38. Hold On

We made our way to the dining hall, and just as the building came into view, my foot caught on a curb still hidden under the snow, sending me staggering forward.

Adrien was quick, his arm shooting out to steady me. He wrapped his arm around me and didn't let go after that.

Adrien was now doing it, too. This strange, protective closeness that was becoming all too familiar. His grip remained firm around my shoulders as we walked the rest of the way to the dining hall, despite my weak attempts to shrug him off a couple times.

The dining hall was busy...too busy. The smell of boys, some freshly showered, others seemingly forgotten what a shower even is, hit me in the face. It seemed like the entire school was there, making it feel like we had walked into a chaotic storm about to explode.

Students flocked around Adrien as if he was the gravitational center of the room. I tried to slip away, preferring the outskirts instead of being in the eye of the storm, but Adrien caught my arm.