Roommate Badboy - Wicked Academy

19

As they strolled toward the dining hall, Jason smirked at Stella, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "So, about earlier..." he began, his tone teasing.

Stella immediately turned her head to glare at him, her cheeks still slightly flushed. "Not. A. Word." She warned, her voice carrying a mild embarrassment.

Jason chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction. "What? You seemed pretty distracted," he teased, nudging her playfully with his elbow. "I'd say I did a pretty good job, didn't I?"

Stella rolled her eyes, her face flushing with embarrassment as she glanced away, trying to hide her discomfort.

They entered the bustling dining hall together, the usual clatter of students filling the air. Jason, noticing her slight blush, gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll see you around," he said with a wink. She pulled slightly away, heading toward Ruby and Frederick, but not without one last glance at Jason, who was still grinning, clearly satisfied with the effect he'd had.

Stella sat down beside Frederick, trying her best to focus on the conversation at hand. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept circling back to Jason.

She couldn't help but remember the intensity of the moment she just shared minutes ago with no other than Jason, how his hands had held her with such firmness, how his touch had consumed her completely. It was hard to shake the feeling of him, even with the chaos of the other world and the danger still fresh in her mind.

Her gaze unintentionally flickered to Jason across the room. To her surprise, he was already looking back at her. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and a rush of heat swept over her. She quickly looked away, her heart racing in her chest. The familiarity of the moment, the intimacy they'd shared, kept pulling her back.

He didn't look away. He didn't pretend. He just watched her, a slow smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Frederick, sitting beside her, noticed the shift. He had seen the way her shoulders tensed, the way she kept looking in Jason's direction. His grip on his fork tightened, irritation bubbling beneath his calm exterior. He He didn't like the way Stella was so distant, lost in her thoughts, like she was somewhere else entirely, a place he couldn't follow, while Jason's gaze seemed to stay fixed on her.

Across from them, Ruby sat quietly, her gaze shifting between the three of them. Unlike Frederick, she knew the truth-knew about Jason and Stella, knew about the secrets hidden behind stolen glances. She met Frederick's gaze for a brief second, offering nothing but a knowing look before turning her attention back to her plate.

But Stella, consumed by her own thoughts, barely registered the tension at the table. Jason's touch lingered like a ghost on her skin, overpowering everything else-the portal, the looming dangers, even the conversations around her. Nothing felt as real as the memory of him, and it unsettled her how deeply it clung to her.

Ruby, ever observant, caught the faraway look in Stella's eyes and the slight flush on her cheeks. It was obvious where her mind had wandered-or rather, to whom. With a small smirk, she nudged Stella's foot under the table, bringing her back to reality. Ruby leaned in, lowering her voice just enough for Stella to hear.

Ruby shifted closer, her voice just above a breath. "You're making it obvious," she whispered, her words brushing against Stella's ear.

Stella snapped out of her daze, blinking rapidly. "I-"

Ruby leaned back with a sigh. "Just making sure you don't drift too far into that little fantasy of yours."

Stella stiffened, heat creeping up her neck. "Keep your voice down," she muttered, suddenly hyperaware of Frederick beside her. He hadn't spoken, but she could feel the weight of his attention.