Worth the Fall

Chapter 22

He started walking toward the building like carrying my backpack through school was the most natural thing in the world.

I had no choice but to follow.

Which felt less like walking beside him and more like willingly entering a social death trap.

“You are loving this,” I muttered.

He looked over at me, fake-offended.

“Loving what?”

“The attention.”

He smiled slowly.

Then said, low enough that only I could hear:

“No. I’m loving you walking next to me.”

And just like that—

I forgot every single word in the English language.

That was not a thing he was allowed to say before eight in the morning.

That was a nighttime sentence.

A dangerous sentence.

A sentence designed to make me walk into traffic.

I looked away immediately, pretending the front doors had suddenly become the most fascinating architectural feature on Earth.

“You’re ridiculous,” I muttered.

He opened the door for me.

“You still came.”

God.

He was exhausting.

If I thought entering campus with Landon was bad, lunch was worse.

Because now everyone knew.

Not officially.

Not with labels.

But in the way high school always knows things before the people involved even say them out loud.

By third period, I had already caught:

two girls whispering in the bathroom

one guy openly staring in chemistry

and Alexis raising both eyebrows at me the second I sat down in English

She waited exactly four seconds before leaning across the desk.

“So,” she whispered.

I sighed.

“So what?”

She grinned.

“So… are you and Landon Baxter a thing now?”

“No.”

That answer came way too fast.

Her smile widened.

“That sounded suspicious.”

“It was honest.”

“It was panicked.”

I looked down at my notebook and uncapped my pen with far more aggression than necessary.

“We’ve gone on two dates.”

Alexis gasped.

“Two?”

I glared at her.

“Keep your voice down.”

She leaned closer, visibly thrilled.

“Nessa James, you little liar.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You omitted.”

“That is not the same thing.”

“It is to teenage girls.”

I hated that she had a point.

Before I could defend myself any further, the classroom door opened.

And in walked Landon.

Late.

Of course.

Mr. Carter barely looked up from his attendance sheet.

“Nice of you to join us, Baxter.”

Landon gave him a lazy nod and made his way toward the back row—

then stopped beside my desk.

Actually stopped.

In front of everyone.

I looked up slowly, already suspicious.

He held out a coffee.

Not just any coffee.

My coffee.

The exact sugary caramel monstrosity he had mocked me for ordering on Saturday.

The whole room went silent.

And I swear I could physically feel every girl in this class preparing to hate me.

I stared at the cup.

Then at him.

Then back at the cup.

“What is this?” I whispered.

He looked confused.

“Coffee.”

“I know it’s coffee.”

“Then I’m not sure where the misunderstanding is.”

A few people around us laughed.

Which made it worse.

So much worse.

My face was actively on fire.

“You brought me coffee?”

His expression didn’t change.

Like this was normal.

Like this was casual.

Like he had not just emotionally detonated my entire social standing before nine-thirty.

“You looked tired.”

That one landed harder than it should have.

Because he had noticed.

Of course he had noticed.

And the worst part was—

that was somehow sweeter than if he’d done something huge.

Big gestures were one thing.

But being observed?

That was different.

That was dangerous.

I took the coffee slowly.

“Thank you.”

His mouth tilted.

“You’re welcome, pretty girl.”

Alexis made a noise beside me that sounded suspiciously like choking.

I kicked her chair.

Hard.

Landon smirked and headed to his seat like he had not just ruined my emotional stability before first lunch.

I hated him.

I absolutely did not hate him.

And that was becoming a serious issue.

(Chapter Theme Song: Fallingforyou by The 1975)