Jenny’s daily routine was simple: wake up, go to school, sit through classes, hang out with friends, go home, and study. A predictable cycle. A peaceful one. And yet, she wasn’t sure if she could follow it anymore.

  All because of him.

  Nathan Blake.

  There was nothing remarkable about him. He wasn’t the smartest. He wasn’t the strongest. Not the tallest. Not the most attractive.

  But he was manipulative.

  And she knew that better than anyone.

  Something about him had always felt off. The way he spoke, as if he already knew everything about you. The way his eyes scanned your face, analyzing, calculating. The way he always seemed to know exactly what to say to get what he wanted.

  And the worst part? No one else seemed to notice.

  He makes you feel at ease. Talking to him is calming. And being ignored is torture. Jenny had tried to convince herself she was imagining things. That she was reading too much into it. But no—deep in her gut, she knew. Something was wrong with that man.

  And now… that man was sitting right next to her.

  She clenched her jaw, trying to suppress the shudder that ran down her spine. The seat beside him just had to be the last available one on the bus.

  ‘Why did I even come on this trip?’ Jenny groaned internally, feeling like the universe was playing some kind of sick joke.

  Behind her, her friends were laughing, joking around. If only she had gotten on the bus sooner, she wouldn’t be stuck with him for the next few hours.

  Her gaze flickered to the side, observing him. Nathan didn’t look good.

  Good.

  Jenny almost smirked. 'Serves you right.'

  He had his head leaned against the glass window, his eyes shut, brows furrowed. His whole body looked tense.

  Without thinking, she reached out and nudged his arm.

  "You okay?" she whispered.

  Nathan’s eyes fluttered open slowly, their usual sharpness dulled. Red-rimmed, tired.

  “Sorry?” His voice was lower than usual, groggy.

  “I asked if you’re okay. Your eyes are red.”

  Nathan shifted, leaning back against the chair. Then, in an instant, that warm, easy smile appeared—too smooth to be anything but practiced.

  "I’m fine," he said. "Something probably just got in my eye. Thanks for asking."

  If she didn’t know him, she might have believed him.

  But she did.

  She sighed, looking away. 'Whatever'. He was obviously in pain, but if he wanted to act like nothing was wrong, that was his problem.

  “Yeah. You should probably sleep. It’s gonna be a long ride. Sorry for bothering you.”

  Jenny turned her attention to the seat in front of her, trying to ignore him. She wanted to hate him. Needed a reason. But right now, he wasn’t some smug, manipulative bastard. He was just… tired.

  'I guess I’ll bear with him for now.'

  A few minutes later, she stole another glance at him. He was already asleep, completely still, his breathing deep and steady.

  ~~~

  Pain pulsed through Nathan’s skull.

  Loud. Too loud.

  The hum of the engine. The whisper of fabric rubbing against skin. The subtle movement of air. Sounds most people wouldn’t even register were now screaming in his mind.

  It was unbearable.

  The pressure in his head had been building for days, getting worse. Would his skull just split open one day? He almost welcomed the idea.

  He needed a solution. A fix.

  Last time, he’d gone to a doctor. Bad idea. The brain scans had been agony—worse than being burned alive. And in the end, the doctor had no answers. Just a vague mention of "unusual neural activity," especially in the auditory cortex.

  Great. Thanks for nothing.

  That’s why he’d agreed to this trip. A distraction. Something to take his mind off the relentless overstimulation.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  But something had changed.

  A few days ago, something… strange happened. Something Nathan couldn't make sense of.

  ~~~

  The grand hotel lobby gleamed under the opulent crystal chandelier, its glow reflecting off polished marble tiles. The architecture exuded sophistication—massive black obsidian pillars reached toward the intricately designed ceiling, and to the right, a sleek black marble staircase wound its way to the upper floors. To the left, receptionists stood behind a pristine counter, poised to welcome guests with well-practiced smiles.

  Nathan lay sprawled on one of the luxurious couches, his body sinking into the plush cushions. His mind, however, refused to relax. Exhaustion clung to him, yet sleep remained stubbornly out of reach.

  “You alright, kid?” A man’s voice broke through his haze. The stranger, likely in his late thirties, sat at the other end of the couch, his expression calm, observant.

  Nathan let out a tired chuckle. “I’ve been asked that so many times this week, it’s almost annoying.” He sighed. “But yeah. I guess.”

  The man leaned back, resting one arm on the couch’s armrest. “You wouldn’t mind sharing with a stranger, would you?” His voice was smooth, laced with quiet empathy.

  Nathan hesitated, then exhaled. Maybe talking to someone who didn’t know him wouldn’t be the worst idea. “You’d probably think I’m crazy.”

  The man grinned. “Depends on what you’ve got to say. Name’s Nik, by the way.”

  “Nathan,” he replied, then shrugged. “You can call me Nate if you want.”

  Nik nodded. “So, what’s going on with you, Nathan?”

  Nathan sighed again, staring at the ornate ceiling. “It’s just been a crazy week. Exams are coming up, and I already know I’m gonna fail. I don’t even need to take them to be sure of that.” He shifted slightly. “And… I’ve been hearing things.”

  Nik raised an eyebrow. “Like ghosts or something?”

  “I wish,” Nathan muttered. “It’s everything. Right now, I can hear your heartbeat. Your breathing. The footsteps of people way off in the distance. My own muscles contracting and relaxing.” He turned his head slightly, his eyes locking onto Nik’s. “Please tell me I’m going crazy.”

  For a moment, Nik said nothing. His silence stretched, as if carefully weighing his response. Then, finally, he spoke. “No. You’re not crazy. I believe you.”

  Nathan scoffed. “So you believe in ghosts too?”

  Nik let out a hearty laugh. “No, no. Of course not.” He shook his head. “But I believe you. Eyes don’t lie.”

  Nathan frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Nik waved it off. “But you’re probably overwhelmed by this unnatural overstimulation. Your brain is working overtime to deal with the continuous data you're being exposed to, which means you’re exhausted.” He tilted his head. “I’m just guessing here, but I bet you’ve been drinking a lot of coffee lately to deal with the mental exhaustion.”

  Nathan blinked. “…Yeah, that sounds about right.” He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his temples as he yawned. “I’m so tired. I just wanna sleep.”

  Nik chuckled. “Just a thought, but have you tried embracing this enhanced hearing? Maybe that would help.”

  Before Nathan could respond, a small voice called from across the lobby.

  “Daddy!”

  Nik turned, spotting a little girl several feet away. “Well, that’s my cue.” He pushed himself off the couch. “Hope you figure this out, Nathan.”

  Nathan watched him walk away, scooping the child into his arms. Nik didn’t look back.

  “Embrace it?” Nathan muttered under his breath. He let the words settle in his mind. 'Well… it can’t possibly be that bad…'

  Closing his eyes, he let go of the resistance he’d been clinging to for weeks. He allowed himself to sink into the overwhelming noise, to follow it rather than fight against it. Slowly, the chaos began to take shape. It wasn’t just noise—it was a map, a colorless world where density alone distinguished between objects. Sound was no longer just something he heard. It was something he saw.

  And yet, the pain remained—sharp, searing, splitting. But this time, instead of trying to drown it out, he focused on it. Experimented with it. Bit by bit, he willed his senses to shrink, drawing the overwhelming radius inward. As it constricted, the strain in his head eased. He pulled it in further, and finally—finally—his hearing returned to the normal human range.

  Nathan let out a slow breath, cracking his eyes open. The headache still lingered, but it was manageable. He shifted slightly—and that’s when he noticed her.

  Jenny.

  She was asleep, curled up on the couch beside him, facing him.

  “Jenny.” He called her name softly, but she didn’t stir. He reached out, tapping her shoulder lightly. “Hey, Jenny.”

  Her eyes fluttered open, bleary and confused as she registered her surroundings. She blinked a few times before speaking. “Um… Noah asked me to bring you the key card to your room. You guys are roommates…”

  Nathan’s brow furrowed. “And where is he?”

  “He went to sleep. And you both looked exhausted, so I thought I’d just wait until you woke up.” She reached into her pocket, pulling out the key card.

  Nathan took it from her, eyes studying her expression. “That’s… an awfully nice thing to do for someone you hate.”

  Jenny stiffened. “Wha—What do you mean?” She gulped, her heartbeat quickening. Her gaze dropped, avoiding his.

  Nathan tilted his head slightly. “You hate me, don’t you?”

  “I—No, I don’t.” Her voice wavered. She hesitated, then exhaled, her shoulders sinking. “It’s… complicated. I thought I did.”

  Silence stretched between them.

  Nathan didn’t speak, letting the weight of unspoken words press down on her. Eventually, the quiet gnawed at her resolve.

  “I actually like you.” Her voice was small, uncertain. Then, after a shaky breath, she added, “In a… you know… like that kind of way.”

  She gulped, her fingers fidgeting with the sleeves of her hoodie. “I didn’t realize it until today. And… I was looking for an excuse not to like you, so I told myself I hated you. But I didn’t. And…” Jenny’s voice trailed off as she felt her face heat up. Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she dared a quick glance at Nathan’s face, desperate for his reaction.

  His jaw had gone slack. Brows raised. Eyes barely blinking.

  “I am so confused,” he blurted out.

  Jenny’s face burned hotter.

  Nathan winced at his own words, quickly shaking his head. “I—I’m sorry. I’m just really tired right now. We’ll definitely talk about this later.”

  Jenny sat there for a moment, nodding slowly. “…Yeah.”

  A pause.

  Then she stood, brushing off her hoodie. “Anyways, I’ll see you later… I guess.” She gave him a small, awkward wave before heading toward the elevator.

  Nathan sighed, watching her retreating figure.

  'What the hell just happened?’