Chapter 12 – Close Enough to Touch

POV: Elena

By Thursday morning, I had become campus property.

That was the only explanation for the number of people who suddenly seemed invested in my life. Everywhere I went, someone was staring. Some students looked curious, others judgemental, and a few openly jealous. The worst ones were the people who smiled politely when I was nearby and immediately started whispering the moment they thought I was out of earshot.

The attention followed me from one class to another. By the time I reached my literature lecture, my phone had already accumulated several messages from people I barely knew asking if the engagement was real. Apparently, becoming Jace Calloway's fiancée had transformed me into a public discussion topic overnight.

I ignored every message.

Unfortunately, the internet wasn't interested in being ignored. A notification from one of the campus gossip pages appeared at the top of my screen while I waited for class to begin.

HALDEN'S GOLDEN BOY FINALLY OFF THE MARKET?

I immediately locked my phone.

Nothing good had ever come from reading comment sections, and I wasn't about to start now.

"Smart choice."

I looked up to find Lila Monroe sliding into the empty seat beside me. She was one of the few people on campus who seemed completely immune to intimidation. Confident, sharp-tongued, and permanently attached to her phone, Lila ran one of the university's most popular student blogs. Unfortunately, that also meant she knew everybody's business.

Including mine.

"What do you want?" I asked. A grin spread across her face. "Straight to the point. I like that." I sighed. "Seriously." "Relax. I'm not here as a blogger." The statement was so unbelievable that I didn't even bother hiding my scepticism. Lila noticed immediately. “Okay, fine,” she admitted. “Maybe I was a little curious.” “A little?” "Fine.” “A lot.” Despite myself, I laughed.

For the first time all morning, the knot in my stomach loosened slightly.

Before either of us could continue the conversation, the professor entered the room and the lecture began. For the next hour, I managed to lose myself in coursework and discussion. It was a welcome break from the endless gossip surrounding my engagement, and by the time class ended, I almost felt normal again. The feeling lasted less than thirty seconds.

My phone vibrated the moment I stepped into the hallway.

Jace: Meet me outside.

I stared at the message.

Why?

The response arrived almost immediately.

Because we're engaged.

I rolled my eyes.

That's not an answer.

Five minutes.

The frustrating part was that he somehow managed to sound arrogant even through text messages.

I should have ignored him. Instead, I found myself heading toward the front entrance of the humanities building. When I stepped outside, I spotted him leaning against a brick wall with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. Several girls were lingering nearby, pretending not to stare, but it was clear that they were very obviously watching.

The second he noticed me, he pushed away from the wall. "We have somewhere to be." Suspicion immediately settled in my chest. "Where?" "Lunch.” I blinked.

"Lunch?" His expression remained perfectly serious. "That's usually what people eat in the middle of the day." "I know what lunch is." "Good. Then we're making progress." I shook my head and followed him toward the student union, silently reminding myself that prison sentences eventually ended.

Unfortunately, walking into the cafeteria with Jace felt a lot like stepping onto a stage. Heads turned almost immediately. Conversations lowered. Phones appeared from pockets and bags with alarming speed. The attention was so immediate and overwhelming that my pace slowed without me realising it.

Jace noticed.

His hand settled briefly against the small of my back as he guided me through the crowd. The touch lasted only a moment before he seemed to remember himself and immediately pulled away.

"Sorry." The apology surprised me enough that I forgot to respond. For a second, I simply stared at him.

Then I remembered the rules we'd established after Richard's lecture about public appearances. One of those rules had been about physical contact, and despite everything else, Jace had actually respected it. The realisation lingered in my mind as we joined the cafeteria line.

Students greeted Jace as we passed. Others stared openly at me. One girl looked me up and down before turning away with obvious disappointment, as though she couldn't understand how I had somehow beaten every other woman on campus to the finish line.

"You look annoyed." I glanced at Jace. "What gave it away?" His mouth twitched. "The glare." "I wasn't glaring." "You absolutely were."

I considered arguing before deciding it wasn't worth the effort.

"Maybe she shouldn't look at me like I ruined her life." To my annoyance, Jace laughed.

The sound caught me off guard because it wasn't the arrogant laugh he used when he was mocking someone. It was genuine. For a brief moment, he looked less like Halden University's golden boy and more like an ordinary college student enjoying a conversation.

The thought unsettled me. It was much easier to hate Jace when he acted like a jerk.