REMINISCENT

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: My Plan (FINAL EDIT)

Jake's POV
It's been almost two weeks since Ashley and I started sleeping together—well, cuddling. Cuddling. Trust me, it doesn't exactly make me proud that while Aiden is drowning in his own misery, I'm wrapped up in his girlfriend's arms at night.

Ashley doesn't want anything to do with Aiden anymore, not even by accident. She sits at the back of class, eats before he reaches the table, and bolts before he gets close. She's made her life a schedule of avoidance, and honestly? It's messed up. But I get it. She's trying—really trying—to protect herself from breaking again.

That's why I've had a plan.

The first thing I noticed this morning was how numb my arm was. The second? Ashley drooling into my shirt in some weird contortion that could only be comfortable for her. Yeah, that explains the dead arm.

"Wake up, you koala," I muttered, shaking her shoulder.

She blinked open her eyes, narrowed them at me, and rasped, "Koala? You're a childish cuddle buddy, and you suck."

Still groggy, she stretched like a cat before shuffling to the bathroom. My gaze lingered a moment too long, tracing the curve of her figure in those shorts. Fuck. What am I even doing? I don't even like her like that. But she's gorgeous, and sometimes instinct doesn't care about loyalty.

I shook the thought off and followed her to the bathroom. After a quick knock, I slipped in, grabbed my toothbrush, and brushed beside her in silence. My reflection looked more conflicted than I felt ready to admit.

"What's wrong?" Ashley's eyes met mine in the mirror.

Busted. My mouth worked before my brain could filter. "I find you gorgeous, and I can't help but look at you when you walk around, especially in those shorts." A smirk curved my lips, half-flirt, half-defense.

Her cheeks flared pink, but she masked it with annoyance. "Keep your sexual thoughts to yourself," she mumbled, rinsing her mouth and turning on the shower.

"You asked, and I answered," I shrugged, rolling my eyes. "Didn't say anything sexual."

"Get out, Jake." She started unbuttoning her top.

"Rude." I muttered but left, padding down to the kitchen where I found Chanel sniffing the milk carton.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, slumping into a chair.

"I've been here before you, so don't question me," she shot back, pouring the milk into a bowl of cereal.

I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Can I have some?"

"Get your own." She sat opposite me.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," I said, grabbing a spoon and stealing a bite anyway.

"No, I'm just mad my best friend is apparently in your fuck list." She stabbed at her cereal and glared at me.

I nearly scoffed "I don't have one," I mumbled around a mouthful still staring at the cereal.

"Yeah, right," she scoffed.

I sighed, leaning my head on my palm, studying her. "Chanel, I'm not trying to sleep with Ashley. I don't even... like her like that."

Her chewing slowed. Her eyes narrowed, weighing me. "Are you jealous?" I smirked, and she rolled her eyes again.

"No. I just don't want her hurting more than she already is," she said flatly, but her frown betrayed her worry.

We stared at each other, the silence stretching. For once, the tension wasn't playful—it was heavy, both of us thinking the same thing.

Finally, I exhaled. "Look, I'm just trying to right certain things I think went wrong. It just sucks this is the only way."