Chapter 143 CHAPTER 144

Chapter 143 CHAPTER 144
CHAPTER 144
YAEL
The next day started off normal enough. Maya and I were walking across campus together after our morning classes, talking about nothing important. The sun was out and the air felt warm, but my mind was still a little heavy from everything that had happened lately. I was trying to focus on the good things, like the fact that Mina was here and the group felt closer than ever.

We turned the corner near the main quad and I stopped walking.

There was Knox standing under one of the big trees, talking to a girl. She was pretty, with long hair and a confident smile. I recognized her immediately, it was the same girl from the lake during our cabin trip. Sarah. The one who had been so touchy and loud with him, reminiscing about old times.

Before I could say anything, Sarah stepped closer to him, went up on her toes, and tried to kiss him right on the mouth.

Knox reacted fast. He put both hands on her shoulders and pushed her back gently but firmly.

“Whoa,” he said, his voice clear and sharp. “Sarah, stop. I’m with someone now. I’m not doing this.”

Sarah looked surprised for a second, then laughed like it was a joke. “Come on, Knox. For old times’ sake? It’s not like anyone’s watching.”

Maya, who was standing right beside me, burst into loud laughter. She could not hold it in. “Oh my God, this is gold.”

Sarah turned her head and saw us. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Maya laughing. She walked straight over to us, her hips swaying.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, looking Maya up and down.

Jordan appeared from the side at that exact moment, like she had perfect timing. She crossed her arms and answered before Maya could even speak.

“It’s you we’re laughing at,” Jordan said calmly. “What do you want to do about it?”

Sarah’s face turned red. She looked between all of us, clearly embarrassed. “Whatever. This is ridiculous.”

She turned on her heel and walked away fast, her head held high but her steps angry.

Knox came over immediately, looking worried. “Yael, that wasn’t what it looked like. She just showed up and—”

I raised my hand to stop him. “Not now.”

He shut his mouth right away. I was not mad exactly, but I wanted him to feel a little uncomfortable. He deserved to squirm just a tiny bit after what I had witnessed.

Maya was still grinning. “That was amazing. The look on her face when Jordan said that? Priceless.”

Jordan high-fived Maya. “She had it coming. The way she tried to kiss him in broad daylight? Bold.”

I started walking toward the debate club building. “Let’s go. We have the meeting soon.”

Knox walked beside me, glancing at me every few seconds. “Yael, please let me explain. She caught me off guard. I pushed her away immediately. You saw that, right?”

I kept walking. “I saw it.”

He stayed quiet after that, but I could feel him watching me. We reached the debate club room and went inside. Knox was leading the session today, so he stood at the front while the rest of us sat down. The meeting started normally. We discussed upcoming competitions and practiced some arguments. Knox was focused and professional, but I could tell he was a little distracted.

Toward the end of the meeting, he looked at me and said formally, “Yael, could you wait a moment after we finish?”

One of the other club members laughed loudly. “The whole campus knows you two are dating, Knox. Who are you putting an act for?”

Everyone chuckled. Knox’s ears turned a little red, but he tried to stay serious.

The meeting ended and people started leaving. Knox walked over to me quickly.

“Yael,” he said, reaching for my hand. “Can we talk?”

I stepped back before he could kiss me. “Later.”

I turned and walked out of the room. I was not angry, not really. I just wanted to make him suffer a little. He had been so sweet and protective lately, but after seeing that girl try to kiss him, I felt like teasing him just a bit. Let him wonder what was going through my head.

Knox followed me out into the hallway. “Baby, come on. Don’t do this to me. I pushed her away the second she tried. I don’t want her. I only want you.”

I kept walking, but I could not hide the small smile on my face. “I know you pushed her away. I saw it.”

“Then why are you walking away from me?” he asked, sounding genuinely worried now.

I stopped and turned to look at him. “Because I want you to think about it for a little while. You looked very comfortable talking to her before she tried to kiss you.”

Knox ran a hand through his hair. “We were just catching up for two minutes. That’s all. I swear. She means nothing to me. You’re the only one I care about.”

I tilted my head. “Good. Keep thinking about that.”

I turned and continued walking. Knox stayed right behind me, pleading quietly.

“Yael, please. I hate when you’re upset with me. Tell me what I can do to fix this.”

I did not answer right away. I let him follow me all the way back toward the dorms, listening to him try to explain and apologize. Deep down I was not mad at all. I just wanted to see him squirm a little
. After everything we had been through, a little playful suffering felt fair.