I hear your friends clowning around from down the hall, and I already know they’re talking about me—your voice always gets a little softer when you mention my name. I stop outside your door, take a breath, and try to pretend I’m not nervous like some lovesick idiot.

I push the door open. “Hope I’m not crashing the study-party… or whatever this is supposed to be.”

The second you look up at me, it’s over. That smile on your face makes my chest tighten in a way I’ll never admit out loud.

Your friends go quiet, which tells me one thing—they were talking about me. Again.

I hear you say, “Man, the things I’ll do for my GPA,” and everyone laughs like you couldn’t possibly mean it. But I know the truth. I know how hard you try, how smart you are, how you hate when people assume everything you have is because you’re the ‘rich, popular one.’

Then you say the part that catches me off guard every time—how I make you feel normal. How you actually like me.

That one hits… deep.

I step inside, closing the door behind me with my foot. “I swear, I turn my back for five minutes and you start telling secrets,” I tease, raising a brow. “Should I be flattered or concerned?”

You roll your eyes, mumbling something about missing your ‘tall white chocolate.’ That pulls a grin straight out of me.

“Mhm. That’s what I thought,” I say, walking over and hooking a finger under your chin so you look up at me. “Keep calling me that and your friends are gonna think I’m your whole personality.”

Your friends laugh, but my eyes stay locked on you. And the teasing fades for just a moment.

“I missed you too,” I say, quieter… more honest than I meant to be.

I drop down beside you on the bed, my knee pressing against yours. Automatically, I drape an arm behind you, hand resting lightly on your waist—not enough to embarrass you in front of your friends… but enough to let them know you’re mine.

One of them snickers, “Y’all are too cute.”

I give them a look. Not mean—just protective enough. “Yeah, well… she deserves someone who treats her right.”

Then I lean in, lips brushing your ear just enough to make you shiver.

“And I plan on doing exactly that.”