Chapter 11 CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
YAEL
The knocking started before my alarm.
Three soft raps. Then a pause. Then two more.
Only one person in this entire campus knocked like he was testing whether I’d forgive him through the sound.
I sighed, dragging myself out of bed. “Aaron, if this is about last night—”
The door opened before I finished.
And there he was — my idiot of a brother — standing there with guilt written all over his face.
His jaw was bruised from the fight with Knox. There was a cut near his eyebrow too. Guilt twisted in my chest despite everything.
“Yael…” His voice was low, rough. “Can I—?”
I stepped aside. “Come in.”
He didn’t waste time. Just wrapped his arms around me, his hold tight, desperate.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered into my hair. “I lost it. I shouldn’t have said those things. Or touched him. Or scared you.”
I stood there frozen for a second before slowly hugging him back. “You really shouldn’t have.”
“I know.”
“I mean, you almost broke his nose, Aaron.”
He pulled back a little, grimacing. “Good.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”
He smiled slightly. “It’s kind of my charm.”
“Your charm’s violent.”
“Runs in the family.”
I snorted, shaking my head. “Apology accepted. Now leave before I change my mind.”
He laughed quietly, squeezing my shoulder before letting go. “You’re really okay?”
“I’m fine. Go before you get late.”
He studied my face one more time like he was trying to make sure I wasn’t lying. Then he finally nodded and left, muttering something about picking me up for dinner later.
The door shut, and the silence returned.
I leaned against it, exhaling.
Then groaned.
Because I’d just remembered what hoodie I was wearing when I opened the door.
Knox’s.
If Aaron noticed the black oversized thing hanging off my shoulders—God help me.
I yanked it off immediately and threw it across the bed like it burned.
“Never again,” I muttered, reaching for my towel.
By the time I got to campus, my brain was semi-functional again. The sun was too bright, the quad too crowded, and my iced coffee was doing absolutely nothing for my exhaustion.
I turned a corner toward my first class, scrolling through my messages—Maya had sent like seven emojis in a row, and Liam had sent a meme of two cats fighting with the caption “you and your brother yesterday.”
Funny.
I looked up just in time to collide with something solid.
“Ow—sorry!” I blurted, clutching my cup before it spilled.
“Watch where you’re—” The voice stopped mid-snap.
I looked up.
She wasn’t what I expected.
Short dark hair, streaked with blonde at the ends. Sharp brown eyes. A nose piercing glinting under the sunlight. Baggy jeans, tank top, black hoodie around her waist. She looked like she walked out of a streetwear ad.
And she was gorgeous.
“Uh—sorry,” I repeated, blinking. “I didn’t see you there.”
She adjusted the strap of her backpack, lips twitching like she was trying not to smile. “No big deal. I wasn’t looking either.”
Her voice was low, confident, but not cold.
She turned to leave, then paused halfway and looked back at me. “Hey—do you know where Hall B-12 is?”
“B-12?” I frowned. “That’s where I’m headed. Business management lecture?”
Her brows lifted. “You too?”
“Political science, but our classes overlap sometimes,” I said. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
She grinned, falling into step beside me. “Lucky me. First day and already got a guide.”
I smiled back. “What’s your name?”
“Jordan. You?”
“Yael.”
She nodded approvingly. “Pretty name.”
“Thanks.”
“Your brother’s the guy who almost punched out Knox yesterday, right?”
I stumbled a little. “Wait—how did you—”
“The whole campus knows,” she said, laughing. “But they think y'all are dating. I kind of see the resemblance and decided to ask.”
“Firstly, Ew,” I muttered. “Just what I needed.”
She chuckled. “Hey, at least it makes you memorable.”
“Memorable for violence.”
“Well, depends who you ask. Half the school’s in love with Knox. The other half’s terrified of your brother. Makes you kind of a legend by association.”
I gave her a deadpan look. “Great. Exactly the college reputation I was hoping for.”
Jordan laughed again, shaking her head. “You’re funny. I like you already.”
We reached the lecture hall, and I spotted Maya and Liam waving from the second row.
Maya was all smiles and glittery lip gloss; Liam had his usual calm grin that could charm half the room without trying.
“There you are!” Maya said, pulling me into a side hug the moment I got close. “We saved you a seat.”
She glanced at Jordan curiously. “And this is?”
“Jordan,” she said, sliding into the seat beside me. “New here. Yael rescued me from getting lost.”
“Welcome to the club,” Liam said easily, extending a hand. “I’m Liam.”
“Maya,” Maya added, smiling. “Where are you from?”
“Chicago,” Jordan said. “Transferred in. Needed a change of scene.”
Liam nodded. “You picked an interesting place for that.”
Maya leaned closer, whispering to me but not quietly enough. “She’s hot.”
I elbowed her. “Behave.”
Jordan smirked. “I heard that.”
Maya flushed. “Oh my God—”
“Relax,” Jordan said, laughing. “I take it as a compliment.”
“Good,” Maya said quickly. “Because it was.”
I sighed. “Can we not flirt before the professor gets here?”
Liam laughed softly. “You’re the one who brought the chaos magnet, Yael.”
“I didn’t know she’d fit in so fast!”
Jordan leaned back, grin lazy. “What can I say? I adapt.”
Before I could reply, the door swung open and Professor Han stepped in. The entire class straightened up instantly.
“Good morning, everyone,” he said in that no-nonsense tone that made even breathing feel like a crime. “Settle down. Today, we’ll be introducing the group projects you’ll be working on this semester.”
Groans filled the room. Maya dropped her pen dramatically. “Already?”
Liam chuckled under his breath. “We’re doomed.”
Jordan smirked. “Speak for yourself. I’m great at presentations.”
“Good,” I said. “You can talk while I make the slides.”
“Deal,” she replied easily.
The professor continued, assigning names and grouping students alphabetically.
I barely heard him. My brain was still half-stuck on Jordan’s confidence—on how easily she blended in, like she’d been here forever.
When class finally ended, Maya stretched. “Okay, coffee break or death?”
“Coffee,” Liam and I said at the same time.
Jordan chuckled. “Guess I’m joining your cult, then.”
“Welcome to the chaos crew,” Maya said proudly. “Population: too much caffeine and questionable life decisions.”
I smiled despite myself. “That’s accurate.”
We walked out together, sunlight spilling over the steps, conversation buzzing between us like we’d known each other forever.
Maybe this semester wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Or maybe, knowing my luck, that was wishful thinking.
Because the moment I thought it, I spotted a familiar figure by the parking lot.
Black hoodie. Dark eyes. The smirk that always spelled trouble.
Knox.
And just like that, peace didn’t feel so easy anymore.