The rest of lunch passed with Nathan throwing in the occasional teasing remark, while Jake stayed completely unbothered. I, on the other hand, was trying really hard to pretend like none of it was getting to me.

After finishing our food, we stood up and started heading back to our classrooms. As we walked down the hallway, I found myself lost in thought.

Marco being absent made me realize something... I was too aware of Jake's presence. It was like everything he did somehow caught my attention, whether it was the way he walked beside me or the casual way he spoke my name. It was weird.

"Aiden," Jake called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I blinked, looking up.

He tilted his head slightly, his usual amused smile on his face. "You've been spacing out a lot today. Something on your mind?"

I quickly shook my head. "Nope. Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Nathan snorted. "Yeah, sure. Definitely not thinking about your not-boyfriend over here."

I shot him a glare. "Can you not?"

Jake just chuckled. "It's cute."

I stopped walking. "What?"

Jake kept walking like he hadn't just said something completely ridiculous, leaving me standing there, trying to figure out what in the world was happening to me.

Nathan patted my back with a smirk. "Dude, you're doomed."

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "I swear, I hate you both."

But even as I said that, I knew the warmth in my face wasn't going away anytime soon.

As we reached the staircase, Nathan stretched his arms and sighed. "Well, this is where I leave you lovebirds." 

I immediately frowned. "Nathan, I swear..." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he cut me off, waving me away with a grin. "Anyway, I'll see you guys later." 

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward his classroom, leaving me alone with Jake. 

I exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of my neck. "Finally, some peace." 

Jake chuckled beside me. "You know, you get flustered too easily." 

I shot him a look. "I do not." 

He gave me a knowing smirk but didn't argue. Instead, he started walking ahead, and I had no choice but to follow. As we made our way to our classroom, I couldn't help but glance at him from the side. 

I still didn't understand why Jake chose to stick around me so much. He had only been here for a few days, and yet, it felt like he had been a part of my life for much longer. 

And what was with the way my heart *insisted* on acting weird whenever he smiled at me? 

I shook my head. Nope. Not thinking about that.*

We arrived at the classroom just as the professor entered. Everyone quickly settled in their seats, and I slumped into mine, trying to focus. 

Jake, of course, sat right beside me like always. 

As class started, I kept my eyes on the lecture, but my mind was all over the place. My thoughts kept circling back to Jake, to the way he made me feel... this strange, confusing warmth that I couldn't quite understand. 

And the worst part? 

I had a feeling this was only the beginning.

The professor clapped his hands together. "Alright, everyone. Sit with your chosen partners from last week and start discussing your project. The deadline will be next week, so make sure to plan accordingly." 

Chairs scraped against the floor as the class shuffled around to find their partners. I sighed, already knowing who mine was. 

I turned my head slightly... and, of course, Jake was already looking at me with that ever-present smile of his. 

"So," he said, resting his chin on his hand. "What's the plan, partner?" 

I exhaled, flipping through my notes. "We should probably decide on a topic first. The professor gave a few options last time, right?" 

Jake hummed in thought before leaning in slightly, looking over at my notes. "We could go with something easy, or we could pick something interesting. What do you think?" 

I frowned, pretending to be deep in thought. "Something that doesn't make me regret my life choices." 

Jake laughed. "Fair enough." 

We started going through the topics, bouncing ideas back and forth. Surprisingly, Jake was actually pretty engaged in the discussion... not that I thought he wasn't smart, but he gave off more of a laid-back, let's-wing-it vibe. 

After a few minutes, we finally settled on a topic. I jotted down some notes, feeling satisfied with our progress. 

Jake stretched his arms. "That wasn't so bad. We make a good team." 

I rolled my eyes. "We barely started." 

He smirked. "Still counts." 

Before I could respond, the professor clapped his hands again. "Alright, that's enough for today. Make sure to divide the tasks properly. I expect good results next week." 

As class wrapped up, I leaned back in my chair. It hadn't even been that long, but somehow, sitting next to Jake had become… normal. 

And that was starting to scare me.

The professor dismissed the class, and students started packing up their things. I stretched my arms before gathering my notes, but before I could stand, Jake casually leaned closer.

"So, when are we working on this?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

I blinked at him. "Uh… I don't know. Maybe after class tomorrow?"

Jake hummed, nodding as if considering the idea. "We could, or…" He paused, giving me a small grin. "We could start tonight."

I frowned. "Tonight?"

He shrugged. "Why not? I'm living with you, remember? It's not like we have to go anywhere."

That was true, but for some reason, the thought of working on a project with Jake alone at home made my stomach feel weird. I shook off the thought and sighed. "Fine. But don't expect me to stay up late."

Jake chuckled. "No promises."

We grabbed our bags and headed out of the classroom. The hallways were filled with students, chatting about their projects or making plans, but I wasn't really paying attention. My mind was still stuck on the idea of spending more time with Jake at home.

I told myself it was just a normal study session.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

So why did it feel like something was changing?

The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the streets as Jake and I walked home together. The walk was quiet, but not uncomfortable... just the usual sounds of people passing by, cars in the distance, and the occasional chatter of students heading home.

When we reached the street where our house was, Jake suddenly stopped.

"I'll head home first," he said, stretching his arms behind his head. "You still have work, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, adjusting my bag strap. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Jake gave me a lazy smile. "Got it. Don't overwork yourself."

I rolled my eyes. "It's just a part-time job."

Still, Jake waved as he turned toward the house, and I watched him disappear inside before continuing my way to the café.

By the time I arrived, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. The café wasn't too crowded yet, just a few regulars sitting in their usual spots.

"Yo, Aiden!"

I turned to see Alex grinning at me from behind the counter. "You're early today."

I sighed, setting my bag down in the back. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this shift over with."

As I changed into my uniform, my mind drifted back to Jake. For some reason, his words earlier "Don't overwork yourself" stuck with me.

And I wasn't sure why.