Never Date a Genius

Chapter 36

Hi, I hope I still have readers. It would really mean the world to me if you could vote and comment. This is a revised scene since I felt that the previously updated chapter was too short, and I wanted to delve more on what Jason would be feeling.

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Sophie stood in front of the mirror, tying her hair into a loose ponytail before quickly undoing it again. She was uncomfortable and a little bit guilty. It was just a friendly date but it seemed so wrong.

"It's just Jason and a friendly date." she muttered. However, he was Jason, who was there when she was broken hearted. The person who comforted her when she needed it the most. And yet, she can't seem to shake this uncomfortable feeling that it was so wrong. And she felt guilty somehow. She still remembered how Mason asked her forgiveness. And somehow in her heart, there is this nagging whisper that there is something absolutely wrong with what she is doing.

When Jason arrived, he didn't look like the heartbreaker people tell him to be. He is more like the quiet, brilliant guy she knew beneath the surface. The guy who reads Physics books and can match her mind. He was dressed in a light grayed soft hoodie, jeans making him more handsome. He smiled with that easy grin.

"You look nice," he said, holding out a paper bag. "Cookies for the sweetest girl I know." He said, teasing her.

Sophie blushed, a warm smile spreading across her face as she took in the gesture. "Thanks, Jace. That's... really thoughtful." She peered at him, and once again felt that calming presence wash over her. There was something about the way he moved and spoke that made everything feel lighter, as if the world around them was brighter. He was like sunshine, charm, and laughter wrapped into one.

"That's me, Mr. Thoughtful," he said with a teasing glint. "You should really count your blessings for having me around!"

Sophie laughed at his joke, a lightness filling the air. In that moment, she couldn't help but notice how different he was compared to Mason. Jason's playful charm brought a warmth that was refreshing, making her appreciate this side of him even more.

They spent the afternoon in the science museum downtown, lingering in front of the physics exhibits like they owned the place. Jason challenged her to a "Who Can Solve It Faster" game on the interactive math wall, and she groaned when he beat her by two seconds.

"You've improved," she said, squinting at him. "Guess all those tutoring sessions finally paid off."

He smirked faintly. "Guess so."

They wandered into the planetarium, leaning back in their seats as constellations swirled above. Sophie listened as Jason quietly pointed out Orion, Cassiopeia, and his favorite Lyra, telling her how its star, Vega, was one of the brightest in the sky.

"See? That's us," he said, nodding upward. "Two people shining like the stars and part of something infinite."

She didn't answer. Because even in the dark, with Jason beside her, her mind betrayed her, flashing back to Mason. Mason's half smile. Mason's voice calling her "G" like it meant something only he understood. The way his touch had made her pulse race without permission.

She felt a pang of guilt, torn between the warmth of Jason's presence and the pull of her feelings for Mason. Jason must have noticed the shift. "You went somewhere else just now," he said softly.

Sophie hesitated, then whispered, "I'm sorry."

He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "You don't have to be. I knew what I was walking into. I told myself I could be okay with it. But now, it feels different."

They walked to the lake afterward, sharing a bench as the sun began to dip. Jason picked up a small stick and started idly sketching shapes in the dirt, triangles, circles, the lazy outline of a sine wave.

"I can never be him, you know. But I can give you so much more. You and I, we are so similar. I know they say l like to date a lot. But with you, it's different. I can be myself, and I can see my future with you," he said after a while, still looking at the ground. "And I'm not just the safe guy, and I know I can make you happy."

Sophie's throat tightened. "Jason..."

"I like you," he said simply. "Not just the 'you' that everyone sees. The you who lights up over science jokes. The you who thought I couldn't solve those math problems without you." He glanced at her then, the faintest trace of a smile. "Truth is... I could. But I didn't want to."

Her chest ached, the weight of his words sinking in. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You know, I want to be him at this moment," he said, his voice shaky and raw. "I hoped I could have been the first one to make you smile, to be the one you'd run to when things got tough. And seeing you heartbroken and lost last time, it felt like my heart was breaking too."

He paused, the silence heavy. "But I get it. You didn't mean to hurt me. And somehow, that makes it harder. It's so messed up, caring this much when it feels like you're slipping away, like I'm just a shadow in your life."

They sat in silence, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering glances. The beauty of the sunset felt like a cruel reminder of what was at stake. Then Jason stood, offering her his hand, but the gesture felt heavy with finality.

"Come on. I'll drive you home."

She took it, her fingers trembling as they curled around his, knowing this might be one of the last times she'd hold his hand like this. Each step felt like a farewell, a slow unraveling of what could have been. As they walked, Sophie felt an unbearable ache in her chest, realizing that losing Jason, really losing him, might be the second heartbreak she'd never recover from.

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