Chapter 12 Whos Got Time for That
Mila watched her go, confused.
She was fast. Caught up in a flash to a boy in earbuds.
The boy stopped. He turned, catching Luna through thin, lowered lids, and pulled out one earbud with a single hand. The white cord curled around his long, pale fingers. His sleeves were pushed up, wrists narrow and sharp.
His profile was sharp and clean, the bridge of his nose high, his lips a shade too red. He was both beautiful and handsome, but his cold, detached air made him untouchable.
"What is it?"
Jax's voice carried a cool edge.
Luna remembered how she'd treated him before and felt a stab of guilt. She licked her dry lips and held out the cupcake she'd carried all the way here. "This is a thank-you."
Jax's gaze dropped to her hand.
Her nails were clean. No polish, no manicure.
Through the clear box, the strawberry cupcake looked flawless. A dusting of powdered sugar crowned the top, the strawberry perched upright, small and sweet.
"Thank-you for what?" Jax asked.
"Just. for letting me copy your homework yesterday," Luna said.
"Oh." The syllable dropped flat and cold. "So it was you."
"." Luna's face froze. "What do you mean?"
Jax was much taller. She had to tilt her head back just to see his face.
Jax's expression stayed flat, his gaze lowered, indifferent.
"I didn't know 'Sweetie' was you."
"If you'd known it was me, would you still have let me copy?" Luna realized only after asking that she was setting herself up.
Obviously not.
She'd always been rude to Jax, barely tolerated his presence.
In sophomore year, after the science track split, Jax and Hayes ended up in the same class. From then on, Hayes never took first place again.
Before sharing a class with Jax, Hayes had been first at least eight times out of ten.
Being stuck at number two for a straight year naturally stung.
If he burned, Luna burned right alongside him.
She'd given Jax more than her share of cold sneers.
Now she'd pulled a complete one-eighty. He probably thought she'd lost her mind.
"You can keep the cupcake. I'll just—" Luna turned to leave.
Mid-sentence, the cupcake lifted from her hand. Jax had reached for it.
Her words trailed off.
Jax held the cupcake in one hand. His long lashes fluttered once. "I'll let you copy."
Luna blinked. "You're actually really sweet," she said, meaning every word.
The corner of Jax's mouth twitched. "Mm."
-
Luna walked back.
Mila was brimming with gossip. "Why did you give Jax a cupcake?"
"He let me copy his homework yesterday. It's a thank-you," Luna said.
Mila patted Luna's shoulder. "You know what? I think Jax is way better than Hayes. Even if he's broke."
"You seem to have a real grudge against Hayes," Luna said, crossing her arms.
Mila clicked her tongue. "At some dinner party once, I couldn't stomach the fancy food, so I ordered KFC delivery. The celeb I was obsessed with at the time had the last name Sterling, so I put 'Sterling's Wife' as the order name. Somehow it got delivered to Hayes,
and he threw it straight in the trash."
"That's pretty messed up of him," Luna said.
Mila blinked. "Now I believe it. Your clouded vision really has cleared up."
"." Luna said nothing.
-
Senior Class 1.
The classroom was loud and crowded. The seats were still in last semester's arrangement.
Luna's desk-mate was Sienna Locke, one of the top students in the class. A girl with short hair.
Luna had barely set her bag down when Sienna leaned over, looking awkward. "Luna, did you just give Jax a cupcake?"
"What's wrong?" Luna didn't deny it.
Sienna pointed at her phone. "Someone took a picture and posted it on the forum."
"Who's got time for that?" Luna muttered, picking up her phone and opening the forum.
#LunaGivesJaxCupcake# had already shot to the top of the forum.
The Kingsley Prep forum was always lively. Everyone hid behind anonymous accounts and spoke freely. Mostly to trash and complain.
She hadn't checked this ridiculous forum in a while. Luna clicked in, genuinely entertained.
The OP had posted two photos. Based on the angles, Luna guessed the photographer had been standing to her front right.
Tch.
Someone had way too much time on their hands.
She scrolled down.
1L: So surreal. Didn't Luna hate Jax?
2L: Waiting for answers. I think it's surreal too.
3L: What's so surreal about it? Luna was going to give the cupcake to God Hayes. He turned it down, so she used Jax as a trash can.
4L: What? That's so mean of Luna. Honestly, I'm more into Jax's looks than God Hayes's.
5L: Are we allowed to say this? Fine, I'll come clean. I'm more into Jax's looks too. Aside from family money, I think Jax absolutely destroys Hayes in every other way.
6L: Hayes's features are too sharp. I think Jax's slightly prettier face is better boyfriend material. Their kids would be gorgeous too.
7L: You bunch of thirsty girls. Can't believe this thread derailed this fast.
8L: No matter the topic, you guys always fight for hundreds of comments. But the second it's about guys, everyone unites. True freedom of speech.
9L: Hehehehe
10L: Fools compare, wise men appreciate. I think both Hayes and Jax are great. Too bad none of us will ever get either.
"Yikes."
Luna took a breath and started typing.
In the time it took her to type, the thread had already reached sixty-four comments.
Hers was comment sixty-five.
65L: What's so great about Hayes? He's a total poser. Forget Jax. Any random guy at this school is better than him.
Even though Jax was still a broke student right now.
But a gem like him wouldn't stay buried. After the SATs, his whole life would change.
A self-made man's worth. How could that compare to someone like Hayes, who leeched off his parents?
They're not even in the same league.
-
Meanwhile.
8:10 AM. The school gates closed.
The student council members packed up and headed to their respective classrooms.
Hayes's face was blank. Beside him, a boy had lazily slung an arm over Hayes's shoulder. He had a pair of striking bedroom eyes. "Tch. Overslept this morning. Otherwise I wouldn't have missed the show."
Hayes scoffed. "What show?"
As his childhood friend, Grayson knew Hayes all too well.
He tapped Hayes's shoulder. "Drop the act. Luna didn't give you the cupcake, and it bugs you."
Hayes said nothing.
Grayson held his phone out in front of Hayes.
Hayes lowered his eyes.
On the screen was the trending post.
Grayson, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, grinned. "You kept shooting Luna down. Now she's giving it to someone else."
He paused, then added with a smirk, "And it's the guy you especially hate."