Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Baby, did you eat?
SOPHIE
Our group is presenting this morning in Intro to Comm.
I’m the first one in the lecture hall, quietly going over my slides.
I didn’t get much time to practice after last night’s unexpected dinner, but I feel pretty confident.
Micah’s edits on the deck were incredible—clean, polished, professional.
He really is perfect. Too perfect. I shouldn’t let myself think that.
I know how this goes. It’ll be like Holden all over again; the semester will end, and we’ll drift apart.
But maybe, just for now, I can let myself enjoy it.
“Hey, Cliffe!” a voice calls from the door. I don’t look up.
“Cliffe the Lion! Look, the Westcliffe mascot’s in class with us!” Ella’s voice rings out, followed by a few snickers.
I keep my head down, repeating to myself, It’s not worth it. Don’t give her the satisfaction.
“Are you deaf? Are lions hard of hearing?” She’s closer now, her tone sharper.
I finally glance up. “Hi, Ella.”
She tilts her head, fake sweet. “Sylvie, do you need clothes? I can ask around the sorority house for some donations if you want.”
My stomach knots. I’ve never really had anyone target me before—I usually stay invisible. And I most certainly am never a threat.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I say quietly.
She steps closer, her voice dropping so only I can hear. “Listen. Micah’s a nice guy. But don’t get any ideas that someone like Micah Vale is into someone who rotates the same three outfits.”
Her words hit harder than I want to admit, and for a second, I freeze. It’s true. Of course I know that. Micah would never be into someone like me.
“Why the fuck do you keep ignoring me?” she snaps, her voice rising. “Did you two already fuck? Is that it? You think you’re above me now or something?”
My heart pounds, and I stumble over my words. “What? No, we’re just—”
She cuts me off, eyes sharp and way too close.
“Maybe Micah’s just bored of girls like Hailey and decided to try out the quiet, desperate type for once.
But it won’t last. He’ll move on the second he gets bored.
” Her gaze sweeps over me, slow and deliberate.
“And trust me, babe—that’ll be sooner rather than later. ”
Her words sting, and I hate that they affect me. My hands curl against the desk, and I fight to keep my expression neutral. I won’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.
Before I can even think of something to say back to Ella, a voice cuts through the tension.
“Wow. Beautiful weather today,” Grant says, strolling into the lecture hall. His smile is wide and playful, and he’s wearing a bright green Westcliffe Lions hoodie—the exact one I’m wearing today.
Micah’s right behind him, and my stomach does a little flip. He’s wearing a black Westcliffe crewneck, sleeves pushed up casually. His gray eyes sweep over me immediately, then down to my hoodie, and one corner of his mouth lifts like he knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Good morning, Sophie,” Micah says, voice lower, smoother than usual as he moves to stand just a little too close to me. “Great taste, as always.”
Grant leans against the desk beside me, pretending to inspect my hoodie. “Well, this is awkward. I thought I was going to be the only one matching Lenny today, but look at Vale here. Guess we all have an excellent eye for fashion.”
Micah doesn’t even look at Grant. His attention stays on me, and I swear my pulse stumbles under the weight of it. “Guess we do,” he says, his gaze locking with mine for a beat longer than necessary.
Ella lets out a sharp, mocking laugh, tilting her head. “Wow. So that’s your strategy? Playing the pity card. Make him feel sorry enough for you and fuck you? Smart move, Sylvie. Guys like Micah love a charity case. Community service, if you will?”
Micah’s expression darkens so fast it almost startles me.
“That’s it,” he snaps, stepping closer, his voice like ice.
“You need to shut your damn mouth, Ella. What, are you jealous? Because she’s better than you without even trying?
And here’s the truth—you could pull every trick, go through every guy, manipulate whoever you want, and I still wouldn’t give you a second glance. ”
The room goes quiet, a few people turning to stare. Ella looks like she’s about to argue, but then her eyes flick to Micah’s glare—and she folds, muttering something under her breath as she drops into her seat.
Grant, breaking the tension with a grin, slides in next to us. “Damn, Micah. Didn’t even need coffee this morning to wake us all up.”
Right on cue, Declan walks in, glancing at all of us, confused. “What the hell? Nobody told me there was a dress code! I have the same one as Micah’s in my closet!”
Grant smirks, clapping him on the shoulder. “Sorry, man. Invite-only.”
Micah finally looks back at me, his expression softening instantly when his eyes meet mine. His voice lowers, meant only for me. “Hey, you okay?”
I nod, my heart still pounding, and manage a quiet, “Yeap. Thanks.”
For a second, just one, I let myself feel it. The way he stepped in without hesitating. How his voice went cold on my behalf.
Then the projector flickers on, and I look back at my notes. I know better than to read into it. But for that one second—it felt real.
There’s no way Ella could be jealous of me, no matter what Micah thinks. She’s the kind of girl people stare at when she walks into a room—long blonde hair, tall and willowy, bright blue eyes, a face straight out of a magazine. Her body is perfect, and she knows it.
And she’s right. Someone like Micah, who’s so far out of my league, shouldn’t even know I exist. Maybe it’s just pity.
The poor girl who works three jobs. The girl who keeps getting into situations where she needs saving.
He just happened to be there when Ella and Carter were being awful, and of course he stepped in.
Because he’s a good guy. That’s all it is. He feels bad for me.
I should’ve known better than to let myself get swept up in this.
Missing a shift, saying yes to dinner when I should’ve been glued to my books.
I should’ve kept my head down. I’m so stupid for feeling disappointed.
It’s not like I ever believed I could be with someone like Micah.
That was never even on the table, and I knew that from the beginning.
I blink quickly, trying to keep the tears from spilling. I shouldn’t have let myself hope, not even for a moment. I already knew the truth, but I still held onto that fragile thread, and now it hurts even more.
I try to keep myself composed. I just need to get through this presentation. Then I can be done with this. There will be no more reason for us to talk. And Ella will leave me be.
I can do this.
MICAH
The presentation went as expected. Everyone handled their parts fine—even Ella, which was honestly shocking. Guess there’s at least a little more to her being at Westcliffe than just Daddy’s money and legacy.
The group, minus Ella, filters out of the lecture hall.
Declan’s grinning, talking about how we probably just secured an A.
But I can’t focus. Something’s off with Sophie.
She hasn’t looked at me once since the presentation ended.
It has to be something Ella said earlier.
Pity, charity, or whatever it was, it got under her skin.
I want to clear it up, tell her that’s not true, that Ella’s full of shit.
But how? Without pushing too hard, without making her feel cornered.
I’ve never been rejected before, but I’ve also never pursued a girl like Sophie either.
“Hey, Soph. Can we talk?” I ask, gently catching her arm.
“Sorry, I can’t. I have a shift,” she says, not even glancing at me.
“You’re headed to Boston Brews, right? Let me give you a ride.”
“It’s fine. I’m taking the bus. Thanks though.” She walks off quickly, and I feel my chest tighten.
I’m about to follow her when Grant steps in. “I think she wants some space, man.”
“What the hell was that?” I mutter, more to myself than Grant. Things were fine at dinner last night—more than fine. Things were great.
“Probably something Ella said,” Grant offers.
“Where is she?”
Before he can answer, I spot her across the quad, sitting with a pack of girls who look just like her. My blood’s already boiling as I march over, Grant hurrying behind me like he knows I might actually lose it.
“Ella!”
She jumps, then smirks. “See, girls? Told you he’s obsessed with me.”
I don’t even look at them. “What the fuck did you say to her?”
Her smile fades, but only slightly. “What did she say I said? Micah, I swear, I didn’t say anything. God, she’s playing victim again. Girls like that—” Her eyes glisten, like she’s going to cry.
I cut her off. I don’t care.
“Listen to me. You’re done talking to Sophie.
And me. You’re gonna stop asking around about me, stop bothering the doorman at The Haven, stop making yourself everyone’s problem.
I don’t give a shit who you sleep with—the hockey team, the football team, the entire cheer squad, whatever you’re into.
But you stay the hell away from me. Do you hear me?
And starting next class, you’re going to sit on the opposite side of the room. ”
A sharp voice cuts in. “What the fuck, Ella?”
Of course. Hailey.
“Oh please. You knew I liked him since freshman year, and you fucked him anyway. You’re the bitch here,” Ella spits.
“Well, he clearly didn’t give you a second look, so I figured I’d shoot my shot,” Hailey shoots back, arms crossed. Then, clearly to get a rise out of Ella more than anything, she turns to me with a wink. “Hey Micah. I miss you.”
Ella’s face turns scarlet.
“Fight, fight, fight,” Grant mutters beside me, beaming like this is the best entertainment he’s had all week.
But I’m not enjoying this. I just need to make sure both of them stay the hell away from me, and more importantly, away from Sophie.