LOVE ME MORE

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:JEALOUSY

The announcement came through Ravenscroft Academy’s internal network at precisely ten that night.

ROUND TWO OF THE ACADEMIC CHAMPIONSHIP WILL COMMENCE IN FOUR WEEKS. PREPARATION SESSIONS TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH.

Kai read it twice.

Then immediately dropped his phone onto his pillow and let out a groan of pure relief.

A month.

An entire month before the next round.

No surprise deadlines.

No frantic all-night study marathons.

No Adrian hovering over his shoulder correcting his calculations in that annoyingly superior voice.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Kai could breathe.

And more importantly—

He could sleep.

The next day was an academy-wide recovery day following the preliminary round. No classes. No mandatory activities. Most students intended to spend it catching up on sleep, recovering from stress, or shamelessly gossiping about the latest competition drama.

Kai intended to do exactly one thing.

Nothing.

He woke briefly around nine that morning, saw sunlight leaking through the curtains of his dorm, and made the executive decision to roll over and return to unconsciousness.

This, he decided, was peak intelligence.

The academy could keep its expectations.

He was sleeping until further notice.

Somewhere in the haze between waking and dreaming, he vaguely registered his dorm door opening.

Then footsteps.

Then a familiar voice.

“If you’re dead, I’m stealing your blankets.”

Kai groaned into his pillow.

“Maya, go away.”

“Rude.”

The mattress dipped behind him.

A second later, Maya shoved his shoulder.

“Move.”

“No.”

“I’m tired.”

“So suffer elsewhere.”

She ignored him completely, climbing onto the bed and flopping down beside him with all the dramatic exhaustion of someone who’d survived a war rather than an academic competition.

Kai barely had the energy to protest.

Especially when she immediately stole half his blanket.

“You’re the worst,” he mumbled.

“And yet you love me.”

“Strongly tolerate.”

“Same thing.”

Within minutes, both of them drifted back into sleep.

The room fell quiet.

Sunlight warmed the floor.

And for the first time in days, Kai slept deeply.

---

When Kai woke again, it was nearly noon.

The room was still dim, the curtains mostly drawn.

Maya remained sprawled beside him, one arm thrown over his waist in the careless way of someone who had absolutely no respect for personal space.

Kai stared blankly at the ceiling.

His body felt heavy with delicious exhaustion.

For a moment, he considered staying exactly where he was.

Then someone knocked.

Three sharp, measured taps.

Kai frowned.

That knock was annoyingly precise.

His stomach gave a strange little flip.

Because he knew exactly who it was.

Maya groaned.

“If that’s another person asking about the confession page, tell them I’m dead.”

Kai shoved her arm off and climbed reluctantly out of bed.

Still half-asleep, hair a mess, wearing only loose sweatpants and an oversized academy shirt, he yanked the door open.

And there stood Adrian.

Kai froze.

Adrian looked considerably better than yesterday, though his shoulder was still carefully braced beneath his dark sweater.

His hair was neat as always.

His expression unreadable.

And in one hand, he held a folded note.

For a brief second, neither spoke.

Then Adrian’s gaze shifted past Kai.

Into the room.

Specifically, to the bed.

Where Maya was very obviously lying beneath Kai’s blankets.

Still half asleep.

One of Kai’s pillows tucked under her head.

The silence that followed was almost impressive.

Kai watched Adrian’s face carefully.

At first, there was nothing.

That same composed calm Adrian always wore.

Then something flickered.

A barely perceptible narrowing of his eyes.

A tiny tightening of his jaw.

Gone so quickly most people would’ve missed it.

But Kai noticed.

And suddenly realized—

Adrian looked jealous.

The thought hit him like a bucket of freezing water.

No.

Impossible.

Adrian Blackwood did not get jealous.

Especially not over something this stupid.

And yet—

Kai leaned casually against the doorframe.

“What?”

Adrian’s expression smoothed instantly.

“Nothing.”

Kai narrowed his eyes.

“You’re glaring at my bed.”

“I’m not.”

“You absolutely are.”

Adrian held out the folded note.

“Professor Hale asked me to deliver this.”

Kai took it automatically.

But his attention remained fixed on Adrian’s face.

“Why do you look like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like someone just personally offended your ancestors.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kai stared.

Then realization clicked fully into place.

And a slow, deeply entertained grin spread across his face.

“Oh my God.”

Adrian’s expression darkened.

“What?”

“You’re jealous.”

The words landed like a challenge.

For the first time, Adrian actually looked caught off guard.

“That’s absurd.”

Kai’s grin widened.

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You totally are.”

“I’m objectively not.”

Kai crossed his arms.

“Then why are you glaring at Maya like she committed treason?”

“I was observing.”

“With murder in your eyes?”

“She’s in your bed.”

The second the words left Adrian’s mouth, silence fell.

Because Adrian clearly realized what he’d just admitted.

Kai blinked.

Then raised both eyebrows.

Adrian’s expression went very still.

“I meant—”

“Oh, this is incredible.”

Kai was suddenly fully awake.

“You’re jealous because Maya is in my bed.”

Adrian’s face cooled instantly.

“You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re jealous.”

“I’m leaving.”

Kai reached out and grabbed his wrist before he could turn.

The contact startled both of them.

Adrian froze.

Kai’s fingers tightened slightly.

“Wait.”

Their eyes met.

And suddenly the teasing energy shifted into something sharper.

Charged.

Adrian looked down at Kai’s hand around his wrist.

Then back at his face.

“Let go.”

“Not until you admit it.”

“There’s nothing to admit.”

“Coward.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“Excuse me?”

Kai smirked.

“You heard me.”

Before Adrian could respond, a muffled groan came from the bed.

Maya sat up, squinting blearily at them.

“What are you two fighting about now?”

Kai didn’t look away from Adrian.

“He’s jealous.”

Maya blinked.

Then slowly turned toward Adrian.

And immediately burst into delighted laughter.

“Oh, this I have to hear.”

Adrian looked deeply unimpressed.

“There is nothing to hear.”

“Sure,” Maya said, climbing fully out of bed. “That’s why you’re standing there looking like Kai personally betrayed you.”

“I don’t look betrayed.”

“You absolutely do.”

Adrian exhaled sharply.

Kai’s grin turned insufferably smug.

And somehow, that made Adrian’s irritation spike.

Without warning, he stepped forward.

Kai barely had time to react before Adrian shoved him backward.

Not hard.

Just enough to send him stumbling onto the bed.

Kai yelped.

“What the hell—”

Adrian followed immediately, climbing onto the mattress to pin him down by the shoulders.

The move was clearly meant to shut him up.

Nothing more.

Except now they were suddenly very close.

Again.

Kai’s breath caught.

Adrian was hovering above him, expression dark with irritation.

Their faces inches apart.

Maya stared.

“…Seriously?”

Neither heard her.

Kai looked up, pulse hammering.

“You’re proving my point.”

Adrian leaned closer.

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Because this is very dramatic behavior for someone who isn’t jealous.”

Adrian opened his mouth.

Then stopped.

Because Kai was right.

And they both knew it.

The realization hung heavily between them.

Then, in a move neither fully thought through, Kai shifted.

Instead of pushing Adrian away—

He grabbed him.

And yanked.

Adrian let out a startled sound as he lost balance and fell sideways.

The next thing either of them knew, they were tangled together on the mattress.

Kai half-curled against Adrian’s side.

Adrian’s good arm instinctively wrapping around him to steady both of them.

The position was absurdly close.

Warm.

Comfortably intimate in a way neither had any right to find natural.

And somehow—

Neither moved.

Maya stared at them.

Then looked to the heavens as though asking for strength.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Kai, face burning, stubbornly stayed exactly where he was.

Adrian didn’t let go.

Their earlier argument dissolved into charged silence.

Kai could feel Adrian’s heartbeat.

Steady.

Warm.

Real.

Adrian’s hand rested lightly against his side.

Neither acknowledged it.

Neither dared.

Maya crossed her arms.

“So this is happening.”

Kai glared at her.

“Shut up.”

“You literally pushed me out of your spot.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did!”

Adrian, to Kai’s immense shock, spoke calmly.

“He did.”

Kai twisted to glare at him.

“Whose side are you on?”

Adrian’s lips curved faintly.

“My own.”

Maya looked between them.

Then groaned dramatically.

“This is disgusting.”

Kai rolled his eyes.

“No one asked you to watch.”

“Trust me, I’m traumatized enough already.”

She snatched her bag from the floor.

“You two are impossible.”

As she reached the door, she muttered loudly—

“Enjoy your weird emotionally constipated cuddle session.”

Then she stormed out.

The door slammed behind her.

Silence followed.

Kai and Adrian remained exactly as they were.

Still tangled together.

Still not moving.

Still very aware of each other.

Then—

A muffled curse sounded from the hallway.

Followed by a male voice.

“Ow—watch it.”

Maya’s annoyed voice snapped back instantly.

“Well maybe don’t stand directly outside doors like a creep, Ethan.”

Kai blinked.

Then glanced toward the door.

Adrian did the same.

There was a pause.

Then Ethan’s amused voice drifted through.

“…Why are you blushing?”

“Mind your business!”

Their footsteps retreated down the hall.

Kai snorted.

Adrian actually laughed.

A quiet, genuine sound that sent warmth curling through Kai’s chest.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Adrian looked down at him.

Kai looked up.

And suddenly, the teasing was gone.

The rivalry.

The banter.

The constant defenses.

All of it faded beneath the quiet weight of the moment.

Adrian’s voice came low.

“You should probably let go.”

Kai blinked.

Then realized his hand was still fisted in Adrian’s sweater.

His face burned hotter.

“Right.”

But neither moved.

Not immediately.

And that hesitation said far more than either of them was ready to understand.