Chapter 2: Enter Heather

The next few days felt like a blur. Jamie couldn’t stop thinking about that brief smile Heather gave him. It wasn’t anything special, but it felt like she had acknowledged his existence—something Chris never seemed to do. As much as he wanted to deny it, Heather had started to take up just as much space in his mind as Chris.

He sat at the library, attempting to focus on his assignments, but all he could think about was Chris’s easy laughter and the way Heather seemed to fit perfectly beside him.

“Jamie, are you listening?” Jules’ voice cut through his thoughts.

“Huh?” Jamie looked up, blinking.

Jules sighed dramatically. “You’ve been spacing out all day. What’s going on?”

Jamie bit his lip. He wanted to tell her, but how could he explain this weird, confusing mess in his head?

“I… I don’t know,” he muttered, leaning back in his chair. “It’s just… Chris and Heather.”

“Chris and Heather?” Jules raised an eyebrow. “As in both of them?”

Jamie looked down at his hands, fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. “Yeah… I guess.”

Jules leaned in, curious. “Wait, are you… interested in Heather now?”

Jamie’s face flushed. “No! I mean… I don’t know. It’s not like that.”

Jules smirked. “Mmhmm, sure. Tell me what it’s like, then.”

Jamie groaned. “It’s just… she’s so perfect, you know? Like, everything about her. The way she dresses, her hair, even the way she talks. It’s like… I don’t know.”

“You want to be her,” Jules finished for him, her smirk fading into something more serious.

Jamie blinked. “I… I guess, yeah. But it’s more than that. I want to know why Chris likes her so much. What makes her so special?”

Jules tilted her head. “You’re sure it’s just Chris you’re into?”

Jamie opened his mouth to argue, but stopped. Was it just about Chris anymore? Or was there something about Heather that was drawing him in, too?

“I don’t know,” Jamie admitted softly. “I’m just… confused.”

Jules nodded slowly. “Well, I don’t blame you. I mean, Heather’s pretty cool. I’ve talked to her a couple of times. She’s actually really sweet, if you get to know her.”

Jamie blinked. “You’ve talked to her?”

“Yeah, in our psych class,” Jules said, casually flipping through her textbook. “She’s not as untouchable as she seems, you know. You should say hi to her sometime.”

Jamie stared at Jules, his mind racing. Could he really just… talk to Heather? The thought made his heart pound. What would he even say?

As if the universe had heard his thoughts, a familiar laugh echoed through the library. Jamie froze. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Heather.

She was walking towards one of the tables, Chris right beside her. They were laughing about something, and Jamie’s stomach twisted into knots. They looked so happy together, so effortlessly perfect.

Jules nudged him. “There’s your chance. Go talk to her.”

Jamie’s eyes widened. “What? No way. Are you crazy?”

Jules rolled her eyes. “Come on, what’s the worst that could happen? You’ve been obsessing over her for days. Just go say something.”

Jamie shook his head, his palms already sweating at the thought. “I can’t. I’ll look like an idiot.”

Before he could protest any further, Jules stood up and called out, “Heather!”

Jamie’s heart dropped to his stomach. He glared at Jules, but it was too late.

Heather turned towards them, a bright smile on her face. “Oh, hey! What’s up?” she said as she walked over, Chris trailing behind her.

Jamie could feel his pulse in his throat. He was not ready for this.

Jules smiled casually. “Just wanted to introduce you to my friend Jamie. I think you two have seen each other in class.”

Jamie shot Jules a death glare, but managed a shaky smile as Heather’s eyes landed on him.

“Oh, hi! Jamie, right?” Heather smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Y-yeah, that’s me,” Jamie stammered, feeling like a complete idiot.

Chris was standing beside Heather, looking just as perfect up close as he did from afar. His presence made Jamie’s heart race, but for the first time, it wasn’t just Chris who was making him nervous.

Heather’s smile widened. “I’ve seen you around. You sit near the back, right?”

Jamie nodded, feeling his cheeks burn. “Yeah, that’s me. The, uh… back row guy.”

Heather laughed, and it was such a beautiful sound that Jamie felt his heart skip a beat. “Well, next time, come say hi! We’re always looking for new study buddies.”

Chris smiled at Jamie then, and for a moment, Jamie forgot how to breathe. “Yeah, man, we could use another brain in the group. You down?”

Jamie stared at Chris, barely processing his words. Study? With them? Together?

“I… uh… yeah. Sure. Sounds great,” Jamie managed to say, though his voice came out higher than he intended.

Heather beamed. “Awesome! We usually study at the coffee shop near campus. You should join us next time.”

Chris nudged Heather playfully. “Just so you know, she takes studying super seriously. She’ll drill you with questions.”

Heather rolled her eyes but laughed. “It’s called being prepared, Chris.”

Jamie watched them banter, feeling like an outsider in their world. But instead of the jealousy he expected to feel, there was something else—something warmer. He wasn’t just envious of Heather anymore. He was drawn to her, in a way he hadn’t been before.

“Anyway, we should get back to work,” Heather said, waving as she and Chris walked back to their table. “See you around, Jamie!”

Jamie watched them go, his heart still pounding in his chest. When they were out of earshot, he turned to Jules, who had the biggest smirk on her face.

“What the hell was that?” Jamie hissed.

“You’re welcome,” Jules said with a wink. “Now you’ve got an in. Don’t waste it.”

Jamie sighed, running a hand through his hair. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Not only had he talked to Heather, but he’d somehow managed to get invited to study with her and Chris.

As he sat back down, his thoughts were a mess. His feelings for Chris hadn’t changed, but now there was something new—something unexpected.

Heather.

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