As Jake clasped Emma's hand and pulled her out of the classroom, the silence behind them shattered like glass. Whispers surged like waves crashing against walls. Every step echoed louder than the last.
Emma's breath hitched, her fingers curled instinctively around his, but her mind was a tangled mess.
Why is he doing this? Why now? Why me?
Jake's pace was fast—urgent. Too fast for her heart to keep up. Students turned as they passed, their heads swiveling, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Is that Jake Rolister? With her?"
"Didn't she confess last week? I thought he hated her."
"No way... He's Professor Denwick's favorite. This can't be real."
Emma caught pieces of the chaos around her but couldn't focus. All she saw was the back of Jake's head. Strong. Determined. Silent.
They stopped near the old astronomy tower—Halden's Lookout. A place barely anyone visited since the new observatory was built. Ivy curled around the walls, the air quieter here.
Emma yanked her hand back.
Jake turned, surprised.
"What's this, Jake?" Her voice cracked. "I don't get you. One minute you won't look at me. Then you're dragging me out of class like—like you care."
She wasn't shouting. She didn't need to. Her confusion stung louder than anger.
Jake's eyes darkened. "I do care. That's the problem."
Emma took a step back, trying to steady the storm inside her. "Then why did you pretend like I didn't exist for days?"
He stepped forward. "Because when I saw you lying on those steps, bleeding—because of me—I swore I'd stay away. That it'd be safer."
"You don't get to decide what's safe for me," Emma whispered.
She turned to walk away, heart splintering.
But Jake grabbed her wrist—not rough, but firm. "I couldn't watch you break because of me again."
Emma looked down at his hand. "You already did."
Silence hung between them. Too many feelings. Too many walls.
Then—
"Emma!" Lila's voice called from the path. She came jogging, eyes flicking between the two of them, suspicion blooming.
Before anyone could speak, the bell rang. A sharp, shrill sound that forced reality back into place.
"Next class," Lila said, tugging Emma gently.
Jake didn't argue. He just followed.
The classroom was different now. The air tight. Eyes everywhere.
Emma slid into her seat. Her pulse hadn't slowed. Lila sat beside her.
Jake… walked right up and sat on Emma's other side.
"Project group," he said casually, like it was nothing.
Emma stared at him. Then away. Then back. "Convenient."
He shrugged, hiding something behind that calm exterior. "Professor Denwick would be disappointed if I bailed."
Students didn't even try to whisper anymore.
"They're together now?"
"He really ditched Rhea that fast?"
"This is insane. Emma must have something on him."
Emma bit her lip. Every comment stabbed her skin like cold needles. But Jake didn't react. He just focused—on her, on the board, on the distance between their elbows not touching.
At lunch, Jake found her again. No big speech. He just walked beside her like it was always meant to be that way.
And when Lila brought up the project?
"We could work on it at the Valeria mansion," she suggested.
Emma opened her mouth—hesitated.
"Yes," Jake answered first.
Emma blinked. "You don't even know if I'm okay with that."
"I know you," he said, quietly. "You want this to work. Us."
Emma didn't answer. But she didn't say no either.
The days blurred. Between lectures and library visits, Emma began noticing the smallest things. How Jake watched her when she laughed. How he always made sure there was an extra chair beside him. How he touched her shoulder lightly, like grounding himself. Like she was the only thing real.
But peace didn't last.
Rhea was a storm in waiting.
It started after chem lab. Emma was alone, grabbing her notes from the printer room. Rhea appeared like a shadow, eyes blazing.
"Think you're special now?" she hissed. "You think just because Jake looked at you, you matter?"
Emma stood her ground. "I didn't ask for any of this."
"Oh, please. You tripped your way into his arms and now what? Playing the victim again?"
Rhea stepped closer. Too close. "You're not fooling anyone. Least of all me."
She shoved Emma—hard.
Emma hit the table behind her, gasping as her side throbbed.
Before Rhea could move again—
"Enough."
Jake's voice was low. Dangerous.
He stepped into the room, eyes fixed on Rhea. "Touch her again and you'll regret it."
Rhea's face paled, then twisted into a mask of fury. "So now you're her guard dog?"
"Get out," Jake said, and this time, Rhea listened.
Emma clutched the edge of the table. "You didn't have to do that."
Jake looked at her, voice soft. "I wanted to."
By evening, the day finally let them go.
Emma and Lila drove back to the Valeria mansion, the sky dusted in orange. The city lights hadn't taken over yet.
As they passed a long stretch of private road, Lila slowed.
"Is that…?" she murmured.
Up ahead, parked half-hidden behind a thicket, was a black SUV. David's car.
And beside it—Rhea.
Talking. Gesturing wildly. Looking around.
Emma's stomach dropped. Her pulse froze.
"Why is she with him?"
Lila reached for her phone. "I think we're about to find out something big."
Emma couldn't breathe.
The secrets weren't done unraveling.
End of Part 10!