The College JJ Series

study hours

Summary: Despite being required to put in a certain number of study hours each week as a pledge, JJ purposely saves some of his homework for you.

~

"Why didn't you just ask Pope? You literally share a room with him."

JJ knew that would be the more sensible choice. With both of his roommates pledging the same frat as him, they were all forced to do homework together with the other pledges at the house two nights a week. He hadn't asked around, but there was enough diversity in his pledge class that there was sure to be someone who was good at writing essays in the group he spent so much time with.

"You're the English major though, and I feel like you know more than him when it comes to writing essays," JJ explains. "Pope dissects cadavers and reads anatomy books all day."

"Okay, fine, I have a chapter meeting this evening, but we could meet at the library at 7:00?" you offer. "This isn't free though."

He rolls his eyes. "Iced coffee from the coffee shop on the main level of the library?"

You grin. "I'll text you my order."

~

It was becoming increasingly difficult for JJ to find ways to get you alone. He knew he needed to play it cool so you wouldn't catch on that he was developing a crush on you. John B and Pope saw right through him, teasing him relentlessly every time he lit up at the mention of your name.

He couldn't help it though. He hadn't meant to start liking you, what with you being unavailable and all, but here he was nearly two months after running into you at the frat party that changed his life, crushing away.

You were just as he remembered you, all the best parts of your personality were still there, but somehow better. He hasn't expected the friendship to come as easily the second time, but it was like you hadn't missed a beat.

So during those study hours he was forced to put in, he did most of his homework under the watchful eyes of the chapter tutor, but he always saved a little work for you. A biology study guide, geography articles, an essay; whatever he could save that he knew you also had to do that week, he put off until you had free time to meet with him and "help" him.

He knew it was a lame attempt at getting you alone, but without the premise of homework, he didn't think you would spend time with him one on one. So at least twice a week, he insisted you were the only one who could help him with whatever it was he held off on completing, and you would always agree to meet him at the library and hole up in a study room with him for a couple hours to get work done. He bought you an iced coffee every time.

~

You had about thirty minutes to kill before JJ was meeting you at the library, so you went ahead and got a study room for the two of you and went to set up shop. You text JJ the room number and your coffee order for the evening, then get out your phone to scroll through while you wait.

When Aaron had texted you during the meeting to see if you would come over to his dorm afterwards, you had made up a quick lie about forgetting that you were attending a study group at the library. He bought the lie pretty easily, because you had been complaining about a big history test all week. You were more than prepared for that, but he didn't have to know that.

As you scroll through your phone while you wait for JJ, you can't help but feel guilty for lying to your boyfriend. You'd been doing it a lot lately. Sometimes it was because you were in the mood to be alone and you didn't have the heart to tell him that, but most of the time it was because you were covering up the fact that you were with the guys. You were really enjoying spending time with them, even at the expense of your relationship. You rationed with yourself that it was just because you only had a few more weeks left with them before summer break, and you wouldn't see them for nearly three months. You knew you wouldn't see much of Aaron either, but you had already made plans to visit each other a handful of times throughout your time off.