Chapter 10: Jealousy
1064 Words
The university's Cultural Festival was only two weeks away, and the entire campus buzzed with excitement. Colorful posters lined the hallways, student organizations competed to create the best booths, and everyone seemed eager to participate.
As the newly appointed coordinators of the charity fundraising booth, Midnight and Sabrina spent nearly every afternoon together.
Despite the rumors still circulating around campus, they continued working professionally. At least, that was what they told themselves.
---
Sabrina arrived at the Student Leadership Organization office carrying a folder and two iced coffees.
"Good afternoon," she greeted cheerfully.
Midnight looked up from his laptop.
"You're five minutes early."
She laughed.
"See? I'm improving."
"You are."
She placed one of the drinks on his desk.
"For you."
He looked at the cup before quietly saying, "Thank you."
Sabrina smiled.
"I knew you'd say that."
Midnight raised an eyebrow.
"You've become predictable."
"And you've become nicer."
"I haven't."
"You thanked me without complaining."
"..."
"I'll count that as progress."
A faint smile threatened to appear on Midnight's face, but he quickly hid it by returning to his paperwork.
---
The afternoon passed quickly as they planned the layout of their charity booth.
"We should have games for children," Sabrina suggested.
Midnight nodded.
"That will attract more participants."
"And maybe a photo wall."
"Good idea."
Sabrina blinked in surprise.
"You agreed with me."
"It was a reasonable suggestion."
She grinned.
"I'm writing this date down."
Before Midnight could answer, someone knocked on the office door.
"Come in," he said.
A tall, well-dressed student stepped inside. He wore the engineering department's varsity jacket and carried an easy, confident smile.
"Sorry to interrupt."
"It's fine," Midnight replied.
The student looked at Sabrina.
"Hi. You're Sabrina, right?"
She nodded politely.
"Yes."
"I'm Adrian Cruz, president of the Engineering Society."
He extended his hand.
"I've been meaning to introduce myself."
Sabrina smiled and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
Midnight watched the interaction silently.
Adrian continued, "I heard you're coordinating the charity booth. If you need extra volunteers, I'd love to help."
"That would be great," Sabrina answered.
"I'll send you the schedule later."
"Perfect."
Before leaving, Adrian smiled once more.
"I'll see you around, Sabrina."
As the door closed, silence filled the office.
Sabrina returned to her notes without noticing Midnight's expression.
For some reason, his mood had suddenly changed.
---
Later that day, Sabrina and Chloe walked toward the cafeteria.
"So..." Chloe began with a teasing smile.
"So what?"
"Who was the handsome engineering president?"
Sabrina laughed.
"His name is Adrian."
"He's cute."
"I guess."
"And he was definitely flirting with you."
Sabrina nearly choked on her drink.
"What?"
"Don't act innocent."
"He was just being friendly."
"Mhm."
"He was."
"If you say so."
Sabrina rolled her eyes.
"You're impossible."
---
Meanwhile, Midnight was organizing event schedules when one of his officers entered.
"President."
"What is it?"
"I heard Adrian Cruz volunteered for the charity booth."
"Yes."
"He usually doesn't volunteer unless someone catches his attention."
Midnight paused.
"What do you mean?"
The officer shrugged.
"He has a reputation for asking out girls he likes."
Silence.
Midnight slowly looked back at the schedule on his desk.
"...I see."
The officer smiled awkwardly before leaving.
For reasons he couldn't explain, those words stayed in his mind.
---
The next afternoon, the volunteers gathered to prepare decorations.
Adrian arrived carrying several boxes.
"Need a hand?" he asked Sabrina.
"Thanks!"
Together they began arranging banners and tables.
They laughed while discussing ideas for the booth.
Across the room, Midnight watched quietly as he reviewed inventory.
One of the volunteers whispered to another.
"They look good together."
"They do."
"They'd make a cute couple."
Midnight accidentally snapped the pencil in his hand.
Everyone nearby turned toward him.
"...Sorry," he said calmly.
But inside, nothing felt calm.
Why did those comments bother him?
Why did seeing Sabrina laugh with Adrian make his chest feel so heavy?
He had no answer.
---
As the afternoon continued, Sabrina struggled to hang a banner above the entrance.
"It's too high," she sighed.
Before Midnight could step forward, Adrian climbed onto the ladder.
"I've got it."
"Thanks!"
A few minutes later, the banner was perfectly in place.
Sabrina clapped happily.
"It looks amazing!"
Adrian smiled.
"Anything for a friend."
Midnight quietly turned away and continued checking supplies.
He told himself it didn't matter.
Yet he couldn't stop glancing in their direction.
---
When the day's work finally ended, students began leaving campus.
Sabrina packed her bag.
"I'm heading home."
Adrian walked beside her.
"I'll walk you to the gate."
"Oh, you don't have to."
"I don't mind."
She smiled politely.
"If you're sure."
Together they walked across the campus courtyard.
From the office window, Midnight happened to look outside.
He watched Adrian and Sabrina talking and laughing as they disappeared through the university gate.
Something inside him tightened.
He closed the blinds and returned to his desk.
But the paperwork in front of him no longer held his attention.
---
The following morning, Chloe noticed Midnight sitting alone beneath the large acacia tree.
She walked over and sat beside him.
"You look troubled."
"I'm fine."
"You've said that before."
He remained silent.
Chloe smiled knowingly.
"Is this about Sabrina?"
Midnight looked at her.
"What about her?"
"You've been watching her a lot lately."
"I observe everyone."
"Not like that."
He frowned.
"I don't understand."
Chloe stood and dusted off her uniform.
"You will."
Before walking away, she added one final sentence.
"Sometimes the hardest person to understand is yourself."
---
That evening, Midnight stayed in his office long after everyone had gone home.
The campus was quiet.
Only the sound of the wind could be heard through the open window.
His eyes drifted toward the empty chair where Sabrina usually sat during their planning meetings.
For the first time in years, he couldn't focus on work.
Instead, he kept replaying the image of Sabrina smiling at Adrian.
He didn't like it.
Not one bit.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
"Why does it bother me?" he whispered.
There was only one answer.
One answer he wasn't ready to accept.
Jealousy.
The emotion he had always believed was meaningless had quietly found its way into his heart.
And with it came a realization that frightened him more than anything else.
He was beginning to fall in love with Sabrina.
- Writer
