight p.m., I'm knocking on her door. I hear giggling inside.

"Come in," Lauren calls out.

I enter.

To be continued in chapter 2...