~ Chapter 18 ~
By the end of the week, Eva felt like her brain had been wrung out like a sponge.
Five days of back-to-back lectures, late-night study sessions, group reviews, problem sets that made her question her life choices, and the first round of exams had left her exhausted in a very specific, hollow way.
The kind of tired that settled behind her eyes and into her bones, but also came with a strange sense of accomplishment.
They had survived.
Not perfectly.
Not effortlessly.
But they had survived.
The study group had done... decent.
Not miracle-level, not top-of-the-class genius-level.
But solid.
Passing.
Comfortably above average.
And apparently, that was enough for everyone to collectively decide that Eva was the reason.
Jonah had looked at her in disbelief when grades came out. "I swear, half the stuff you explained ended up being on the exam."
Lila had hugged her without warning. "You saved me. I'm not even exaggerating."
Ryan had pointed at her dramatically. "You're legally responsible for my academic success now."
Eva had laughed it off, cheeks warm, insisting she had just gone over what was in the notes and anyone could've done the same.
But then Reed had looked at her.
Not amused.
Not teasing.
Not casual.
"You did really good," he had said quietly. "You carried more than you think."
The way he'd said it.
Low.
Steady.
Like he meant it.
It had hit her harder than all the other praise combined.
She'd felt it in her chest.
In her stomach.
In that soft, fragile place where feelings started forming roots.
And she'd been doomed ever since.
Now, standing in her bedroom staring at her closet, Eva felt like she was going to throw up.
Sandra was sitting cross-legged on Eva's bed, scrolling through her phone like this wasn't a monumental life event.
Parker stood by the mirror, arms crossed, observing Eva with the seriousness of someone preparing a soldier for war.
Cassie was on FaceTime, her face filling Eva's phone screen.
"Okay," Cassie said. "Deep breaths. You are going on a date. Not walking into battle."
"It feels like battle," Eva muttered.
Sandra rolled off the bed dramatically. "First of all, he already likes you. Second of all, you already like him. Third of all, you're hot."
Eva groaned. "Please don't say that."
Parker tilted her head. "You don't get to reject facts."
Eva sighed and pulled out the dress.
Olive green.
Soft fabric.
Thin straps.
Fitted at the waist.
Flowed over her hips in a way that made her stomach twist when she tried it on earlier.
It wasn't revealing.
Nothing was hanging out.
But it hugged her curves in a way she wasn't used to.
In a way that made her very aware she had a body.
A very female body.
"I don't know if this is too much," Eva said quietly.
Sandra's eyes widened. "Eva."
Parker's lips parted slightly. "Oh, sweetheart."
Cassie practically screamed through the phone. "WEAR THE DRESS."
Eva changed.
When she stepped out of her room, all three girls stared.
Silence.
Actual silence.
Sandra blinked first. "Holy shit."
Eva's face immediately heated. "That's not a good 'holy shit.'"
Parker walked over and gently adjusted one of the straps. "It's a very good holy shit."
Cassie grinned. "He is going to lose his mind respectfully."
Eva hugged her arms around herself. "I look... different."
Sandra smiled softly. "You look like you. Just on a date."
That somehow felt scarier.
Eva did her makeup minimal.
Mascara.
Gloss.
A little blush.
She left her hair down.
Loose.
Natural.
Her heart wouldn't stop racing.
"He didn't tell me where we're going," Eva said as she slipped on her shoes.
Cassie wiggled her eyebrows. "Mysterious king behavior."
"I'm going to pass out," Eva muttered.
Parker hugged her. "You're safe. You're wanted. You don't have to perform."
Sandra grabbed her hands. "Text us when he gets there."
"I will."
Cassie blew a kiss through the phone. "Go get your man."
Eva opened the door just as a knock sounded.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
She opened it.
Reed stood there.
Dark button-down.
Neatly pressed trousers.
His black hair racked back, like he ran his fingers through it.
A warm, hypnotizing cologne.
Clean.
Simple.
Broad shoulders.
Calm presence.
His eyes dropped to her.
Then slowly lifted back to her face.
Something shifted in his expression.
Not exaggerated.
Not dramatic.
But very real.
"You look..." he paused, like he was choosing his words carefully. "Really beautiful."
Eva forgot how to speak.
Her brain blue-screened.
"Oh," she said intelligently.
Reed's lips twitched.
Color crept into her cheeks.
"Thank you," she added quickly.
He held the door open for her.
And just like that, the date began.
Eva had no idea where the night was going.
But she knew one thing.
She wanted to find out.