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Chapter 49 - Tuesday to Thursday: Study Roulette

Tuesday Morning – Study Countdown Begins

Mr. Brooks walked in late, holding a steaming mug and a folder labelled "Emergency Cramming Rituals."

He stared at the class over his sunglasses.

"Good morning, soon-to-be academic casualties."

Noah: "You wound us."

Brooks: "I'm about to wound your GPA if you don't get serious."

He dropped a stack of worksheets on his desk.

"Three days. Use them wisely. I'll be checking in. And no, Jay, you can't charm your way into an A."

Tyler: "He already did that last time."

Emma: "He only got an A because I forced him to study."

Sofia: "I bet he'd do better if I studied on top of him."

Half the class gasped.

The other half high-fived.

Amaya choked on her water bottle.

 

Jay's Mind – Still Stealing Time

Everyone was gearing up for midterms like it was a final boss fight.

But all I could think about was the invisible timer ticking behind my thoughts.

One week left.

One week of this life.

One week before I might never walk through this building again.

So, I gave them my time.

All of them.

 

TUESDAY – Emma's Territory

Emma cornered me after class with a planner and a serious expression.

"Library. Fifth period. No escape."

She wasn't joking.

She'd reserved a private table, opened two textbooks, and began with—

"I refuse to let you score lower than me. That would be unacceptable."

"I'm flattered you care so deeply."

"Don't be. It's statistical pride."

But even as she said that, she stole glances.

Corrected my grammar softly. Brushed her fingers against mine reaching for the same pen.

When we packed up, she hesitated.

"Jay…"

I turned.

"…You're really good at pretending you're fine," she said.

Then walked off before I could answer.

TUESDAY – Noah & Miles Show

After lunch, I sat in the back corner with Noah and Miles—both clearly operating under different definitions of "study."

Miles had color-coded flashcards. Noah had a coloring book.

"So," Noah said, "how does it feel to be Class 1-A's emotional compass?"

"What?"

Miles smirked. "Everyone orbits around you, you know."

"I'm not a planet."

"You're more like the sun," Noah added. "Pretty. Kind of dangerous. And probably gonna explode."

I laughed.

Then realized they weren't wrong.

TUESDAY – Evening: Amaya's Calm Corner

We studied at her house.

The desk lamp was soft. Her tea was sweet.

She didn't push me with questions or notes.

Just sat there, occasionally tapping her pen or brushing her bangs back.

"I like this," she said quietly.

"This?"

"You. Here. Normal."

She didn't know those words hit like a knife.

But I smiled anyway.

"Me too."

WEDNESDAY – Sofia's Trap

She ambushed me in the stairwell after second period.

"Jay," she whispered. "Come with me if you want to pass."

I followed her to the unused Music Room.

Candles. Pillows. A full spread of snacks.

"This isn't studying," I said.

"This is inspiration."

Sofia sat way too close. Her shoulder touched mine. Her legs crossed toward me. Her hand brushed mine—again and again.

And the way she read her history notes aloud…

Let's just say she turned Napoleon's downfall into something very sensual.

I didn't kiss her.

But I didn't move away, either.

And when she whispered, "You're not resisting me like before," I had no Défense.

Just heat in my face.

And confusion in my chest.

WEDNESDAY – Luna's Library Hideout

Luna didn't ask.

She just left a post it on my locker:

"3rd Floor. 4:10 PM. Bring your brain."

I showed up. Of course.

She was already sketching something.

I sat beside her. She handed me a note:

"Don't talk. Just work."

So, we did.

For nearly an hour.

Then—quietly—she handed me the drawing.

It was all of us.

A moment from the school trip.

And right in the middle: me.

With every girl's shadow stretching toward me.

Some hands open.

Some curled.

Some uncertain.

I looked at her.

She said nothing.

But smiled.

THURSDAY – Miles Gets Real

He caught me on the roof.

"What's your plan, Markov?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Plan?"

"You can't keep walking the line forever. Eventually, you'll have to decide who matters most."

I sighed. "What if I can't?"

He shrugged.

"Then you better get good at saying goodbye."

THURSDAY NIGHT – Exhausted

My brain was fried.

But I felt alive.

Each girl left something with me—words, smiles, pressure I couldn't ignore.

They didn't say it.

But I felt it.

They were waiting for me.

And I was running out of time.

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