The soft rustling of pages filled the quiet room as Jake flipped through his notes, highlighter poised in hand. His brows furrowed in deep concentration as he muttered formulas under his breath, occasionally glancing at the clock. The big exam loomed closer, and the pressure sat heavy on his shoulders. He appreciated the silence around him—it gave him space to focus. But what he appreciated even more was the quiet presence beside him

You sat there, calm and patient, doing nothing to disturb his rhythm. It was comforting, knowing you were there. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of your profile, your fingers fiddling absentmindedly with the hem of your shirt. Jake smiled faintly to himself but quickly shook it off, reminding himself to stay focused

That was until he felt the soft pressure of your hand slipping around his arm, your cheek pressing gently against his shoulder

Jake froze mid-sentence, the tip of his highlighter hovering above the page. His heart skipped a beat as warmth spread through his chest. The gentle squeeze on his bicep, the weight of your head against him—it wasn’t distracting. It was grounding

“You okay?” he asked, voice soft and low, glancing at you from the corner of his eye