Burning Hearts ✔️

Jealousy Sparks

Grayson's POV

I was never one for group activities. Actually, I hated them. Too many people, too many opinions, and way too much energy wasted on things that could be done faster if I were just left alone. But here I was, smack dab in the middle of a week-long career guidance program, paired with the most irritating—and oddly fascinating—person I'd met in a long time: Harper Quinn.

It wasn't just her relentless optimism or the way she seemed to talk nonstop. It was the fact that she had this knack for getting under my skin, poking at every wall I'd carefully built over the years. One minute, she was making terrible puns and giggling at my expense; the next, she was catching me off guard with these random insights that hit a little too close to home.

And now, we were stuck together again for another round of activities, this time with a larger group.

Harper sat across from me, animatedly talking to the others in our group. Her eyes were bright, her hands moving as she explained some idea for our next challenge—a group project where we had to design a pitch for a fictional product. She was clearly in her element, and I couldn't deny that it was impressive.

But what really pissed me off was how effortlessly she seemed to charm everyone around her. Especially Matt, who had decided he wanted to sit a little too close to her.

Matt was the kind of guy I hated on principle—overly confident, always grinning like he knew some inside joke no one else was in on. He hadn't shut up since we sat down, and every time he spoke, Harper laughed. It was irritating.

"Grayson, what do you think?" Harper's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I blinked, realizing I had no idea what she was asking. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for an answer.

She rolled her eyes, clearly amused by my lack of attention. "We're pitching a product, remember? I was saying we should go with something that combines practicality and creativity. Something useful but with a fun twist."

I glanced around the table. "Sure, whatever."

Matt, who was sitting way too close to Harper for my liking, chimed in, "I was thinking maybe we could design a travel app. You know, something that helps people find hidden gems in cities—places only locals know about. What do you think, Harper?"

There was that smile again. The one she only seemed to give him. "That's actually a great idea!" she said, her voice full of enthusiasm.

I felt my jaw tighten. It wasn't that his idea was terrible. It wasn't. It was just... the way she looked at him when she said it. The way her laugh seemed just a little louder when he made some dumb joke. The way he kept leaning in, like he was trying to close the distance between them.

This was supposed to be about work, not whatever the hell this flirt-fest was turning into.

"So, Grayson," Matt turned to me, "how do you think we should structure the pitch?"

Matt's smug grin was like nails on a chalkboard. His voice carried an undertone of challenge, and I wasn't sure if he was more interested in impressing Harper or trying to one-up me. Either way, I wasn't about to let him win on either front.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "If you want the pitch to stand out, it's not about the idea—it's about the execution. We'll need to focus on why this app is different from the thousands of travel apps already on the market. What's the unique angle? The hook?"

Matt's grin faltered for just a second, but it was enough to give me some satisfaction. Harper's eyes flicked over to me, and I could tell she was paying attention now.