Belle made her way across the dark campus, fighting against the wind and rain. She could see the building ahead of her, only a few feet more. With the final steps she reached into her bag, rummaging around for her keys to the front door. Standing at the entrance, seconds turned to minutes as she realised she had forgotten them, along with her phone. She glanced up at the windows, finding each to be dark and empty. Great, she thought. No one's in and there's a storm coming.
The rain continued to fall in zigzags and Belle continued to panic. Then through the darkness she spotted a boy walking to the neighbouring halls. From afar he looked like someone she knew, but as she got closer she realised she didn't. Yet, she did recognise him. She'd heard stories about him. Friends had portrayed him as a dark character, a notorious bad-boy rumoured to have beaten up a female teacher and two students the previous year to the point of sending one into a coma. Mere footsteps away from the boy, Belle began to consider that perhaps this was a bad idea, that maybe she was safer standing in the rain.
"Are you okay?" he asked, staring at her. Dressed in black, he almost dissolved into the shadows.
"I'm locked out of my halls," replied Belle. Her eyes drifted to a scar on the side of his face, which made her all the more wary of him. "But my friends should be here in a while."
"I can call someone to help if you like? My mate's the Senior Student. You can come wait in my kitchen. I'm Adam by the way."
"Umm, okay. Thanks. I'm Belle." Taken aback by his willingness to help, Belle remained suspicious as she followed Adam. Despite his friendliness she couldn't help but feel intimidated by him. What if the rumours were true? He did look a bit shifty. And she didn't know anyone else in his building.
After climbing the stairs to Adam's corridor, Belle was surprised to find it deserted, disturbingly silent.
"Seems really quiet," she said timidly.
"Everyone's gone home for the weekend."
As he spoke the lights flickered to darkness, casting eerie silhouettes on every wall. When they had reached the kitchen Adam made his way towards a phone on the far wall.
"No tone. The storm must have taken all the electricity out."
"Don't you have a mobile?"
"No credit."
Belle grew more uneasy with each passing second, but there was nothing she could do. She took a seat at the kitchen table, glancing momentarily at Adam. As her eyes rested on him, she realised he was staring back at her, his expression serious, almost angry. She smiled awkwardly, shifting her gaze to the floor.
"You alright? You seem a bit nervous." Adam took a seat opposite Belle, his eyes still fixed on her. "Well, I guess you've heard the rumours."
A slight shift in her seat and she gave herself away.
"It's just gossip. I didn't put anyone in hospital." He suddenly looked hurt, judged. "It's all just a bunch of lies by a girl I used to go out with. People believe them 'cause I look the part, you know, a bit rough aroung the edges, and like to keep to myself. But anyone would think I was some kind of animal."
"So you didn't beat anyone up?" asked Belle, a tremor in her voice.
"Only the guy she cheated on me with. But he walked away from it. No doctors needed."
"Oh god, I can't believe some people can stoop so low. I mean her, spreading rumours. Not you beating the guy up. That, I'm sure, was deserved."
"Hey, it's just words. I'm alright. The people who believe them are the ones you should feel sorry for."
Adam and Belle talked far into the evening, their conversation ranging from how Adam got his scar to Belle's love of literature. Minutes turned to hours, and they almost didn't notice when the lights came back on.
"So this was kind of fun. In a strange way," said Adam after calling the Senior Student.
"Yeah. Hey, we should be blackout buddies," giggled Belle. "Next time there's a power cut I'll come see you."
"Sounds good, but can I see you before that? Say like tomorrow?"
It caught Belle off guard but she agreed, and after numbers had been swapped and smiles had been exchanged, she left the building, happy in the knowledge that she had a date.