Infinite Cashback System

Kevin wrapped up the discussion section at 10:47 exactly, dismissing the class with a reminder about the midterm next week. Jordan stood and stretched his arms overhead, feeling his shoulders pop in a way that would have hurt like hell two days ago. Now it just felt good.

Kyle packed up his laptop. "So. Eight o’clock. Brass Monkey in Koreatown."

"Yeah, I’ll be there."

"You need a ride or you got your own thing?"

"I’ll drive myself."

Kyle slung his backpack over one shoulder. "Cool. See you tonight then."

"See you."

Kyle headed for the door, stopping briefly to hold it open for a group of girls leaving. Jordan grabbed his phone off the desk and checked the screen.

Three messages waited.

Mom: Call me when you get a chance sweetie! I want to hear all about this girlfriend Cassie mentioned!

Leo: still good for tonight right??? I already told kumiko we’re coming

And one from Chloe, sent thirty seconds ago.

Chloe: Stay.

Jordan’s thumb hovered over the screen.

He looked up. Chloe sat in the back row still, her hoodie pulled up, talking to Alexis and Kumiko in low voices. Her eyes flicked to Jordan for half a second before darting away.

Jordan sat back down.

The room emptied out slowly. Students filed past his desk in pairs and groups, their voices fading into the hallway. Kevin gathered his notes at the front, stuffing papers into his messenger bag without looking up.

Alexis stood first. "Come on, Kumi. I need coffee before my next class."

"But what about—"

"Now."

Kumiko pouted but grabbed her ita-bag anyway. The keychains jingled as she hoisted it onto her shoulder. "Fine. But you’re buying."

"I always buy."

"Because you’re rich."

The two of them walked toward the door. Kumiko waved at Jordan as she passed his desk. "See you tonight, Jordan!"

Jordan waved back.

Alexis didn’t say anything. Just kept walking.

The door closed behind them with a soft click.

Kevin looked up from his bag. "You guys need something?"

Chloe stood and walked down the steps, her sneakers silent on the tile. "Yeah, I had a question about the aggregate demand elasticity stuff from Monday’s lecture."

Kevin’s face lit up the way it always did when someone actually cared about the material. "Oh yeah? What part?"

"The substitution effect calculation. I’m not sure I’m doing it right."

"Let me see your notes."

Chloe pulled out her notebook and opened it to a page covered in neat handwriting and margin sketches of flowers. She held it out to Kevin.

Kevin pushed his glasses up and studied the page. "Okay, so the issue here is you’re confusing real income effect with substitution effect. They’re related but distinct. Here, let me show you."

He grabbed a marker and started writing on the whiteboard, launching into an explanation that involved way too many Greek letters and not enough normal words.

Chloe stood next to him, nodding along like she understood everything.

Jordan knew she didn’t actually need help with economics. She sat three rows ahead in their shared Econ lecture and never once looked confused. This was a performance.

Kevin kept talking. Chloe kept nodding. Jordan sat at his desk and watched the clock on the wall tick forward.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

Kevin finally capped his marker. "Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, totally. Thanks, Kevin."

"No problem. Office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays if you need more help."

"I’ll remember that."

Kevin grabbed his bag and his coffee. "Alright, I gotta run. Lock the door behind you when you leave."

"Will do."

Kevin headed out. The door closed. His footsteps faded down the hallway.

The room went silent.

Chloe turned around and looked at Jordan. Her face gave away nothing. Tired eyes. Tight jaw. Hoodie still pulled up over her ponytail.

Jordan waited.

"Do you have any more classes today?" Chloe asked.

"No."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

She nodded slowly. Her fingers twisted the hem of her hoodie. "Are you hungry? Or something?"

Jordan’s stomach answered before his brain could. A low growl that echoed off the empty walls.

Chloe’s mouth twitched. Almost a smile. Not quite.

"I could eat," Jordan said.

"There’s leftovers at home. If you want."

Jordan’s chest tightened. Home. She said home like it was a place they both belonged.

"Hell yeah," Jordan said. "I love Korean food."

"I know."

Chloe grabbed her backpack and slung it over one shoulder. She walked toward the door without looking back.

Jordan stood. Grabbed his notebook. Shoved his pens in his pocket.

Chloe reached the door and pushed it open. The hallway noise flooded in.

She stopped in the doorway and glanced back over her shoulder.

Her eyes met his.

Jordan understood immediately. She wanted him to follow her. Walk with her. Not behind her like some creep, but beside her like they were together.

Even though they weren’t together.

Even though everything was broken and wrong and he’d lied to her face about something so stupid it made his brain hurt to think about.

Jordan walked up the aisle. His shoes squeaked against the tile.

Chloe turned and headed down the hallway. Jordan fell into step beside her, matching her pace. Not too close. Not too far.

They walked in silence.

The hallway opened into the main quad. January sun streamed down through the palm trees lining the walkways. Students sprawled out on the grass, textbooks open, earbuds in, soaking up the warmth.

Jordan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it.

Chloe led them toward the north parking structure. The same structure where Jordan parked his Civic every morning. Where Chloe parked her identical Civic three spaces away.

They climbed the ramp to the third level. Concrete walls closed in on both sides. The air smelled like exhaust and hot asphalt.

Chloe’s white Civic sat in its usual spot near the elevator.

She stopped next to the driver’s side door and pulled her keys from her backpack. The pink keychain with the cat charm dangled from her fingers.

Jordan waited.

Chloe unlocked the car. Opened the door. Threw her backpack onto the passenger seat.

Then she turned around and looked at him.