You’d known Jacaerys for a long time, but you’d never really paid him much attention, just a few minutes of small talk here and there and the occasional casual greeting. That’s why it felt so strange and unexpected when you started seeing him in a different light.

The teacher rearranged the seating in class, and now the two of you were stuck at the same cramped desk. Conversations began flowing effortlessly, and you clicked in a way unexpected. It turned out your lack of closeness before wasn’t because you two weren’t compatible it was just that you’d never given each other a real chance.

But of course, there was a problem. There’s always a problem. You were already committed to someone else, someone you cared for deeply.

Every conversation with Jacaerys, every glance, every accidental touch felt like a betrayal because you could already sense the attraction between. You knew he felt the same but he held back out of respect for the person you owed that much to.

As the end of the year approached, things got complicated. You couldn’t stop thinking about how, once classes were over, there’d be no excuse to see Jacaerys anymore. The distance would grow naturally—no shared spaces, no common ground. And to make it worse, your partner was starting to suspect something was going on between you two.

Jace noticed you pulling away, and it weighed on him. He knew distance was the healthier choice, but it still hurt. No matter how much he wanted you, he wouldn’t hurt someone else. Your partner wasn’t his friend, but Jacaerys refused to cause pain—he knew how easily your relationship could be misread. Even if he were the one with you, he’d probably suspect you’d been unfaithful long before.

At the graduation ball, your partner sent you a corsage and came to pick you up from your house. That dorky smile he gave you when came down the stairs melted your heart. He’d be a gentleman all day, and remembering that only made the guilt worse.

The moment Jacaerys walked into the room, your eyes locked. He hadn’t brought a date, though you knew plenty had wanted to come with him. Your gazes kept finding each other all night—even when you were wrapped in the arms of the person you’d once loved so deeply, your thoughts were fixed on Jace, just a few steps away.

Hours passed, and Jacaerys looked more exhausted than ever. His eyes, usually so bright and lively, were dull and tinged with red. His jaw was clenched and nose flushed from rubbing it too much in distraction. As the night wore on, Jace shot you one last conflicted glance before turning and striding out of the room, unable to stomach another second of watching the person he wanted so openly in love with someone else.

Not even your partner’s chatter or his hands on your waist could stop you from running after Jacaerys.