It started small.
A glance.
A laugh.
A little too much comfort in someone else's presence.
Rylan.
I noticed it when he passed Ava a pencil during class. A pencil.
She smiled. He smiled back.
Too long.
I clenched my jaw before I even realized it.
I'm not proud of it — the way my stomach twisted, or the way my grip tightened on my own pen until it almost snapped.
I tried to focus. I really did.
But she was right next to me. Laughing softly. Whispering something back to Rylan when the teacher wasn't looking.
He leaned in.
I swear my heart hit the desk.
---
At lunch, I saw them again.
Chloe waved at me to join the table. Ava smiled when she saw me. My smile.
But Rylan was already there — sitting right across from her, elbows on the table, looking way too relaxed.
"You good, D?" Ezra whispered beside me.
He was sipping his iced tea like nothing was wrong.
"Fine," I muttered, not even convincing myself.
I sat beside Ava. She turned toward me.
"Hey," she said, soft like always.
I nodded, trying not to look like I was glaring at the entire table.
Trying not to look like a jealous idiot.
"You seem off today," she added.
"I'm fine," I said again. I wasn't.
Rylan reached for a napkin, his hand brushed hers.
That was it.
I leaned in closer to Ava — close enough to make a point.
"You're still coming to my place Friday, right?" I said, calmly. Smoothly. But loud enough.
Her cheeks flushed. "Y–Yeah. The sleepover thing, right?"
Rylan's expression shifted for half a second.
Good.
---
Later, Ezra and I were walking toward the art wing.
He nudged me. "You're acting territorial, man."
"I'm not," I snapped.
He raised a brow. "Sure. That's why you almost burned a hole through Rylan's hoodie with your death stare."
I sighed. "He's just… everywhere lately."
Ezra smirked. "Maybe he likes her."
I stopped walking.
He grinned wider. "Ooooh. There it is."
"She's not—" I paused. "I mean… I haven't said anything to her."
"But you feel it."
I didn't answer.
Because yeah.
I did feel it.
Every time she looked at me like I mattered.
Every time she laughed at something I said — the real kind of laugh, not the polite kind.
Every time she sat next to me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And the thought of Rylan trying to take that…
No.
I wasn't going to let that happen.
---