Roommate Badboy - Wicked Academy

37

Jason exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the lingering weight of detention. His limbs still felt sluggish, his body weak from exhaustion. "That was pure mental agony," he muttered under his breath.

Stella scoffed. "Please, you barely suffered." She turned to glare at Justin. "Unlike some people, who decided to turn detention into a public interrogation session."

Justin smirked, completely unbothered. "Let's just say...you're way more intrigued now."

Stella muttered something quietly under her breath, clearly annoyed, and walked ahead, her pace quickening just a bit as she clearly didn't have the patience to engage further.

Jason watched Stella walk ahead, his eyes lingering for a moment longer than necessary. Justin, ever the opportunist, gave him a light pat on the back. "Forbidden fruit is known to taste the sweetest."

Jason arched a brow, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Forbidden? Sounds like an open invitation to me."

As they stepped into the hallway, Jason slowed his pace, his gaze flickering sideways to Ruby as he sidled up to her. He leaned in just enough for only her to hear. "So...the ball, huh?"

Ruby's body stiffened at his words, a subtle shift that didn't go unnoticed. Her eyes briefly flicked to him, then away, as if trying to pretend she wasn't rattled by the question. Jason, however, couldn't hide the smirk that spread across his face, savoring the way her tension sparked an almost electric charge in the air.

"Had an exciting night, did you?" His words were deliberate, a teasing edge to them. He was barely keeping in the laugh, knowing full well the buttons he was pushing.

Ruby shot him a sharp glare. "Drop it, Jason."

Jason took a half-step closer, his grin only widening at the sharpness of her response. "You know," he murmured, voice lowering even further, as if sharing a secret between them, "for someone who's so tight-lipped about it, you sure leave a lot to the imagination."

Before Ruby could snap back, Frederick's voice sliced through the air, smooth but carrying a sharp undertone. "Leave her alone, Davis."

Jason's smirk faltered for a moment as he pulled back, just enough to meet Frederick's gaze, his brow arched in quiet defiance, the air between them crackling.

"It's none of your concern," Frederick's voice was low and controlled, but there was a coldness to it, a clear warning, one that made it clear Jason was treading on dangerous ground.

Jason narrowed his eyes, surprised by the change in tone. This wasn't the usual cool demeanor he used to deflect everything, it felt almost personal.

Ruby remained silent at his side, her body language stiff, as if bracing herself for something. Her usual sharpness was missing, replaced by an unsettling stillness. She shifted her weight uncomfortably, avoiding both Jason and Frederick's gaze.

Jason shifted his gaze between the two of them, the weight in the air thickening with each passing second. Ruby's eyes were downcast, her posture stiff, like she was trying to disappear into the floor.

It was then that it clicked for Jason, the pieces falling into place with a sudden clarity. A slow smirk tugged at his lips, the realization hit him like a jolt.

Still, he was too drained to stir the pot any further, not in the mood for a confrontation with Frederick just yet. He exhaled, stepping ahead with a lazy stretch, throwing his hands behind his head. "Fine. But you can't blame me for being curious."

Jason shot one last glance at them, his gaze lingering just a moment longer. It was clear to him; he'd just found a piece of ammunition.

He turned to Noah. "If I don't get food in the next five minutes, I'm committing a crime."