Leila Wilson never imagined that a single night at a frat party would change her life forever. Quiet, reserved, and more comfortable with a book than in the chaotic swirl of party life, she's never been the type to take risks-until she meets Jesci K...
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Jesci exited the lecture hall, his thoughts swirling in a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. He wasn't entirely surprised to see Leila sitting in his psychology class; after all, he'd spent more than a few nights scrolling through her Instagram, learning more about her than he probably should have. He'd seen her posts, her interests, the things she liked and didn't like. It was almost too easy to piece together the kind of person she was from the snippets she shared with the world.
Yet despite all the time he'd spent watching from a distance, getting a good sense of who she was, Jesci still couldn't bring himself to reach out. Every time he opened the app, thumbs poised to type something, his mind would go blank. A simple "What's up" felt too weak to write. Anything more seemed too forward. He couldn't even introduce himself like a normal person. Jesci wasn't the kind of guy to second-guess himself when it came to girls—usually, he knew exactly what to say, what to do. So why was Leila different?
As he walked down the hallway, weaving through the crowded corridor, Jesci's mind continued to race. *What the hell was wrong with me?* he thought to himself. All he'd managed to say to her in class was a pathetic "Hey." That was it. After all the nights he'd spent thinking about her, wondering what to say, that was the best he could come up with?
His jaw clenched in frustration as he replayed the brief encounter in his head. She'd looked so... startled, but also something else—almost like she was happy to see him, though he couldn't be sure. And the way her cheeks flushed that delicate shade of red when he passed by? He couldn't shake the image. It stuck in his head, gnawing at him, taunting him with the fact that he had let the moment slip away.
Jesci ran a hand through his messy hair, sighing heavily. *This isn't me,* he thought. He wasn't used to feeling nervous around anyone, least of all a girl. Usually, he could charm his way through any conversation, play it cool, and keep his distance when necessary. But with Leila, it was different. He wanted to say more than just "Hey." He wanted to actually talk to her, to get to know her—really get to know her—and it was that thought that had him tangled up in his own head.
He slowed his pace, wandering aimlessly through the hallways, lost in thought. His boots echoed against the tile floors, but he barely registered the noise. All he could think about was how he'd blown it—how all that buildup had led to nothing more than a fleeting moment, a passing "Hey" that barely scratched the surface of what he wanted to say.
*Get a grip, man,* he mentally scolded himself. *She's just a girl. You've talked to girls a million times before.*
Shaking his head, he shoved his hands into his pockets and continued walking, trying to figure out what the hell he was going to do next. He needed a plan. He needed to figure out how to talk to her—*really* talk to her—without sounding like an idiot.
But for now, all he could do was wait, gather his thoughts, and hope that the next time he saw her, he wouldn't completely screw it up again.
The rest of the morning felt like it dragged endlessly for Jesci. The lectures were dull, and the material barely held his attention—he had already skimmed through most of it the night before.
He found himself doodling in his notebook, his mind elsewhere.
When lunchtime finally rolled around, Jesci made his way to the usual table in the cafeteria where Luka and Dane typically hung out. The cafeteria was buzzing with life, students chatting and laughing while others sat hunched over textbooks, trying to cram in study time between classes. Jesci pushed through the noise, his eyes scanning for Luka.
"There he is!" Dane called out as Jesci approached the table, leaning back in his chair with his usual cocky grin. "Thought you were too cool for us now."
Jesci rolled his eyes but gave a nod in Dane's direction. He wasn't particularly close with Dane. If it weren't for Luka, he probably wouldn't have bothered with him at all. Luka, on the other hand, had been one of his closest friends since their early college days. Dane was just the extra baggage that Luka seemed determined to keep around.
"Cat got your tongue?" Dane pressed, that same smug grin plastered on his face that Jesci had a distaste for.
Jesci shot back without missing a beat. "No, I just didn't think anything you said was worth responding to."
Luka laughed, almost choking on the bite of his apple as he wiped the juice from his chin. "Damn, Dane, you really walked into that one," he said, shaking his head.
Dane groaned but didn't fire back. He knew when he was outmatched, especially when Luka had Jesci's back. Luka had always been the bridge between them—Jesci's laid-back but sharp sense of humor balanced Luka's easygoing nature, while Dane's energy was... well, it was a bit much. Jesci wasn't really here for Dane's antics, but Luka was worth sticking around for.
"Whatever," Dane muttered before Luka turned the conversation.
"So, you guys seen the new English lecturer? Seriously, she's hot."
Dane looked disgusted, throwing his hands up in disbelief. "Bro, she's like fifty! What the hell are you talking about?"
Luka shrugged, completely unbothered. "Age doesn't matter. Women age like fine wine, man. And trust me, I'd be more than happy to indulge."
Jesci snorted, shaking his head as he pushed his tray away. "You're not serious?"
Before the conversation could spiral into something even more ridiculous, Dane's attention shifted, his eyes lighting up as he spotted someone across the cafeteria. "Yo, yo, check it out—that's the girl who fell into your pool at the party," he said with a nudge, pointing out Leila as she walked into the room with Grace.
Jesci's eyes followed the direction of Dane's pointing, and there she was—Leila, looking effortlessly captivating, her cheeks slightly flushed as she scanned the cafeteria. Jesci's breath caught for just a second, his jaw tightening when he saw where she was headed.
Grace and Leila sat down at a table with Wayde Jacobs.
His heart sank at the sight. Wayde and Jesci had a history—one that stretched back through college and even into high school. They used to be close, practically inseparable, but things had shifted over time. There was tension there, old wounds that never fully healed, but neither of them had ever talked about it. It was just easier to pretend they didn't know each other, like they were strangers.
"Dude, that's all anyone talked about for a week straight," Luka said, his mouth full of apple. "I'd actually neck myself if I did that at a party. Pure social suicide."
Jesci's hands clenched into fists under the table, his knuckles white. He didn't like how they were talking about Leila, especially not after seeing her with Wayde. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much, but it did.
"Shut up," Jesci muttered, his voice low but sharp.
Dane blinked, surprised by the sudden change in tone. "Whoa, man, chill."
Jesci didn't respond. His eyes were locked on Leila as she laughed at something Grace had said, the two of them clearly at ease in Wayde's company. His stomach twisted at the sight, old memories of his friendship with Wayde surfacing alongside this new, unsettling feeling about Leila.
It was complicated, and Jesci didn't have the patience to untangle it right now. With a quiet sigh, Jesci leaned back in his chair, his gaze still fixed on Leila as he tried to figure out what the hell he was going to do next.
