Kingsley Academy

Chapter 37

The quiet hum of the library surrounds us, the low whispers of students flipping through pages and typing on their laptops filling the air. I'm at one of the tables, focused on my notes, trying to study for an upcoming test. Kade, however, is sitting across from me, glued to his phone, his fingers lazily scrolling through whatever it is that's keeping his attention.

Every few minutes, he lets out a little comment, talking about something he's seen on his feed, breaking the concentration I've been trying so hard to hold onto.

"Hey, look at this," he says, leaning forward to show me something on his phone. "Have you seen this?"

I glance up, barely able to hide my annoyance. "Kade, seriously?"

He shrugs, flashing me a teasing grin. "What? It's funny."

I roll my eyes and go back to my notes, trying to drown out his distractions, but he doesn't stop. It's like he can't resist talking, even in a place where everyone else is dead silent. A few students glance over at us, clearly annoyed by the noise he's making, but when Kade catches their eye, he just stares back at them, his gaze hard. They immediately look away, reminded of exactly who he is.

Finally, I've had enough. I put my pen down, narrowing my eyes at him. "Oh my god, shut up, Kade. People are studying."

He smirks, leaning back in his chair, completely unbothered. "And?"

"And," I hiss, trying to keep my voice down, "I thought you were too cool for the library. Last time I checked, you were embarrassed to be seen here."

Kade raises an eyebrow, the playful smirk still on his face. "Well, I can't help how cute you look when you wear those glasses," he says, his voice dropping slightly, leaning closer to me. "The things we do for love."

My cheeks flush at the comment, but I try to hide it, adjusting my glasses and giving him a pointed look. "Flattery's not going to get you out of being annoying."

He chuckles softly, not taking his eyes off me. "It's not flattery if it's true."

I shake my head, trying to fight the smile tugging at my lips. "Whatever. Just... let me study."

"Fine," he says, settling back in his chair but not before giving me one last teasing grin. "But don't be surprised if I keep distracting you."

"Noted," I mutter and turn back to my notes, hoping to finally get some peace and quiet. But not even a minute later, Kade starts talking again, mumbling something about another post he's just seen.

I whip my head toward him, narrowing my eyes. "Seriously, Kade. Be quiet."

He raises his hands in mock surrender, his lips quirking up. "Alright, alright, jeez. I'll be quiet."

This time, he actually shuts up. For about two minutes.

Just as I start getting into a rhythm with my studying, a girl a few tables over starts talking loudly on her phone. Her voice pierces through the quiet, grating on my already frayed nerves. I grit my teeth, trying to ignore it, but the more she talks, the more I can feel my patience wearing thin.

Finally, I snap.

"Can you not?" I hiss in her direction. "This is a library."

She looks at me, startled, before scrambling to end her phone call. Kade smirks, watching the exchange, but says nothing. I sigh, feeling a small sense of satisfaction as the girl rushes out, but my peace doesn't last long.

A few minutes later, two other girls at a nearby table start giggling, their whispers growing louder. My annoyance spikes again, and I'm about to say something when Kade beats me to it.