The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

Ella POV:

I was done. Absolutely done. If Jason bumped his knee into mine one more time, I was going to snap. How the hell was he this clueless? I was trying to focus, but all I could think about was his constant hovering, like he had no concept of personal space.

Then, in the middle of class—right under the professor’s nose—his hand casually dropped onto my thigh. Seriously? He must’ve lost his damn mind. My blood was boiling, but I kept my face neutral, staring straight ahead like I didn’t even notice. Inside, though? I was ready to explode. Did he think I was just going to let him mess with me like this?

He leaned in, that irritating smirk plastered across his face. "You know, if you want to play this little silent game, I can play too," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. "But I’ve got a feeling you’ll crack first." Oh, I’ll crack alright. Right over your head.

I could feel my patience draining with every word that came out of his mouth. And that smirk? It was a challenge. Fine. If he wanted to play, I’d show him just how far I was willing to go. He thought I’d back down? Not a chance.

I let my hand drift down, slow and steady, brushing against his leg. I could practically feel the smugness radiating off him. He thought I was caving, thought he had me. His body went still like he was waiting for whatever I was about to do next.

Poor thing—he had no idea what was coming.

In one swift motion, my hand clamped down hard. Right over the spot he probably treasured the most in his body.

And that did the trick.

Jason froze, his cocky grin wiped off his face in an instant. Yeah, I knew I might’ve gone a bit too far, but I didn’t care. The guy was driving me insane, and worse, he was distracting me from the whole reason I was here. I wasn’t here for his games or his obnoxious flirting—I was here to get my damn education.

I didn’t sacrifice every last penny I had, scraping together just enough to cover my tuition, just so some rich, entitled bastard could derail me. He had all the free time in the world, could hire tutors if he ever needed help, and probably didn’t even have to worry about his grades. Meanwhile, I was hanging on to this chance like my life depended on it—because, in a way, it did.

Every second in this class mattered. Every lecture, every note I could take down. I wasn’t about to let him ruin that for me. So if squeezing his precious parts was what it took to get him to back off, then I had no problem going there.

His eyes widened, a mixture of shock and maybe even a little fear. Good. Now he was paying attention.

I froze, wide-eyed, my breath catching in my throat as she leaned in even closer. Her voice was all honey and venom when she whispered, "If you don’t get your hand off my thigh right now, Jason, I swear I will crush this pathetic excuse for a cock into dust."

He gave a quick nod, clearly understanding that I wasn’t messing around. Finally, some peace. Let him stew in that for a while. Maybe now I could actually focus on why I was here—because unlike him, I couldn’t afford to screw this up.

As the lecture drew to a close, the professor made an announcement that immediately caught my attention. There was a new competition sponsored by LBJ Company, and they were looking for young, talented entrepreneurs to partner with. We were tasked with coming up with a project, and if selected, it would be vetted by the board and even the CEO of the company. The best idea would open doors to a partnership, funding, and the chance to start a real company.

This was huge. This was more than just some class project or a grade—it was a ticket to success, a way to carve out my own path. Forget working for someone else’s dream, this was my chance to build my own. My path to success, my proof to the world—and to my father—that I was more than capable of standing on my own. No longer would I be in his shadow, or treated like I needed his empire to survive. I would show him that I could not only inherit it but elevate it to heights even he hadn’t imagined.

This was the opportunity I’d been waiting for. And no matter what, I was going to make sure that my project was the one that got selected.

But I could feel Jason’s eyes on me again, and I just knew he was thinking the same thing. Damn it. Of course, this competition was going to attract guys like him—people who think they can cruise through life and still win. But this wasn’t a game for me. This was real, and I wasn’t about to let anyone, especially him, get in my way.

As the professor wrapped up his lecture and left the room, Dylan turned around with a grin plastered across his face. "So, Ella, what do you think? You and me as business partners equals success, right?"

I looked at him like he’d just suggested we start a llama petting zoo. "Me plus Dylan in business? That’s a big, fat no." I gathered my books, trying to make a quick exit.

But before I could escape, Max jumped in, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "What about me? I could be a wild card!"

I shot him a deadpan look. "And that’s a hard never." I could practically hear the collective gasp of my sanity as I walked away from them, trying to stifle a laugh.

As I reached the door, I glanced back and added, "I’d rather take on a group project with a pack of feral cats than team up with you two."

Dylan called after me, "But think of the fun we’d have! Total chaos!"

"Exactly!" I shot back, grinning. "And I’m not looking to write a disaster novel anytime soon."

With that, I finally made my escape, knowing full well that my life would be a lot less entertaining without their antics, even if working with them would be a recipe for catastrophe.

As I walked away, I could hear Dylan’s voice trail after me, playful yet persistent. "Come on, Ella! Think about it! We’d make a killer team!"

I turned around just enough to give him a skeptical look, my brow raised. "Killer, as in a killer project or a killer headache? I’m not sure which is worse."

Max laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "What if I promise to keep the chaos to a minimum? That has to be worth something!"

I shook my head, trying to stifle a smile despite myself. "You two together are chaos incarnate. I value my sanity too much to join forces with either of you!"

Dylan stepped closer, feigning seriousness. "But think about all the fun we’d have! Business can be enjoyable, you know."

"Fun isn’t my priority when it comes to my future," I shot back, resisting the urge to laugh at his antics. "I need to be focused and professional, not caught up in your whirlwind."

Max leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk on his face. "You’re just scared you can’t keep up with us, aren’t you?"

I rolled my eyes again. "It’s not about being scared; it’s about knowing when to draw the line." With one last look at them, I turned to leave, determined to focus on my studies instead of their teasing. I could hear them chuckling behind me as I walked away, but I knew I’d made the right choice.

Dylan’s POV:

Making Ella my business partner would have been the perfect excuse to spend more time with her. I could already envision it: late nights brainstorming over takeout, playful debates over the best strategies, and those moments when we’d be so in sync that we’d finish each other’s sentences. The chances of her falling under my charm were high. I mean, who could resist my winning smile and undeniable charisma, right?

But there she was, shutting it down before it even had a chance to take off. It was like she spotted a bird trying to fly and immediately yanked it back down to the ground. "Me plus Dylan in business? That’s a big, fat no," she said, gathering her books like they were a protective shield.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her determination. Ella was fierce, and I respected that. But honestly, didn’t she realize how much more fun we could have? Max chimed in, trying to lighten the mood, but she dismissed him just as easily. "And that’s a hard never," she shot back.

I watched her walk away, feeling the weight of her rejection. It was a missed opportunity, sure, but it also lit a fire in me. If she wanted to play hard to get, fine. I thrived on challenges. I’d just have to find another way to convince her that we could be an unstoppable team—both in business and beyond. I grinned to myself, plotting my next move. Ella might have shut down my proposal, but I wasn’t giving up that easily. Not when I had my sights set on her.