Felix's POV
The revelation that Jake Evans was "old family friends" with Elisa's relatives had been simmering in my gut for days. It wasn't just an accidental hit, or a random cafeteria approach. It was a calculated maneuver, a legitimate in for him to worm his way deeper into her life. He wasn't just a nuisance; he was a strategic threat, operating on a level I recognized from my own family's machinations. And my usual detached irritation had morphed into something sharper, more volatile.
I saw Elisa walking alone across the quad after her last class, her head down, lost in thought. This was my chance. I lengthened my stride, intercepting her path.
"Elisa." My voice was clipped, tighter than I intended.
She looked up, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. She must have sensed the shift in my demeanor. "Felix? Is everything alright?"
"No, it's not," I stated, my gaze boring into hers. "It's about Jake Evans. He's everywhere, Elisa. First the court, then the cafeteria, now he's apparently 'family friends' with your relatives, conveniently showing up at your family gatherings." I saw her flinch slightly at the last part, confirming my suspicions. My frustration boiled over. "What's his game, Elisa? And why are you letting him hang around like that?" The accusation in my tone wasn't aimed at her loyalty, but at her perceived passivity, at the situation she seemed unable to control.
Her eyebrows furrowed, a flicker of exasperation crossing her face, quickly followed by understanding. She probably knew exactly what kind of annoyance was festering in me.
"My game?" she retorted, her voice sharp, a hint of her usual fire. "Felix, he's a pain. I don't 'let' him hang around. He just... shows up. And the family connection is something I just found out about too, believe me, it was as much of a surprise to me as it probably is to you!" She ran a hand through her hair, her frustration evident. "I told him no at the gallery. I told him no at the cafeteria. He's persistent, I'll give him that, but that's all it is. Persistence."
She took a step closer, her gaze meeting mine directly, unwavering. "There is nothing going on between us, Felix. Zero. He's just... Jake. And he's annoying. I don't like him like that. And I certainly don't encourage him." Her words were clear, unequivocal.
The tension in my chest, which had been tightening into a suffocating knot, suddenly eased. Her directness, her immediate, genuine frustration with Jake, the subtle emphasis in her voice – it immediately defused the volatile annoyance that had been building. She wasn't leading him on. She wasn't secretly interested. She was just as annoyed by his presence as I was, if not more so.
"He's just annoying," I repeated, a low, almost reluctant chuckle escaping me. The thought of him as a "strategic threat" suddenly felt… overly dramatic, in the face of her blunt dismissal. The possessive surge of anger faded, replaced by a quiet relief, a rare, uncharacteristic sense of reassurance. I had overreacted, but her immediate clarity had straightened everything out.
Elisa's POV
Felix's presence was like a sudden drop in temperature. I saw him approaching, his jaw tight, his eyes narrowed, and knew instantly something was wrong. His usual calm facade was cracked, revealing an intensity that was almost alarming.
"Elisa." His voice was clipped, and for a terrifying second, I wondered if he'd found out about my attempt to talk to his parents.
"Felix? Is everything alright?" I asked, my heart doing a little anxious flutter.
"No, it's not," he stated, his gaze burning into me. "It's about Jake Evans. He's everywhere, Elisa. First the court, then the cafeteria, now he's apparently 'family friends' with your relatives, conveniently showing up at your family gatherings." His words came out in a rush, laced with an irritation that was almost palpable. "What's his game, Elisa? And why are you letting him hang around like that?"
My blood pressure spiked. Letting him hang around? The unfairness of the accusation momentarily stunned me. But then, I saw the possessiveness in his eyes, the underlying frustration that had clearly been festering, and I understood. He wasn't suspecting me of anything malicious, but he was definitely suspicious of Jake, and annoyed that Jake was infringing on… whatever this thing was between us.
"My game?" I retorted, my own frustration rising. "Felix, he's a pain. I don't 'let' him hang around. He just... shows up. And the family connection is something I just found out about too, believe me, it was as much of a surprise to me as it probably is to you!" I gestured wildly, exasperated. "I told him no at the gallery. I told him no at the cafeteria. He's persistent, I'll give him that, but that's all it is. Persistence."
I took a deliberate step closer, meeting his intense gaze head-on. This wasn't about being defensive; this was about absolute clarity. "There is nothing going on between us, Felix. Zero. He's just... Jake. And he's annoying. I don't like him like that. And I certainly don't encourage him." My voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt.
His tense shoulders seemed to relax a fraction, the sharp edge in his eyes softening almost imperceptibly. He looked at me, then away, then back, a strange, quiet expression on his face. "He's just annoying," he murmured, almost to himself, a hint of something like relief in his tone. The tension between us, thick moments before, dissipated almost instantly. My immediate, honest rejection of Jake seemed to hit him, and whatever "suspicion" he harbored, it wasn't about me. It was about him. And in that moment, I realized just how much my words mattered to him.