Chapter 277 Chapter 277

Chapter 277 Chapter 277
Noah

By lunchtime I was officially convinced something was going on.

Not in a dramatic “my girlfriend is secretly a spy” way.

But definitely in a “something is rattling around in her head and she’s not telling me yet” way.

I spotted Jessa the second I walked into the cafeteria.

She was already sitting at our usual table with Mariah, her tray untouched in front of her.

Her laptop was open.

Again.

She had been doing that a lot lately.

Research mode.

The same look she got when she was trying to solve a problem she hadn’t figured out yet.

Mariah was talking.

Jessa was nodding.

But she wasn’t really listening.

I could tell.

After five months together, you learn the difference between someone hearing you and someone pretending to.

I slid into the seat beside her.

“Morning.”

She jumped a little.

Not dramatically.

But enough that it made my eyebrows lift.

“Hey,” she said quickly.

Mariah smirked from across the table.

“You snuck up on her.”

“I walked normally,” I said.

“That’s your version of sneaking.”

I glanced at Jessa’s screen.

Scholarship websites.

Financial aid.

College forums.

Yeah.

Definitely research mode.

I bumped her shoulder lightly.

“You planning to become an expert in college economics?”

She quickly shut the laptop.

“Just looking at stuff.”

“That’s the most vague answer I’ve ever heard.”

She smiled, but it was a little tight.

“College is expensive.”

“That it is.”

I leaned back in my chair.

Jackson dropped into the seat across from me a second later with Shane behind him.

Jackson looked between the two of us.

Then at Jessa.

Then back at me.

Which immediately made me suspicious.

“What?” I said.

“Nothing,” Jackson said.

“You looked.”

“I didn’t look.”

“You definitely looked.”

Shane snorted.

“You two fight like an old married couple.”

Mariah pointed at them.

“Don’t encourage them.”

Jackson grabbed a fry off her tray.

“I’m always encouraged.”

Jessa laughed quietly beside me.

That part at least felt normal.

But something about her energy still felt… off.

Not sad.

Not distant.

Just… distracted.

Like part of her brain was somewhere else entirely.

I leaned closer to her.

“You okay?”

She nodded immediately.

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Mariah glanced between us and smirked.

“Oh my God, he’s doing the worried boyfriend thing.”

“I’m not worried,” I said.

“You’re absolutely worried.”

Jessa bumped my arm.

“I’m fine.”

“See?” I said.

Mariah rolled her eyes.

“You two are disgustingly functional.”

Jackson pointed at us.

“That’s because they haven’t been dating long enough to start annoying each other.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jessa said.

I put a hand over my chest.

“Wow.”

She grinned.

“Relax. I like you.”

“Good,” I said.

“Because I was just about to dramatically throw myself onto the cafeteria floor.”

Shane leaned toward Jackson.

“I want to see that.”

Jackson nodded.

“I’d pay money.”

Jessa laughed again, and this time it sounded real.

But when the conversation drifted away and the table started arguing about something stupid Shane said about spring break plans…

I noticed something.

Jessa had reopened her laptop.

Just a crack.

Barely enough to look.

But enough.

I leaned closer again.

“What are you researching now?”

She quickly tilted the screen away.

“Nothing.”

“That’s suspicious.”

“It’s not suspicious.”

“It’s a little suspicious.”

She looked at me like she was debating something.

For a second I thought she might finally tell me.

But then she just sighed.

“I promise I’ll explain soon.”

That answer again.

Soon.

I studied her face.

She didn’t look scared.

She didn’t look guilty.

She just looked like someone trying to solve a puzzle before letting anyone else see the pieces.

And weirdly…

That made me relax a little.

Because if this was something bad between us…

She wouldn’t look like that.

She’d look sad.

Or distant.

Instead she just looked… determined.

I reached over and squeezed her hand under the table.

“Okay.”

She blinked.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“You’re not going to interrogate me again?”

“I tried that already,” I said.

“Didn’t work.”

She smiled.

Then leaned over and kissed my cheek quickly.

Mariah gagged loudly across the table.

“Oh my God, stop being cute.”

Jackson pointed at us.

“Yeah seriously.”

Shane added, “Get a room.”

Jessa rolled her eyes.

But I noticed something when she turned back toward her laptop.

For just a second…

Her smile faded.

And whatever she was thinking about came back.

Which meant one thing.

Whatever secret she was carrying…

It wasn’t small.

And sooner or later…

I was going to find out what it was.