Trouble in paradise

Chapter 9.

Jax.

I came back from an early morning jog, muscles burning, lungs still catching up to the pace I’d pushed myself at. The air had been crisp, the forest trails quiet except for the soft crunch of leaves beneath my feet. Jogging helped clear my mind, gave me a sense of control over everything else in my life, the pack, the academy and my responsibilities.

By the time I stepped into our shared dorm room, more like a sprawling house than a simple dorm, I was drenched in sweat. I took off my shirt and tossed it over a chair, glancing around. The lounge area was alive with my pack-mates, each absorbed in their own world.

Kian sat cross-legged on the couch, completely absorbed in a book, the calm and collected aura he always carried making him seem untouchable. Isaac was at the mirror, meticulously straightening his hair, adjusting his tie, clearly focused on the reflection in front of him. Aiden as usual was teasing Isaac relentlessly, giving him pats on the back and rolling his eyes at every little movement.

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to make sense of the energy in the room.

Aiden didn’t even look up from Isaac, grinning as he elbowed him lightly. “Isaac’s going on a date,” he said, the amusement in his voice, clear.

Isaac ignored him completely, carefully adjusting his collar as if Aiden’s teasing didn’t even exist. This wasn’t unusual, Aiden loved pushing him and Isaac mostly tolerated it. Kian, predictably, didn’t even look up from his book, immersed in whatever world the pages held.

I walked over, curiosity nudging me forward and gave Isaac a once-over. The guy was practically glowing with anticipation. “Who’s the girl that caught your fancy?” I asked, genuinely interested.

Aiden leaned back, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Good luck getting that out of him. He’s being stubborn.”

I stepped closer. “Come on, man, tell us.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow at both of us. “Why do you guys care so much?”

“Maybe because the golden boy finally got a girl,” Aiden quipped.

“Not funny,” I muttered as I tried to hold back my laughter.

“This shouldn’t be any of your business,” Isaac said, finally answering, “but it’s Camryn.”

The room went silent. Even Kian glanced up from his book, curiosity flickering across his expression before he quickly looked away. Aiden’s jaw dropped slightly, something I’d never actually seen him do before and I found myself leaning in, heart racing a little with curiosity I couldn’t justify.

“Do you mean the new girl, Camryn?” I asked, unable to hide my disbelief.

“Is there another Camryn at this school?” Isaac replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Aiden shook his head, chuckling quietly. “Wow… just wow,” he said, still clearly shocked.

Isaac glanced at us, confused. “Why are you guys so surprised?” He asked.

I remained silent because even I didn't even know why.

I pushed thoughts of Camryn aside, reminding myself I have a girlfriend even though she's currently not speaking to me.

“You know, I’ve got to commend you,” Aiden said finally, smirking. “You beat me to the new girl.”

I froze slightly. “She’s not something to win,” I muttered without thinking and both Isaac and Aiden exchanged glances that made me immediately regret saying it.

“Careful, man. You’ve got a girlfriend,” Aiden said, shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes, shrugging it off.

“Trouble in paradise,” Isaac teased, grinning widely. Aiden laughed along with him, clearly enjoying themselves at my expense.

I ignored them both and turned back to Isaac, forcing a neutral tone into my voice. “Have fun.” I nodded once and began walking toward my room.

Why did I even say that? I can't be doing that, that's the reason Heather was currently not speaking to me. I shook my head, I needed to make it up to Heather, not speaking is making me have thoughts I shouldn't be having

----

I walked toward the girls’ dorm, ignoring the signs restricting boys. Rules don't apply to me, not now not ever, I had to make things right.

When I reached her door, I knocked lightly. The door opened, and Camryn stood there. She looked… different. Dressed up, hair neatly done, and the subtle confidence she carried caught me off guard. I blinked, quickly composing myself.

“Hi,” I said, keeping my voice steady.

“Hi,” she replied, polite but reserved.

“Is Heather around?” I asked, trying to focus on my mission.

“Yeah,” Camryn said, stepping aside and leaving the room.

I waited a moment, then Heather appeared in the doorway. She wore one of my hoodies with shorts, hair messy but eyes sharp. Her expression made it clear she wasn’t about to let me off easy.

“Jax,” she said, voice tense. “You know you shouldn’t be here, you could get in trouble.”

“I know,” I said, raising my hands slightly. “But I need to fix this. Can we talk?”

She crossed her arms, eyebrows raised. “Fine. But only for a few minutes. I’m tired of all this back-and-forth.”

I nodded. “Me too.”

We sat down on her bed, the tension thick. Heather’s eyes didn’t soften but at least she was listening. We argued quietly, though our voices rose slightly at moments about trust, about boundaries, about Camryn. She made it clear she didn’t want me speaking to Camryn without her knowing. Reluctantly, I agreed, promising to respect her feelings.

After a few minutes, the edge in her tone softened. “Just, promise me you’ll not speak to her ever again.”

“I promise,” I hesitated. I could feel some of the tension melting and it was enough for now.

I stood, ready to leave, but as I walked toward the door, my mind couldn’t shake her words or the thought of Camryn. I had promised to keep my distance but for some unknown reason it felt impossible.