To Be With You : Beneath Your Paradise

Chapter Nine

                          Anastasia
                          🍋 𓍯𓂃𓏧

The days blurred into a string of lectures, half-filled notebooks, and Eden’s occasional quiet humor. He had this way of making things easier without even trying, like a soft light in a dim room.

We started ending up in the same classes more often than not sometimes side by side, sometimes just close enough for him to wave as we walked in. I never thought much of it… until today.

The lecture hall smells faintly of coffee and rain-soaked coats. Eden leans over midway through class, his voice low enough not to carry.

“Want to head to the library after this? I need to finish some sketches.”

I nod before I could overthink. “Sure.”

Soon we are walking side by side through the echoing corridor, past bulletin boards and dusty display cases. The library was hush when we arrived,Eden led the way to a table near the big corner window, sunlight spilling across it in lazy rectangles.

We sat.

He unzipps his bag, pulling out a roll of pencils and a notebook. Then, like it was just an afterthought, he asks:

“Do you… know Jack?”

The words drop like a pebble into my chest.

“No,” I say ...too quickly and reach for the nearest book. Pages turn beneath my fingers, though I couldn’t remember a single word I was reading.

Eden’s eyes lingers on me for a second longer than I wanted before he gave a soft, almost absent-minded:

“Ah.”

~

We settle into our work, the quiet stretching out between the scratch of pencil on paper and the occasional shifting of a chair nearby. I’d just started to breathe normally again when—

A hand clamps over Eden’s shoulder.

I didn’t need to look. I knew.

The air shifts, that same strange heaviness curling around my spine. Still, I lift my head.

Jack.

Like the space itself had been listening and decided to summon him. His cap shadows his eyes, but that smirk...God, that smirk was unmistakable.

What is he doing here I think to myself

He drops into the seat beside Eden, angling himself toward me like this was exactly where he was meant to be.

“So,” he asks, voice all lazy edges, “what are you guys up to in the library?”

“Studying, bro,” Eden says without looking up.

Jack reaches for one of the interior design books stacked at the edge of the table, flipping through it like the pages were empty. His fingers drummed against the cover once before he glances at me.

I keep my head bent over my book,away from he's strong glances .My glasses feels heavier against my face.

“when are you gonna introduce me to your new friend?” Jack says to Eden.

Eden didn’t even pause his sketching.

“I don’t think they want to be introduced to you, Jack.”

I peek over at them slightly, hopefully unnoticed.Jack’s clicks he's tongue ,a smirk twitched, but he didn’t look away.

“I guessed so.”

He stands, leaning toward me without warning. My chair scraps the floor as I move back, my pulse stuttering.

Jack laughs quietly, reaching over to flick open the blinds, letting more sunlight pour in.

“Relax,” he murmurs, his eyes catching mine before darting over my face. “The glasses suit your face.”

Eden’s pencil clatters onto the table as he stands, pressing a firm hand to Jack’s chest.

“If you don’t have anything better to do or study for you should leave.”

Jack just chuckles ,adjusting the cap backwards on his head... looking at me.

“Your friend is invited to my party. Bring them along this Saturday.”

He picks up the book he’d been idly flipping through earlier, holding it like a trophy.

“This looks interesting. I’ll take it, if you don’t mind.”

And just like that, he walks away.

I stare down at my book, the page still turned to the same paragraph I’d been pretending to read since he arrived. My pulse refuses to slow.

Eden didn’t say anything, but I already feel his gaze linger for a moment. Then the pencil scratching began again, soft and steady.

The sunlight through the window feeling a little too warm now.