The campus seemed new now, not because it was different, but because they were.

Jordan strolled with Travis beside him, their hands brushing against each other as if it was completely normal. There was no doubt. No worry about who might be watching. When a few of his old “friends” shouted at him, laughing, Jordan only looked at them once—a look so sharp and cold that they instantly went silent.

He didn’t owe them anything at all. He didn’t owe the bet He didn’t owe anyone.

All that mattered was the boy next to him.

“Jordan,” Travis said quietly, his face slightly red as he fiddled with his sleeve, “you’re staring again. ”

Jordan let out a soft laugh, lighter than it had ever been. “Can you blame me? You’re smiling more these days. And I really like it. ”

Travis’s smile appeared shyly, his eyes looking down at the floor, but he no longer tried to hide it. He let Jordan see his happiness. That simple warmth made Jordan’s heart flutter every time.

During lunch, Jordan leaned in close to say something silly to make Travis giggle. At the library, he carefully moved Travis’s hair away from his face, making Travis’s ears turn red. And at night, as they walked home, Jordan carried Travis’s bag without being asked, playfully joking with him but in a gentle way that always ended with a small, lingering touch.

It was all real now—everything about him. No tricks. No deceit. Just Jordan, fully and openly in love.

Travis noticed it as well. The way Jordan’s smile had changed—it was less bragging, more caring. The sound of his laughter wasn’t just for show anymore. The way he looked at Travis made it clear he was the most important thing in the world.

And in response, Travis softened too. He began to lean back when Jordan moved closer. He laughed more, talked more, and slowly let down his defenses. One afternoon, when Jordan finally held his hand, Travis didn’t pull away—he held on tighter.

That was enough to make Jordan’s heart race.

They weren’t flawless. They still argued. They still made mistakes. But they were themselves. And they were joyful.

For the first time, Jordan didn’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone. He already had everything he wanted, right there—Travis, smiling just for him.

And that was a win that no bet could ever provide.

The End.