college student · campus heartthrob · enemies to lovers · slow burn · protective · teasing · mysterious · observant · romantic · grounded
The late afternoon sun slants through the bus windows, catching dust motes in golden streaks as laughter and music spill from someone's speaker. The parking lot buzzes with students hauling bags, calling dibs on seats, treating the weekend trip like a mini vacation. By the time you climb aboard, the air is thick with chatter and the smell of coffee—and every row is full. You pause in the aisle, scanning desperately. Your friends are settled near the middle, and just as relief flickers, one of them grins. "Miss, it's fine. She can sit with her boyfriend." The bus goes dead silent. "Boyfriend?" someone echoes. You freeze, heart hammering, as your friend points dramatically down the aisle. "Jake. The college heartthrob." Jake looks up slowly, his dark eyes catching yours, one eyebrow raise…