Valerie
It was a Thursday night, and Jess was staying over since we were studying together. By studying I mean gossiping while making some half-baked assignments in-between our yap sessions. She was sprawled out on my bed, scrolling through her phone, while I sat cross-legged on the floor flipping through a fashion magazine.
I set my magazine aside.
"Hey, now that I think about it, you never told me how your date with Alex went," I said, sitting up and leaning against the edge of the bed, my curiosity piqued.
Jess set her phone down, grinning like she'd just won the lottery. "It was fun! I actually enjoyed myself. Matter of fact, I enjoyed myself so much that we're going out again next Thursday."
"Wow, look at you. Don't forget me when you two become the next campus power couple," I teased, smirking.
She rolled her eyes playfully before suddenly shifting the conversation. "Speaking of dates, did you hear about Damon? Apparently, he and Rachel might be getting together."
That made me freeze. Out of all the people at our school, Damon wanted her? Really? Of course, he'd pick Rachel—the one girl I couldn't stand. I'd hated her since high school, especially after she stole the cheerleading captain spot from me.
The only reason she got it was because she cozied up to Coach Roberts, all fake smiles and sugary charm. I refused to stoop to that level, and it cost me. Just thinking about it still made my stomach churn.
But then again, I couldn't help but feel a little amused. Damon and Rachel? What was he playing at? Was he trying to get a rise out of me? Or was he just that predictable?
"Where'd you hear that from?" I asked, trying to sound casual, even though irritation was already creeping into my voice.
"Alex mentioned something about it when we were out," Jess replied casually, but I could tell that she was thinking about something.
"I guess this sets my plans back just a bit but things will still work out. Now, enough about this. I want all of the details about your night out with Alex." And with that she told me all the little details of their night out, turns out Alex was a romantic, who knew.
We stayed up late gossiping and binging this new show called "Tomorrow's Savior" it was about a girl surviving during an alien apocalypse. It was a nice show though not really my style, and by the time we finally fell asleep it was already 4am.
***
At school, I was already regretting my choice to stay up so late. The lack of sleep was hitting me hard, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet.
The sound of the bell was a relief, even if it was only 10 a.m. A break, no matter how short, was better than nothing. I grabbed my bag and shuffled out of the classroom, blending into the sea of students in the hallway. All I wanted was five minutes to rest my eyes.
I made my way through the campus gardens, heading toward North Campus where my next class was. The fresh air did little to wake me up. I figured I'd get to class early, find a seat near the back, and lay my head on the desk for a few minutes before the lecture started.
When I arrived, the classroom was mostly empty, save for the professor setting up at the front. I greeted him with a tired nod before heading to one of the back rows. It was my usual spot—not too far back that I couldn't hear the lecture, but far enough to nap without being too obvious. I slumped into the chair and placed my bag beside me, already feeling the pull of sleep.
I must've dozed off because the next thing I knew, someone was tapping my shoulder. Groggy, I looked up to see Alex standing next to me.
"Yes? And why are you here so early? Needed a nap too?" I mumbled, still half-asleep.
He smirked. "A nap wouldn't hurt, but no. I was just letting you know class is starting."
I glanced around and realized he was right. The once-empty rows were now packed with students. I straightened up in my chair, trying to shake off the lingering grogginess. "Oh. Thanks."
"No problem," he replied, sliding into the seat next to mine as the lecture began.
A few minutes later, he leaned over again, his voice quiet. "How are you doing, by the way? Did Damon text you and apologize?"
I let out a dry scoff, trying not to roll my eyes. Damon? Apologize? That man would probably rather walk barefoot across glass than admit he was wrong. He was as charming as he was shameless.
"I'm doing perfectly fine," I replied evenly. "And no, I wasn't expecting one either."
Alex nodded but didn't seem convinced. "I'm glad you're okay… but, you know, I talked to him about it. He promised he'd apologize." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Just so you know, I don't condone what he did."
I tilted my head, studying him for a moment. "I don't care if you condone it or not," I said flatly, then paused as something clicked in my mind. "And I don't want an apology from him anyway. Besides, we're just… temporarily on a break."
Alex gave me a skeptical look but didn't push it. "does any part of the reason you're talking to me have anything to do with Jess" I questioned as I turned my gaze towards him.
He let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Partially. But I also just wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened. Even if it wasn't my place."
I tapped my fingers lightly against the desk, my tone sharp. "Thanks, but no apology needed. Especially not from you—you weren't involved." I turned my attention back toward the professor, pausing for a beat.
"And for the record," I added, glancing back at him, "I'm not going to get in the way of you and Jess, if that's what you're worried about. If she's happy, I'm happy. Just… watch yourself, Alex Sterling."
I saw the relief wash over his face, though he tried to play it off. "Worried? Who said I was worried?"
I let out an amused scoff. He was a terrible liar. But I let it go, turning my attention back to the lecture as the conversation ended.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. By the time the final bell rang, I was more than ready to go home. I waited in front of the school for Jess, scrolling through my phone to kill time since we'd driven together that morning.
I was mid-scroll when a shadow fell over me.
"Hey. Can we talk?"
I looked up to see Damon standing there, hands shoved in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
Great. Just what I needed.