The Rules

Jace's POV

I barely slept after Ariana called last night. Her voice kept echoing in my head; quiet, a little shaky, but clear when she finally said “Let’s do it.” I lay there staring at the ceiling for hours, surprised she actually agreed. Part of me felt relieved, like maybe this mess with Maya and my dad could finally quiet down. The rest of me felt like shit for dragging her into it.

Morning hit too fast. I stood in front of the small mirror in our dorm room, pulling a clean black hoodie over my head. My shoulder throbbed when I raised my arm, but I ignored it. Mike leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me with that steady look he always had.

“So she really said yes?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

I ran my hand through my hair, messing it up. “Yeah, late last night. She sounded like she was forcing the words out, but she said it.”

Mike pushed off the frame and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “You sure about this, Jace? She doesn’t seem like the type who plays games.”

I grabbed my keys from the desk and turned them over in my hand a few times. “I’m not sure about anything anymore but after Maya’s posts and Dad breathing down my neck… this could make things easier. At least for a while.”

Mike clapped a hand on my good shoulder, careful not to press too hard. “Just don’t treat her like a fix. She’s not Maya and don’t mess this up before it even starts.”

“I won’t,” I muttered, but the guilt sat heavy in my stomach as I headed out the door.

The campus café was mostly empty in the back corner like we’d agreed. I got there first, picked a table tucked away from the windows, and ordered two coffees while I waited. My leg bounced under the table. I pressed my heel into the floor to stop it. When Ariana walked in, my chest tightened. She looked the same as the last time; simple sweater, hair tied back, that guarded expression that made it hard to read her.

She spotted me and walked over, shoulders straight but her steps a little hesitant. She sat down across from me and folded her hands on her lap.

“Hey,” I said, sliding one coffee toward her. “Thanks for coming.”

She nodded, wrapping her fingers around the cup but not drinking. “Yeah. So… we’re really doing this?”

I leaned forward slightly, elbows on the table. “If you still want to. I meant what I said last night. We can set rules, make it clear what this is and what it isn’t.”

Ariana stared at her coffee for a long moment. Her fingers tightened around the cup. “Okay, rules. Let’s hear them.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the heat there. “Three months max. Public only. We show up together at games, maybe a couple campus events. Take a few pictures and act like we’re together when people are watching. But private stuff stays private. No late nights, no hanging out alone, nothing that blurs the lines.”

She looked up at me, her expressive eyes careful. “And when it ends? How do we do that without it blowing up?”

“We say it ran its course. You know, keep it clean. No drama.” I watched her face, trying to read what she was thinking. “You get team access for your journalism stuff. Interviews, locker room entry when it makes sense, whatever helps your portfolio. I get the rumors to die down.”

Ariana leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “And feelings? We both know this can get messy fast.”

“No feelings,” I said quickly. My voice came out rougher than I meant. “We keep it strictly business, you don’t fall for me, I don’t fall for you. Simple as that.”

She let out a short laugh, but there was no real humor in it. “Yeah, as if. Like that’s even a possibility.”

The words hit harder than they should have, I felt my jaw tighten. For a second I couldn’t look away from her; the way her eyes flashed with that mix of defiance and something softer underneath. My fingers flexed around my coffee cup andI forced a small smirk, but it felt off.

“Right,” I said, voice lower. “Good. We’re on the same page then.”

We sat in silence for a moment. The café noise faded into the background. I could hear her breathing, could see the small way she shifted in her seat like she was uncomfortable but trying not to show it.

Ariana finally spoke again. “So when do we start? I don’t want to drag this out.”

“Tomorrow?” I suggested. “There’s a small team thing at the café near the arena. Nothing big. We could meet there, get the first pictures out of the way and make it look natural.”

She nodded slowly, biting the inside of her cheek. “Tomorrow works. What time?”

“Two o’clock. I’ll text you the exact spot.” I paused, watching her. “You sure about this, Ariana? You can still back out. I wouldn’t blame you.”

She looked straight at me, those eyes holding mine longer than I expected. “I said I’d do it. I don’t go back on my word, but we keep it exactly like we said. No surprises. No crossing lines.”

“Deal,” I replied, extending my hand across the table.

She hesitated for a second, then reached out. Her hand was smaller than mine warm, and when our palms met, something quiet passed between us. Neither of us pulled away right away. Her fingers lingered just a moment too long before she drew back, clearing her throat.

I pulled my hand back too, flexing my fingers under the table. My chest felt tighter than it should.

“Tomorrow then,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Tomorrow,” she repeated softly.

We both stood up at the same time. The air between us felt charged, heavier than when we sat down. She grabbed her bag and gave me one last look guarded, but with something else underneath I couldn’t quite name.

As she walked away, I stayed standing there, watching her go. My hand still tingled from where hers had been.

This was supposed to be simple. Safe.

But something already felt like it was slipping out of my control.