The days after their night together blurred into a haze of giddy bliss. Their relationship was completely undefined, a mess of unspoken rules and unlabelled feelings, but Jay could feel Lina opening up to him. She was more cheerful, more present. The sudden, confusing shifts in her mood were becoming rare.
They were reckless, stealing moments wherever they could. Time and place meant nothing. Sometimes, after a lecture, they'd meet in the student union café before slipping away to their spot behind the faculty building, near the ornamental fish pond. It was the same secluded place where Vira had fainted during induction week. The ground dipped down, creating a semi-hidden basement-like nook, shielded from prying eyes. It was quiet, secluded, and perfect.
They kissed there often, a desperate, hungry kind of kissing. But that's all it ever was. Since that first night in her room, their physical intimacy hadn't progressed. No wandering hands, no fumbling with clothes. It was a strange boundary they both silently agreed to respect. They never said "I love you," and the sacred teenage question "Will you be my girlfriend?" was never uttered. They were too lost in the intoxicating, ambiguous pleasure of it all.
To everyone else, they were obviously a couple. This was a problem. Jay's Computer Science course had its own grueling, unofficial "induction" run by the seniors, and one of the unwritten rules was a strict ban on first-years dating anyone within the same faculty until the whole process was over. It was bullshit, but it was enforced.
Whenever someone asked, Jay and Lina would give the same, unified answer: "No, we're not together."
No one believed them, least of all their housemates. Leo, Finn, and Sam were endlessly frustrated by Jay's denials. "Are you and Lina official yet?" was a constant question, and his "no" was always met with exasperated groans. Their relationship, which had already escalated to a deeply physical level, remained a confusing, commitment-free zone. Jay had no idea where it was heading. All he knew was that they were just… going with it, guided by a strange, unspoken honesty between them.
Until one afternoon.
Jay saw Lina talking to a group of senior guys from the Engineering department. Her natural charm was on full display, a magnetic force that effortlessly drew people to her. It was like she didn't even have to try, guys just automatically congregated wherever she was.
And among them was the scruffy senior who had warned him at the med post. The one with the tired, bloodshot eyes. Jay couldn't believe they knew each other, but then again, Lina knew everyone. She was a social butterfly, easily befriending students and lecturers alike.
Then Jay saw it. The scruffy senior reached out and casually ran a hand through Lina's hair, ruffling it affectionately, like he would a girlfriend's.
A hot, possessive rage surged through Jay. It was an old, familiar feeling, an adrenaline he hadn't felt in years. His hands clenched into tight fists. He was about to march over there and wipe the smug look off that bastard's face when a strong hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.
It was Sam, his tall housemate, appearing out of nowhere.
"You're getting angry, Jay," Sam said, his voice calm and steady.
"Of course I'm angry!" Jay hissed, his eyes still locked on the scene. "He's touching her hair! That scruffy, burnout-looking prick is touching her like she's his!"
"Is she your girlfriend, Jay?" Sam asked simply. "You said she wasn't."
The question stopped Jay dead in his tracks. "Well… no. But I love her, Sam. I just haven't… made it official yet. But I'm going to. Soon."
Sam chuckled softly. "Don't you think you should get on with it, then? Before someone else does. Looks to me like those seniors are getting ready to make their move."
"How would you know?"
"Just a feeling," Sam replied with a shrug. He said he was heading to the library to return a book and left Jay stewing in his own jealousy.
He dared to touch my Lina. The thought was maddening. Even if she wasn't officially his, she was his. He watched them for a few more moments. There were five of them, and Lina seemed to be enjoying the conversation, laughing and talking animatedly. Nothing else untoward happened.
As Jay stared, a new voice broke his concentration.
"Ooh, someone's jealous!"
It was Windy, one of his classmates, along with her two friends, Violet and Riley.
"What? No," Jay said, trying to sound casual. "I was just thinking about an assignment."
"What assignment? We don't have any new ones," Riley chimed in, laughing. "You're totally busted. You're fuming because Lina is surrounded by seniors."
"No, I'm not," he said flatly.
"Come to the library with us, then," Violet offered. "I've seen you in there a few times, you seem to like it."
"Not in the mood," he grumbled.
"See! Told you!" Windy said, victorious. "He's bad-tempered because of Lina!"
"Whatever you say," Jay said, tired of their teasing. He walked away and went to the quiet bench where he and Lina usually sat.
He'd been sitting there for less than five minutes, trying to lose himself in a book about conspiracy theories, when a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. He felt a familiar warmth and inhaled a scent that he already craved. It was Lina.
His anger instantly melted away, but he decided to play it cool. He would feign being upset to see what she would say about her little chat with the engineers.
"Why so quiet? If you keep frowning, you'll lose your cute face," she teased, her voice a warm whisper in his ear.
"Hmph," was all he managed in response.
She released her hug and slid onto the bench beside him. "What's wrong? Thinking about something? Talk to me."
He remained silent.
"TALK TO ME!" she suddenly barked, making him jump.
"What the hell? You show up and start shouting at me instead of kissing me hello?" he grumbled.
"You want me to kiss you here?" she laughed. "The whole faculty would be gossiping about it for weeks."
He didn't laugh with her. He just looked at her. "What were you talking about with those seniors?"
Her expression immediately shifted from playful and teasing to serious.
"Oh, it was nothing. Just a normal conversation. They were asking if I wanted to join a student expedition to some of the smaller islands in Indonesia over the summer. They need people for a research project. Should I go?"
"Go if you want to. Just make sure you're physically prepared. It sounds intense," he said, his tone clipped and cool.
"What is your problem?" she asked, her brow furrowing. "Why are you being so short with me? What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing, Lina. I'm just in a bad mood."
"Fine. Be that way," she said, standing up. "I'm heading off. If you want to come over to my place, make it late tonight. I have a society meeting."
"Okay, whatever," he replied.
Lina started to walk away, but then she stopped, turned back, and quickly leaned down to plant a soft, swift kiss on his cheek. She gave him a cheeky, flirtatious smile before disappearing around the corner.
His defenses crumbled instantly. A reluctant smile spread across his face. His plan to be angry was a complete failure. You can't lie to your own heart, he realised. And his heart, he suspected, was beating in the exact same rhythm as hers. They just hadn't found the courage to say it out loud yet.