Roommate Badboy - Wicked Academy

12

Author's Note:
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Jason had retreated early, long before dinner had officially ended. The tension at the Blaze table had been grating on his nerves ever since Frederic's little stunt. Jason could still hear the laughter and teasing of his friends, but he wasn't in the mood to sit through it. He had left without a word, heading straight back to the room.

The lights were dim when he threw himself onto his bed, one arm draped over his eyes. Frederick had managed to hit exactly where it annoyed him the most.

The door creaked open.

He didn't move, didn't even glance over, but he knew who it was. He listened to the soft shuffle of her footsteps, as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. But as she passed by his bed, he cracked one eye open, glancing at her.

"Had a nice evening with West?" His voice was lazy, but the sharp edge beneath it was impossible to miss.

Stella scoffed, dropping her bag onto her bed with more force than necessary. "What is your problem?" she shot back, spinning to face Jason.

Jason, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed, leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed. His sharp gaze stayed on her, unreadable, as if he were assessing something. Then, in that same infuriatingly casual tone, he asked, "How was Prince Charming?"

Stella blinked at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "Excuse me?"

His smirk faded just slightly, but he covered it with a shrug. "I don't like you hanging around him."

Stella froze for a second, staring at him. The bluntness of his words took her by surprise. Then, narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms. "Who are you to tell me that?"

Jason didn't respond immediately. He just watched her, something flickering behind his gaze.

"Frederick is my friend," she continued, voice sharp. "And unlike you–my enemy, Blaze boy."

Jason let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Right. And he sees you as just a friend?"

That made Stella pause, just for a fraction of a second.

Jason caught it. His smirk returned, razor-sharp. "Yeah. Thought so."

Stella clenched her jaw. "You're being ridiculous."

"Am I?" Jason took a slow step forward, his voice dropping just slightly. "Or do you just not want to admit that I have a point?"

She didn't move back. She refused to.

"Why do you even care?" she challenged.

Jason didn't answer right away. His gaze flickered over her face, his smirk faltering just slightly, just for a second. Then, just when she thought he might actually say something real, he exhaled, shaking his head.

"Forget it," he muttered, stepping back.

Stella crossed her arms, clearly fed up. "Why do you keep bothering him, Jason?" Her voice was sharp with frustration.

Jason, leaning back casually against the doorframe, flashed a careless grin. "Bothering him? Nah, we are just messing around."

"Seriously?" Stella's voice was low, her patience wearing thin. Her frustration grew. "You're constantly pushing his buttons. It's not 'fun,' it's annoying!"