Tackling the Canvas

Chapter 11

Owen

"Fuck him."

"Who, Jackson? The guy you said was staring at Noodles?" Jasper replied, rolling his eyes as we entered the dorm.

"Wait, you mean Jessica's step-brother?" Ethan added, dropping his bag and immediately leaping onto the couch.

"Yeah, the ugly-ass redhead," Jasper said, his voice thick with annoyance.

"Hey! Don't call her that, she's gorgeous!" Ethan gasped dramatically, sitting up with a huff.

"You're only defending her because of your massive crush," Jasper quipped, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, clearly amused.

"Could you two shut up for a second?" I snapped, rubbing my temples in frustration. "It's not about the fucking redhead. It's about that 'handsome guy' who was staring at Nora."

Both Ethan and Jasper's heads snapped toward me, their jaws practically hitting the floor in disbelief.

"Handsome?" Ethan repeated, wide-eyed.

"Since when do you notice if a dude is handsome?" Jasper added with a smirk, clearly enjoying the chance to tease me.

"That's not the point!" I shot back, annoyed. "The point is he was staring at Nora, and I didn't like it." My voice came out harsher than I intended, but I couldn't shake that moment from earlier.

"I have to agree, though. Jackson *is* handsome," Ethan said with a nod, still lounging on the couch. "That whole family is hot, honestly."

I rolled my eyes and gave him a light smack on the back of his neck. "You're not helping, man."

Ethan just chuckled, rubbing the spot I'd hit. "What? It's the truth. I'm just saying, good genes clearly run in the family."

Jasper snickered, clearly entertained by the whole exchange. "Yeah, but Owen's the one with the girlfriend. So, Jackson can stare all he wants—it's not like he's competition."

I grumbled under my breath, still irritated. "Doesn't matter. I don't like it."

"You should ask Nora. She might know something," Ethan suggested, casually stirring the pot. "I saw them sitting together at the game, talking, too."

Jasper shot him a sharp glare, causing Ethan to press his lips into a thin line, realizing he might've said too much.

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my cool. "What do you mean talking?" I asked, my tone edging on frustration.

"Just...talking, man. I didn't hear what they were saying, but it looked casual," Ethan quickly added, clearly backpedaling.

Jasper crossed his arms, clearly amused by the situation. "Yeah, I'm sure it was *just* casual. Maybe Jackson's just being friendly," he said with a smirk.

I wasn't convinced. "I'll ask her later," I muttered, feeling the tension simmering under my skin. I walked into my room, the frustration boiling over, and slammed the door behind me. The loud thud echoed through the dorm, but I didn't care.

Why the hell was Jackson staring? And more importantly, what did they even talk about?

I paced back and forth, trying to shake off the irritation. My mind kept racing, replaying the game and that moment when I saw him looking at her—his intense gaze still burning in my memory.

I groaned in frustration, leaning against the wall, hands gripping the back of my neck as I tried to cool down.

____

The thought refused to leave my mind, clinging stubbornly, swirling around in endless loops of suspicion and doubt. Every scenario played out in my head, none of them sitting right with me. I barely registered how fast I'd moved, my feet leading me straight to Nora's dorm before I could even think it through. My hand knocked on her door without a second thought.

A few seconds later, the door opened, and there she was—Nora, wrapped in a silk dark blue nightgown that clung to her curves in a way that made my breath hitch. The soft fabric shimmered in the low light, highlighting her figure, but her sarcastic voice snapped me out of it. "My eyes are up here, babe." She cocked an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

I forced myself to meet her gaze, feeling a little foolish for how obvious my staring was. "Why were you talking to Jackson at the game?" The words left my mouth quicker than I intended, my tone sharp and accusatory. I watched as the smile disappeared from her face, replaced by something colder.

"Excuse me?" Her voice came out hard, like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "You're making it sound like I fucking cheated on you."

Her words hit me like a slap, and I blinked, trying to backpedal, but the damage was already done. I hadn't meant it like that, but hearing it out loud made me realize how bad it sounded. Before I could form a response, she continued, her voice firm, eyes narrowing. "And to answer your question, we were just having a chat. What he told me isn't my right to share with you. So, do me a favor and drop it."

I felt heat rush to my face, the weight of my own insecurity choking my words. "Sorry," I mumbled, trying to rein in my frustration, but I couldn't stop the bitter edge that laced my voice. "I just— I didn't like the way he was looking at you earlier." It sounded weak, even to me, and I didn't like it. The way Jackson's eyes had lingered on her during the game had stirred something ugly inside me.

Nora let out an exasperated sigh, pushing off the doorframe, her eyes blazing. "He wasn't staring at me, Owen. He was looking at the group, but even if he was looking at me, it wouldn't mean anything." Her tone softened just a fraction, but there was still an edge to it. "He's not into me at all. I promise you that."

I felt the air between us grow tense, a silence settling in that made my chest tighten. My jaw clenched, the irrational jealousy still gnawing at the back of my mind even though I knew she was right. Jackson wasn't into her. She wasn't lying, I knew that much. But the feeling that something was off, that I was missing something, wouldn't go away.

Nora's gaze softened as she stepped closer, her fingers gently brushing against my arm. "Look, I get that you don't like the guy, but you need to trust me." Her voice was calmer now, more understanding, but there was an unspoken demand for trust in her words.

I felt some of the tension leave my body. I nodded, pulling her into my arms, her warmth and the steady beat of her heart against my chest calming me in a way I couldn't put into words.

"I'm sorry for being an idiota," I whispered against her hair, holding her close. "I'll work on it. I promise."

She chuckled softly, her arms wrapping around my waist. "Good, because I don't want to have this conversation again. Now come on, let's get some sleep before you spiral any further."

I smiled against her forehead, feeling the weight of my jealousy finally lifting. "Agreed."