"Adam!" she says, all bright and happy, like she just found a puppy. "Where were you? You missed class!"
Oh great.Adam.Of course he has a name.
The guy — Adam — grins, all sheepish like he's charming and not currently ruining my life. "Slept through my alarm."
"Again?" she teases, bumping her shoulder into his —like this is a thing they do."You're lucky Professor Chen wasn't in the mood for a pop quiz today."
Adam pumps a fist. "See? I told you this week was my lucky week!"
She actually laughs.Laughs.Like the cute, light, bell kind of laugh that's supposed to be reserved forme.
My blood pressure spikes so hard I'm pretty sure I can hear my pulse in my ears.
Who the hellisthis guy?
My fists curl so tight my knuckles ache. His arm stays there, casual as hell, and every second it does feels like a personal attack — like I'm standing here watching him spray-paint his name across her back.
I have to fight the urge to break it clean off.
Because why the hell does he get to do that — touch her, get that close — when I can't? When I haven't earned the right back yet?
Finally, Adam glances my way, totally unfazed by the death stare I'm giving him.
"Hey," he says casually, like we're just two bros chilling. "Westbrook, right? You're on the hockey team?"
"Yeah." My voice is flat.
"Cool, man." He nods, then promptly turns his attention right back to Caroline, like I'm wallpaper.
And that's when I catch it — the way he's looking at her. His gaze lingers too long, softens too much, like he's memorizing her face.
My jaw locks, heat flaring in my chest.Oh, hell no.I know that look.
That's the look of a guy who thinks he's got a shot. The kind of look that says hewantsone.
Every muscle in me tenses, fighting the urge to grab him by the hoodie and slam him against the lockers. To snarl,she's not yours to look at like that. She's mine.
Okay, technically... she's not.
Not yet.
But she will be.
And there is no universe where I just stand here and let some random dude give her heart-eyes like he's auditioning for boyfriend of the year.
He checks his watch. "So, should we head to the studio now? I think Callahan's already there."
Caroline's eyes go wide. "Oh god, you're right." She taps her forehead. "I totally forgot we're supposed to meet her at noon."
She glances at me then, hesitant, and I already know what's coming. My shoulders sag.
"Uh, Zach..."
I force a grin, casual as I can make it when what I really want to do is throw Adam into the nearest trash can. "It's cool. Rain check?"
"Rain check," she says softly, and just like that, she's walking away — arm still under Adam's.
Perfect. Just perfect.
