Chapter 148

Alexander peeked over my shoulder, casually sipping his coffee. “Ah, classic Jenna. I like the creativity, but we’re going to need more than sticky notes to mess with my cousin. Right?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. But she’s persistent. And I don’t like it.”

“Yeah,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I’ll handle the persistence part. You handle… being awesome. That’s your forte.”

By lunchtime, her antics escalated. Jenna was leaving “apology” sticky notes now, pretending she didn’t mean anything but subtly trying to make me feel paranoid. Someone had moved my notebooks around and mixed up my schedule. It was enough to irritate me, but I wasn’t about to let her see that. Alexander caught it, though, and his expression when he saw her handiwork… priceless.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” I said.

“Not enough,” he replied, whispering so only I could hear. “Let’s turn the tables a bit. Watch and learn, cuz.”

And I did watch. Because Alexander’s way of handling problems was… mesmerizing. He didn’t panic, didn’t rage, and didn’t let her get under his skin. He just… dismantled her little plan with precision. A note intercepted here, a carefully timed text there, and suddenly Jenna looked like she was fighting shadows.

“You’re amazing at this,” I said when we finally sat down on the quad steps for a breather, iced coffees in hand.

Alexander shrugged, grinning like it was no big deal. “Years of experience avoiding actual trouble. And a lifetime of Thorne-level chaos training. Comes naturally.”

I laughed. “Natural chaos? That’s unfair. I should’ve gotten some of that training too.”

“You got the smarts,” he said, giving me a quick nudge with his shoulder. “Brains and style. We make a good team.”

By mid-afternoon, Jenna’s attempts were getting sloppy. She had tried following me between classes, left weird anonymous texts, and even attempted a public “oops, I dropped your backpack” move that made her look like a complete mess. Alexander caught her in the act, and… let’s just say his grin and tone could cut glass.

“Hey,” he said casually, like he wasn’t standing a foot away, arms crossed, ready to launch into predator mode. “Looking for me?”

Jenna froze. Classic. And I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

Alexander leaned in, just enough to let her know she was utterly exposed. “Yeah. You should probably rethink this hobby of yours.”

I stepped up beside him, matching his smirk. “Yeah, because it’s not really working. You might want to retire before you embarrass yourself further.”

Jenna muttered something, backing away, clearly unsure whether she was supposed to be scared or just quit entirely.

We sat back down on the quad after she finally slunk off. I felt a weird mix of relief and pride. Alexander had handled her perfectly—calm, smart, and a little terrifying. I’d seen him deal with chaos before, but watching him dismantle a college-level pest like Jenna… it was impressive.

“Think she’s done?” I asked.

“For today,” he said, smirking. “But, you know, she might try again. Amateur hour doesn’t last forever.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You make it sound like a spectator sport.”

“It kind of is,” he said. “And the best part? You’re in it too. Co-starring as the awesome cousin everyone underestimates.”

I laughed again, shaking my head. “I think I’ll survive, thanks to you. Mostly.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon strategizing. Nothing crazy, just… small moves to keep Jenna on edge. Nothing that would get us in trouble, but enough to make her realize she was up against a Thorne and her cousin.

By the time the sun started to dip, Alexander and I packed up, walking toward the dorms with our bags slung over our shoulders. Campus was winding down, students heading home, the late-afternoon glow softening the chaos of the day.

“Weekend plans?” he asked casually, nudging me as we walked.

I smiled. “Home. Family. And hopefully some peace. I could use it.”

“Good idea,” he said. “We’ve earned a little downtime. Plus, Mom and Dad will be glad to see us. Probably lecture me for causing minor chaos today.”

I laughed. “Maybe. But you handled it perfectly.”

“Thanks, cuz,” he said, giving me a quick nudge. “Seriously. Couldn’t do it without you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes but smiling. “Don’t get too sentimental on me.”

We reached the shuttle pickup point, and I glanced at him. Alexander, ever-casual, hair messy, hoodie slung off one shoulder, looking completely untouchable and utterly capable. And somehow, even after all the chaos, I felt safe. Because he had this… presence. Like nothing could really touch him, or me, as long as we were together.

“Ready?” I asked, buckling my bag strap.

“Born ready,” he said, grinning like he’d just won the day.

We boarded the shuttle, finding seats next to each other, letting the campus fade behind us. The city, the lectures, Jenna’s ridiculous attempts—all of it melted into a background hum as we looked forward to home. To family. To a weekend where we didn’t have to strategize and didn’t have to dodge a petty enemy.

“Think Jenna will give up?” I asked, leaning back, letting the sun hit my face.

Alexander smirked. “Eventually. Or she’ll get bored. Either way… she won’t be bothering us for long.”

I nodded, feeling the tension in my shoulders finally ease. College could be chaotic, stressful, and sometimes downright annoying. But with Alexander by my side, it felt manageable. And honestly… kind of fun.

We watched the road ahead, laughing quietly at our own running commentary, joking about the day’s events, and teasing each other lightly. The weekend awaited, and for the first time in a while, I felt like we could just be cousins, not warriors, not strategists, not chaos-handlers—just us.

And maybe, just maybe, that was the best kind of victory.

Because whatever college threw at us next, I knew one thing: Alexander had my back, I had his, and Jenna, well, she was officially on notice.

Home was only a few hours away, and for the first time that week, it felt like we could breathe. Together, unstoppable, and ready for whatever nonsense came next.

Alexander

The smell of charcoal and grilled meat hit me the moment I stepped onto the terrace. Honestly, it should’ve been intimidating, the sheer scale of this family gathering everyone under one roof, but for some reason, it felt like home. Like chaos central, with an organized twist. My parents were hovering near the grill, which looked more like a military operation than cooking. Dad had the apron on, sunglasses perched low, and that calm-but-dangerous air that always made me double-check my own behavior, even though I’d survived every stunt I’d pulled so far.

Mom was fussing over the condiments, checking that the drinks table was stocked and that nobody was trying to smuggle extra chips. She gave me a look when she saw me approaching. That look was a mix of “don’t ruin anything today” and “I love you so much I can’t even.” Classic Mom. I grinned at her and ducked my head in mock apology.