Lose you to Love me...

Ledgers, Laughter, and a Side of Drama ♡♡

Having Jay over was like inviting chaos to a study session. It was then I realized—maybe, just maybe—I'd been a bit lonely before. But honestly, this bubbly goofball clearly had no idea what "studying" meant. The concept of concentration? Foreign to him. I found myself wondering how on earth he'd made it this far in life. 

Every five minutes, he'd toss his pencil down dramatically and announce he needed a "snack break" after reading exactly one sentence. If there was an Olympic sport for irrelevant questions, Jay would've been a gold medalist.

"Why do we even need ledgers? Can't we just Venmo the universe?" he'd ask, as I clung desperately to the last shreds of my patience.

My right eye started twitching—always a sign that I was on the verge of a meltdown. Deep breath. "What exactly is your problem?" I asked, finally breaking the awkward silence of Jay's constant fidgeting.

He blinked at me like I had just accused him of murder. "What do you mean?" he said, looking lost, like a puppy that had wandered into a calculus class.

I could feel my irritation rising like a tidal wave. "Jay, we're supposed to be studying. You've done everything BUT study. In fact, I'm not even sure you've opened the book for more than ten seconds."

He sighed dramatically, like this was the worst injustice in the world. "Look, I've read this page about ten times and it's still gibberish. I mean, seriously! Do people actually use words like 'accrual'? Why do I even need to know this?"

I fought the urge to facepalm. "Jay, I've told you—ask me if you don't understand something. Instead, I've been babysitting you while trying to balance these stupid ledgers, and I'm about two seconds away from losing it."

A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. Oh no. That look never meant anything good. He leaned back with a grin plastered across his face, and I swear I felt my blood pressure spike. This little rascal...

"I don't remember saying anything funny," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Wipe that goofy smile off your face before I do it for you, and I guarantee, you won't look so pretty afterward."

He laughed, a loud, obnoxious sound that echoed through the room. "Okay, okay! How about this—I'll help you with your ledgers and any other finance-related nightmare you have, if you promise to write me a 'dumbed-down' version of this textbook. One chapter at a time, in plain English. None of this gibberish. Deal?"

I paused, considering. As much as I wanted to smack that smirk off his face, his deal wasn't half bad. I already had my own simplified notes—handing them over to him wasn't going to cost me anything.

"Deal," I said, unable to stop a small smile from creeping onto my face.

Jay grinned back, as if he'd just won the lottery. "Great! Now how about we call it a day? We can watch a movie or something. I'll even stay over—just don't make me clean up."

I snorted. "Fine, but clean up after yourself. Last time, I found pizza crusts in my shoes."

He jumped up like he'd been waiting for that cue all along, eagerly tidying up his mess. I couldn't help but chuckle at his antics.

As he gathered his stuff, he casually asked, "So, what's going on with you and that Rivers guy? You two seem... close."

I groaned out loud. Here we go. "If by 'close' you mean 'I want to strangle him every time he talks to me,' then sure, we're real close."

Jay laughed, clearly entertained by my frustration. "Come on, he likes you. You can't blame the guy for trying."

I rolled my eyes. "And that's what scares me. I've told him a million times I'm not interested, but he's like a puppy that refuses to take 'no' for an answer. I'm regretting ever being nice to him."

Jay snickered. "Don't stress. Mathew Rivers will get bored eventually. It's just a challenge for him—everyone knows that. You're the challenge."

I threw my hands in the air. "Great. I'm a walking Rubik's cube."

Jay shrugged, unfazed. "It's true! Anyway, don't worry about it. He'll move on once he realizes you're not giving in."

"Please, can we not talk about him? My head is already pounding," I groaned.

Jay, ever the mood-lifter, immediately changed the topic, launching into a ridiculous story about how he once rescued a pack of stray dogs from a burning shed. It sounded more like something from a Disney movie, but I let him ramble. His exaggerated expressions and over-the-top enthusiasm had me laughing until my sides hurt.

By the end of the night, I realized I'd found my best friend in this chaotic, snack-obsessed whirlwind of a human being—and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

As we settled onto the couch, snacks scattered everywhere like we were preparing for a popcorn apocalypse, Jay sighed contentedly. "You know, I think we should make this a weekly thing. We study for an hour—"

"You didn't study," I interrupted, giving him a side-eye.

"—and then reward ourselves with a movie," he continued as if I hadn't said anything. "But I'm serious, Mathew's persistence is hilarious. You're like the boss level of a game, and he keeps failing... over and over again."

I shook my head, trying to suppress a smile. "Well, let's just hope he finds another 'boss' to challenge soon. I'm not in the mood for extra lives."

Jay snorted and nudged me with his elbow. "Don't worry. I'll guard the door like a bouncer if he ever shows up."

I laughed. "Sure, because you're such an intimidating force of nature."

He puffed out his chest dramatically. "Damn straight. Just call me 'Jay the Protector'—no unwanted attention on my watch."

I threw a pillow at him, and he caught it with a grin, throwing it right back. And just like that, the tension from earlier disappeared, replaced by comfortable silence as we watched the movie.

As the credits rolled, Jay yawned and stretched like a lazy cat. "Alright, bestie. I'm crashing here, but don't expect me to clean up tomorrow either."

I rolled my eyes, but there was a warmth in my chest as I tossed him a blanket. "Fine, but if I find another pizza crust in my shoes, I'm not responsible for what happens next."

He saluted me, flopping onto the couch with a grin. "Noted, boss."

I turned off the lights and headed to bed, feeling oddly content. Sure, there were still ledgers to balance, and Mathew Rivers would probably pop up tomorrow like a bad penny, but at least I had Jay. And somehow, that made everything a little easier to handle.

As I lay down, a thought crossed my mind. Maybe this wasn't just about ledgers and Mathew's relentless pursuit. Maybe it was about finding my balance too—in life, in friendships, and in the chaos that came with it all.

With a small smile, I drifted off, knowing that tomorrow would be another unpredictable day—and I was okay with that.