Echoes into Darkness

CHAPTER 3

"I envy moths, at least they are attracted to the light..."

>>>

Jacyn slammed the textbook shut with a sigh of defeat. The afternoon sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across his dorm room. Across the room, Ajax was perched precariously on their rickety desk chair, nose buried in a game on his phone. "Rough study session, Romeo?" Ajax quipped, not looking up. The nickname, a playful jab at Jacyn's penchant for getting lost in deep thoughts, always managed to elicit a smile.

Jacyn flopped back on his bed, the familiar worn mattress offering a sense of comfort. "More like a mind-numbing lecture marathon," he grumbled, running a hand through his already messy black hair.

"Ugh, tell me about it," Ajax said with a groan, finally tearing his gaze away from the phone. "Professor Khan's droning voice could put an insomniac to sleep."

They both chuckled, the shared frustration creating a sense of camaraderie. Jacyn appreciated having a roommate who understood the struggles of college life – the late nights, the endless assignments, and the occasional professor who seemed determined to suck the fun out of everything.

"Think I need a break," Jacyn announced, pushing himself off the bed. "Maybe a walk to clear my head."

"Lakeland Hills?" Ajax guessed, raising an eyebrow. "Your go-to spot for existential contemplation?"

Jacyn grinned. "Something like that. Fresh air always does the trick."

"Just don't get abducted by rogue squirrels," Ajax joked, a playful glint in his eyes. "Those little guys are vicious with forgotten pizza crusts."

Jacyn laughed, the sound echoing in the small room. "Thanks for the tip, Jax. I'll keep an eye out for them."

He grabbed a light jacket and headed for the door. As he stepped out into the hallway, the cool evening air washed over him, carrying the faint scent of blooming jasmine from somewhere nearby. He took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm settle over him. 

As he walked, his mind became a battleground of thoughts, each memory of Nyoka a skirmish fought and replayed, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth like the remnants of a sour fruit. One he dismissed with a casual shrug, a gesture as nonchalant as a wave brushing aside an inconvenient truth.

After all, it wasn't his fault the tension simmered between them like water on the cusp of boiling. Nyoka, with her enigmatic demeanour and her guarded stance, always seemed to push him away with her occasional sighs and the defensive barrier of her folded arms, her jaw ticking with unspoken words whenever they clashed head-on like opposing forces in an unyielding storm.

Did he dare to hope that things could be better between them? Perhaps. Perhaps he missed the exhilarating rush of their occasional sparring matches at the gym, the adrenaline-fueled dance of combat that left them both breathless and alive. Or perhaps it was just the fleeting nostalgia of familiarity that tugged at his heartstrings, a sentiment he was reluctant to admit even to himself.

Did he truly long for their banter and the electricity that crackled between them? No, he assured himself with a forced conviction, even though doubt lingered like a shadow at the edge of his consciousness, a nagging whisper that refused to be silenced.

Jacyn released a heavy sigh, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him like a burden too heavy to bear. With a resigned acceptance, he dug his hands deeper into his pockets, seeking solace in the familiar confines of his solitude.

Perhaps a walk amidst the serene beauty of Lakeland Hills would offer him some respite, a chance to untangle the knots of confusion and uncertainty that twisted within him like vines in a tangled thicket.