The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

JASON POV:

Practice was a drag. I couldn’t focus knowing I had somewhere else I’d rather be—Ella’s place. So, the second Coach blew the whistle, I grabbed my stuff and ditched Dylan and Max. They were heading to the lockers to shower and do whatever it is they do to waste time, but I wasn’t about to stick around. I told them I’d shower at home, and that’s exactly what I did.

Shower, change, grab the book with the notes I painstakingly took today—check. Now, I just needed to make a pit stop or two to ensure I didn’t get the door slammed in my face the second Ella saw me and got the notes.

First up: food. I knew Ella. If I showed up empty-handed, she’d take the book, say thanks, and send me packing. But if I brought dinner? Specifically, KFC chicken wings and fries? Well, that was a different story.

Then there were the biscuits. Ella had this thing for a specific brand of chocolate biscuits. I figured, between the dinner and the biscuits, she might actually let me stay long enough to make sure she read my notes. Okay, and maybe to see her smile when she realized I put thought into it.

The plan was flawless. The execution? Not so much.

First, there was the stupid traffic jam. I don’t know what was happening on the main road, but it was gridlocked. I swore under my breath, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel as I watched the minutes tick by.

When I finally made it to the KFC drive-through, the line was insane. Of course, it was. Because apparently, everyone and their mother had decided that tonight was fried chicken night. I considered ditching the plan, but then I remembered how Ella’s face lit up when she ate something she loved. Damn it, I was already committed.

By the time I got the food, I was practically fuming. The fries were in danger of going cold, and I still had to hit the supermarket. At this rate, she’d have eaten dinner, finished her chocolate stash, and gone to bed before I even knocked on her door.

I sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter as I pulled into the supermarket parking lot. All this effort for one girl. One infuriating, sassy, brilliant girl. I had it bad.

But if Ella’s happiness meant enduring a little chaos, then so be it. After all, she was worth it. Even if it meant I’d have to eat cold fries alone in my car later if she slammed the door in my face anyway.

By the time I finally reached Ella’s place, it was already nine. The traffic, the drive-through, and the hunt for her favorite biscuits had stretched my patience to its limits. I parked the car, grabbed the KFC bag and the biscuits, locked up, and started toward her building. That’s when I saw her.

Ella was walking back toward her apartment, a small bag in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. She didn’t notice me, her focus squarely on her chocolate as she unwrapped it with the kind of single-minded determination I usually reserved for game-winning free throws.

I paused mid-step. Where had she been at this time of night?

For a brief, irrational moment, my mind went straight to the worst possibility—a date. My stomach twisted at the thought. But then I reminded myself that this was Ella. She wasn’t the type to go on a date while battling cramps and skipping work. Right?

Still, I didn’t like not knowing. Clearly, I had a lot to learn about girls because, apparently, I’d made the rookie mistake of assuming she’d stay put all day.

I watched her until she disappeared into her apartment, debating my next move. It was tempting to walk up and knock on the door right then and there, but I knew how that would go. She’d open the door, see me, raid my bag for the food and biscuits, mumble a half-hearted thanks, and slam the door in my face before I could say a word.

So, I waited.

I gave her some time to settle in, figuring it was better to catch her when she wasn’t expecting me. A surprise attack with food and thoughtful gestures—my best chance at not getting kicked out immediately.

As I stood there, the KFC bag warming my hand, I couldn’t help but grin. Ella might’ve been unpredictable, infuriating, and completely impossible to figure out, but she was also worth every bit of this effort.

Now, all I had to do was convince her of that.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, I figured I’d given Ella enough time to settle in—or at least enough time to not immediately slam the door in my face. Gathering my courage, I headed up to her apartment, balancing the bag of KFC and her favorite biscuits in one hand.

When I reached her door, I hesitated for just a second. My plan seemed foolproof—show up with food, make her laugh, and charm my way into not being kicked out. But then again, this was Ella. Plans didn’t always work with her.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked firmly and prayed she was in a decent mood. The sound of footsteps approaching made my heart pick up speed. The door swung open, and there she was.

Ella stood there, popping a piece of chocolate into her mouth, her eyes widening slightly when she saw me. She looked more relaxed than she had this morning, though her expression still carried that skeptical "What now?" energy that I’d come to associate with her.

"I brought dinner," I said quickly, holding up the bag as my peace offering.

She didn’t say a word at first, just stared at me like she was weighing whether or not to let me in. Finally, with an exaggerated sigh, she stepped aside and motioned for me to enter.

Good Lord, was I in the right place?

The cozy warmth of her apartment hit me as soon as I stepped inside, and I couldn’t help but take in the sight. Her blanket from this morning was still draped over the couch, and the faint aroma of whatever chocolate she’d been devouring hung in the air. It was... nice. Comfortable. Way more personal than I’d expected, and for some reason, that made me smile.

"You really came all the way here with food?" she asked, closing the door behind me.

"Well, I didn’t want you to starve," I replied, trying to sound casual while setting the bag on her small dining table. "And I figured bribing you with food might keep me on your good side."

Ella raised an eyebrow, but I noticed the faintest twitch of a smile on her lips. "Smart move. For once, you’re using that brain of yours."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said, pulling out the containers of chicken and fries. "I also got these." I reached into my bag and pulled out the biscuits, holding them up like a trophy.

Her eyes lit up for a split second before she quickly masked it with her usual sass. "Okay, now you’re just showing off."

"Guilty," I admitted with a grin.

Ella grabbed a chair and plopped down at the table, eyeing the food like she wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or suspicious. "So, what’s the catch?" she asked, unwrapping a fry and popping it into her mouth.

"No catch," I said, sliding a piece of chicken onto a plate for her. "I promised I’d bring you notes, and I figured dinner might make up for my messy handwriting."

She snorted. "Might? You’re going to need a miracle to make me understand your notes."

"Hey, I actually paid attention today," I shot back, pretending to be offended. "I even wrote down everything the professor said. I might have a future as a scribe."

Ella rolled her eyes but reached for the food, clearly amused. "We’ll see about that. If your notes are as bad as your jokes, you’re not stepping foot in here again."

"Noted," I said, sitting across from her and opening a container of fries for myself.

As she dug into her meal, I watched her relax more and more. Her earlier grumpiness seemed to fade with each bite, and for a moment, it felt like we’d fallen into an easy rhythm—no snarky defenses, no walls, just two people sharing a meal.

"You’re not half bad, Jason," she said suddenly, her tone light but sincere.

"Only half?" I teased, though her words made my chest feel a little lighter.

She smirked. "Don’t push your luck."

Fair enough. If this was progress, I’d take it.

I was mid-bite when Ella hit me with a line that had me choking on my fry. "I don’t know which ghost visited you and showed you your past, present, or future," she said, her tone dripping with sass, "but whatever made you change from your obnoxious self, they did a pretty good job."

I coughed, quickly grabbing my drink to keep myself from actually choking. "Wow, Ella," I said, setting my cup down. "Way to hit me with the Dickens special. Are you saying I used to be that bad?"

She gave me a flat look, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. "Used to be? Jason, if we were scoring obnoxiousness, you’d still hold the record."

"Harsh," I muttered, though I couldn’t help but laugh. "I’ll have you know, I’m not obnoxious—I’m charming."

"Keep telling yourself that," she quipped, popping another fry into her mouth.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. "You know, it’s funny. You’re always quick with the insults, but you still let me in. So either I’m not as bad as you claim, or you secretly enjoy my company."

She raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching like she was trying not to smile. "Or I’m just too polite to kick you out."

"Polite?" I repeated, laughing. "Ella, you’ve literally threatened to slam the door in my face before. Politeness doesn’t really seem to be your thing."

She shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Maybe I’m growing soft. Or maybe you caught me in a good mood—thanks to the chocolate, of course."

"Ah, so it’s not me; it’s the chocolate," I said with mock disappointment. "Good to know where I stand."

"Exactly," she said, her tone teasing but firm. "Chocolate ranks way higher than you on the Ella-approved list." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

I held up my hands in surrender. "Fair enough. Guess I’ll just have to keep showing up with food and biscuits to keep my spot on that list."

"Smart man," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

For a moment, we just sat there, the banter fading into a comfortable silence. Watching Ella relax, actually enjoying the meal, made all the traffic and waiting worthwhile. Whatever ghost of obnoxiousness she thought I’d shed, I was glad it worked.

"By the way," I said, breaking the quiet, "if you ever figure out which ghost it was that did the job, let me know. I owe them a thank-you."

She rolled her eyes but didn’t hide the smile that finally broke through. "Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that."