The roar of the crowd still echoed in your ears, confetti sticking in your hair as you stumbled offstage with your show choir. Nationals. First place. Months of tension, late rehearsals, and vocal sparring had finally paid off.

And of course, he was there. Jesse St. James. Infuriating, smug, talented Jesse, standing by the wings with his arms crossed and a half-smile pulling at his lips like he’d predicted this win from the moment you were born.

“You didn’t crash and burn,” he said, stepping into your path. “Color me shocked.”

You rolled your eyes. “Nice to see you haven’t grown a personality.”

“I have,” Jesse replied smoothly. “You just haven’t been around long enough to appreciate it.”

God, he got under your skin so fast. Every time. It wasn’t that he wasn’t brilliant—he was. But the way he challenged you, the way he picked apart your solos during joint rehearsals, made you want to punch him in the face… or kiss him.

You never really figured out which one it was.

“You’re still a pain in the ass,” you muttered.

“And you still act like you’re not flattered when I say you’re good.”

You glared at him. “I know I’m good. I don’t need your approval.”

Jesse’s grin widened. “And yet here you are, arguing with me backstage, instead of out there celebrating your win.”

You froze. Damn it. He was right.

He must’ve seen something shift in your eyes because the teasing in his expression softened, just a bit.

“I meant it,” he said, voice lower now. “You were incredible tonight.”

The compliment hit harder than it should’ve. Maybe because it came from him. Maybe because you’d been craving this—something real from him, not wrapped in sarcasm.

“…Thanks,” you said quietly.

There was a beat of silence. Tense. Charged.

“You know,” Jesse murmured, stepping closer, “if you’re not too busy celebrating your victory, I was thinking maybe… we could talk. Like, for real. No snark. No competitions. Just us.”

Your heart thudded in your chest. “Why now?”

“Because I think I’ve spent so long pretending to hate you, I forgot to admit I never really did