The campus buzzed with a tension that hung heavy in the air. Everywhere Eli turned, students were hunched over their books, highlighters bleeding bright streaks across pages like battle scars. The library was so packed that students spilled into hallways, sitting cross-legged on the floor with flashcards spread around them. Even the cafeteria—usually alive with chatter and clattering trays—had settled into a muted rhythm of quiet review and stress-fueled chewing.
Eli sat at one of the long tables, notes spread neatly in front of him, pen in hand. But his mind wasn't entirely on the formulas and essay outlines. No matter how many times he underlined a phrase or rewrote a definition, Kai's words slipped back into his thoughts.
"I like you. I've liked you for a long time."
The memory wrapped around him like a whisper he couldn't escape. His chest tightened every time it replayed, his pulse quickening with a mixture of disbelief and something dangerously close to hope. He needed to focus—finals weren't something he could stumble on—but Kai's voice drowned out the equations in front of him.
"Eli."
A tap on his shoulder made him jolt. Mina leaned over, brow furrowed. "You've been staring at that same page for twenty minutes."
"I—uh…" Eli scratched at his cheek, forcing a laugh that sounded more nervous than casual. "Just reviewing carefully."
Mina raised an eyebrow. "More like spacing out carefully." She studied him for a moment longer, then sighed. "Fine, but don't fry your brain before the test even starts."
Eli nodded quickly, though his eyes betrayed him, flicking across the table.
Kai sat there, flipping through his notes with quiet ease, pen twirling slowly between his fingers. His expression was calm, composed—like finals were just another routine task. When their eyes met, Kai's lips curved into the faintest smile. Soft. Knowing.
Eli's pulse stumbled. He ducked his head at once, scribbling nonsense in his notebook just to look busy.
The week crawled on. Each day, exams drained them of energy, wringing out every last drop of focus they had. The group chat turned into a chaotic mix of complaints, memes, and half-asleep encouragements typed at two in the morning. Even Jace, who normally bounced off the walls, had transformed into a ghost by the third day.
"If I survive this week," he groaned dramatically, sprawled over his desk, "I'm treating myself to a week-long nap. Don't wake me up. Just bury me under my blankets."
The class laughed weakly, too tired to tease.
Kai, as always, looked composed. But Eli noticed the details—the faint smudges of dark circles under his eyes, the way he pressed his thumb into his brow when he thought no one was watching. Even so, there was a steadiness in him that never wavered, a quiet anchor in the storm of exams. And for Eli, that presence alone was enough to keep him from unraveling completely.
By the time the final exam papers were collected on Friday afternoon, the tension finally cracked. A collective sigh filled the classroom, followed by cheers, groans, and a few dramatic collapses over desks. Someone threw their pen into the air like a victory flag.
Eli leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply as relief washed over him. A weight slid off his shoulders—but not all of it. Another weight still pressed inside him, one that no exam could erase.
I like you.
The words hadn't left him all week.
As they filed out of the classroom, Mina stretched her arms with a groan. "We should celebrate. Nothing fancy—just something small. We survived this nightmare, after all."
"Food," Jace said instantly, face lighting up. "Greasy, unhealthy food. That's all I want."
The others chimed in with excited suggestions, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Eli trailed after them quietly, a faint smile tugging at his lips at their chatter.
But when Kai fell into step beside him, everything else blurred into background noise. Their shoulders brushed lightly, Kai's presence warm and steady. Eli's heart betrayed him again, rushing with heat he couldn't ignore.
Finals were over. The long nights of studying, the weight of exams—they were behind them now.
But as Eli glanced at Kai, remembering his words, he knew something else was waiting. Something bigger. Something he wasn't sure he was ready for… but couldn't stop himself from wanting.