Page 148 of Only With You

“So, something is going on?” She questions.

Now my face betrays me, because heat spreads across it when I look at her as I open my laptop. “It’s—we’re…” I click refresh as something purple on her neck catches in my periphery, but before I can inspect it, I do a double take on the screen as my grade finally appears.

I gape and hit refresh again because this can’t be real.

“What? Did you finally get it?”

“What is it?”

94/100

“Oh my God, that’s the highest grade I’ve gotten all semester,” I whisper, my brain slowly but finally registering what I’m seeing. “I passed.”

“What?”

“I passed!” I shove the laptop on her lap and squeal excitedly into my hands, because my passing grade brought up my average for the class.

Polly hovers over Gabby’s shoulders as they look at it and then they’re squealing, congratulating me, and smiling just as big as I am.

“This is big! We have to celebrate. We need to?—”

“Can we tomorrow? I need to see Lan—actually, never mind. I don’t even know if he’s done with practice. I should probably?—”

“No, he’s done. Jagger texted me thirty minutes ago. You should go see him.” Gabby encourages me all too enthusiastically, shutting my laptop and handing it back to me.

“Yes, go. He deserves to know,” Polly eagerly adds.

“Okay, yeah.” I almost run out the door, but I then stop and look at my outfit. This is definitely not what I want him to see me in. “I need to change.”

I’m buzzing with energy as I change, grab the treats, and head out the front door.

“Juls, hey—oh, what do we have here?” Jayden’s eyes sparkle at the Tupperware in my hand. “Are those Cinnamon Toast Crunch rice krispies?”

“Jay, it’s freezing as shit outside. Let her in.” Malik grabs him by the neck of his shirt and hauls him back, widening the door to let me in.

“Yes, they are and thanks.” I step inside and shut the door behind me. “I made them for Lan?—”

Jayden groans and his shoulders deflate. “He’s not going to share those. I assume you know how obsessed he is with that cereal.” He opens the pantry door, waving his hand across the top shelf where six boxes of identical cereal sit.

“Yeah, but he shared it with me. I’m sure?—”

“Holy shit! Jagger, Saint, get your asses over here.” Jayden stares at me like I’ve grown two heads and when he repeats to the guys what I just said, they look at me the same.

“So, something is going on, huh?” Jagger eyes me suspiciously. “Henevershares his cereal with anyone. Wait, that was you leaving his room the other morning?”

“You two are practically married now.” Saint snorts, eyes shining with mirth. “This is big. I’m going to text TJ.”

He pulls his phone out from his sweats while Jayden whispers if he can have a treat and Jagger stares at me inquisitively.

“Oh, fuck out here. Leave her alone. Landon’s upstairs.” Malik places a hand on my shoulder—well, it more like hovers—and ushers me to the stairs.

“There’s nothing going on. We’re just getting along now.”

His smile screamsbullshit, but he doesn’t call me out. “I don’t think he’ll mind if you wait in his room.”

Then he’s off, leaving me at the bottom of the stairs. I’m rethinking my decision of coming here because what if he wants to rest? What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if he really is tired of being around me?

A message would have sufficed, but I wanted to be extra as hell and come and bring him these. And I wanted to share my excitement. I couldn’t do that through a text. I also need to thank him, because without him, I would’ve failed.

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