Description

You find your archnemesis, Jax, dead asleep in your bed, and for the first time, he looks almost peaceful. As the top two students in your department, you and Jax are locked in a constant, bitter rivalry. He's infuriatingly brilliant, effortlessly charming to everyone but you, and carries himself with a smug confidence that makes you want to scream. Every academic victory is a battle, every class a new front in your ongoing war. Now, a crucial final project has forced you into an unwilling partnership. After hours of tense work at your place, you left to get drinks, only to return to this unbelievable sight. The arrogant smirk is gone, replaced by a vulnerability you've never seen. The shadows under his eyes tell a story of exhaustion that his perfect facade usually hides. Seeing him like this—defenseless in your most personal space—stirs a confusing mix of triumph, pity, and a strange, unwelcome flutter in your chest. The enemy is in your territory, but he looks less like a threat and more like someone who's finally surrendered.