CHAPTER 2 - Drama upon Drama

Ezra's POV

By the next morning, Ezra had almost convinced himself yesterday had not gotten to him.  

Almost.  

That belief vanished the instant he crossed the threshold of the front doors.  

"Speak of the devil," a student shouted near the display case.  

"Look out, everyone," another called out. "Monroe might entertain us again."  

Laughter erupted down the corridor. Ezra felt his stomach drop instantly. Word had spread everywhere. At Ashford Academy, rumors traveled faster than the school bell.  

He kept his head lowered while navigating the crowd, ignoring a shoulder bumping against his on purpose along with a snort following him toward his locker. Arriving at his destination, his whole morning felt completely ruined before eight fifteen.  

"Morning, Monroe."  

Ezra shut his eyes. That specific tone remained unmistakable.  

He turned around to find Jace leaning against the adjacent metal door, hair disheveled as though he had just awakened, looking infuriatingly composed after spending yesterday embarrassing him before half the student body.  

"What do you want?"  

Jace raised his eyebrows. "Wow."  

"What?"  

"Nothing. You seem irritable today."  

"You are incredible, you know that?"  

"I try." Jace offered a slow, intentional grin, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Go on, explain how incredible."  

"Leave."  

A genuine reaction flashed across his features briefly before his usual smirk returned. "Look at you. Developing confidence overnight."  

"Maybe you are becoming tiresome."  

A couple of nearby younger students gasped. Ezra ignored them. He watched Jace push away from the lockers and step forward, closing the distance until Ezra had to tilt his head to maintain eye contact, close enough to notice the scent of soap mixed with warmth that sent his pulse racing.  

"Careful," Jace murmured, lowering his voice below the hallway noise. "You are acting bold today."  

"I am acting exhausted."  

The phrase registered. Ezra observed the impact, watching Jace's jaw tighten while his eyes narrowed as if reevaluating the situation.  

"Exhausted from what?"  

"This." Ezra gestured between them abruptly. "The comments. The audience. The daily routine you perform as if my existence is entertainment for your group."  

The corridor grew quiet enough for Ezra to hear his own heartbeat.  

Jace lost his smirk entirely. "You are dramatic."  

"Right. Naturally." Ezra let out a brief, humorless laugh. "Foolish of me to assume three years of continuous behavior meant anything to you."  

For a single, suspended moment, silence fell between them, the atmosphere heavy with an unexpected tension. Jace shifted his focus briefly to Ezra's lips, causing Ezra's body to freeze while heat rose up his neck.  

Then the bell rang loudly, shattering the moment instantly.  

"Whatever," Jace said, backing away to create distance.  

Ezra grabbed his bag and departed without another word, refusing to look back or provide any satisfaction.  

He did not notice Jace remaining in place a full minute later, watching him leave with an expression no one at Ashford Academy had ever witnessed on his face.  

"Okay, what was that?" Mason appeared at Jace's side out of nowhere. "You are standing here looking strange."  

"I am fine."  

"You stared at him like..." Mason paused, observing his friend's expression until his own face shifted into confusion and shock. "Why do you target Monroe anyway? Seriously. Why?"  

Jace opened his mouth.  

No sound came out.  

The standard explanation used to be that it was funny, or because people laughed, or because he reacted.  

None of those reasons applied anymore, a realization that unnerved him.  

"Quiet down, Mason."  

"That is not an explanation."  

"It is the only one you are receiving."  

Ezra spent the remainder of the morning attempting to focus on other matters without success. During English class, Jace's tone echoed in his thoughts, sounding low, close, and far too attentive for an adversary.  

He caught himself watching Jace across the room, laughing easily with peers and appearing completely unbothered, which created a sour feeling in his stomach. It felt unfair that Jace could navigate his day effortlessly while Ezra analyzed every single interaction for hours afterward, searching for hidden meaning.  

Mr. Holloway clapped his hands to gain attention as the end of class approached. "Before leaving, remember the semester assignment. Partners. I have selected them."  

Groans spread through the classroom.  

Ezra barely had time to prepare before the announcement.  

"Ezra Monroe and Jace Ryland."  

The room reacted immediately. Someone cheered, while someone else gasped. Mason, three seats away, looked deeply bothered.  

Ezra turned, dread settling in his stomach, and found Jace staring directly back at him with no smirk or act for the crowd.  

It was just Jace, watching him with an unreadable expression alongside a slight curve at the corner of his mouth that made Ezra's heart beat faster in the middle of class.  

"Looks like we are paired together, Monroe," Jace said, keeping his voice quiet enough for only him to hear.  

Ezra felt his face warm up.  

This situation was going to create a major complication.