Jace's POV
I stood in front of the mirror in my dorm room, pulling a fresh hoodie over my head. My mind kept drifting back to that walk with Ariana. The way her laugh had slipped out when I told that stupid protein bar story. It wasn’t loud or fake. It was real and it made something warm settle in my chest. I smiled at my reflection like an i***t.
“Get it together, man,” I muttered, grabbing my duffel bag.
I sat on the edge of the bed for a second, replaying how easy the conversation had felt. She wasn’t just playing along anymore. Neither was I.
The door swung open and Mike walked in, already dressed for the trip with his bag slung over his shoulder. “Hey dude, aren’t we going? The guys are waiting in the parking lot.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said, standing up. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”
