The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

Ella POV:

Okay, I had my shift to finish and then I needed to dive deep into researching LBJ Company and come up with some ideas that would blow them away. But first, I had to survive the constant badgering from Dylan and Max. They were relentless today, asking me a thousand times to partner with them on the project. Seriously? Like I’d trust either of them with something this important. I said "no" so many times I was beginning to feel like a broken record. I really need to figure out how to get them off my back for good.

And then there was Jason. Oddly, he wasn’t saying a word. He didn’t even bother with his usual smug glances or smart remarks. It was... unsettling, to say the least. Normally, I’d feel his eyes trailing my every move, watching me like a hawk. It was like his gaze was burning into me, always intense and unwavering. But today, nothing. Just silence and that faraway look in his eyes.

It almost made me nervous. I found myself glancing at him, trying to gauge what was going on in that oversized head of his. He was completely zoned out. What could he be thinking about to look that lost? Was it something serious? Or—oh god—did I scare him off with the way I, well, *handled* him earlier? The thought made me chuckle a little. That would be hilarious. Jason, Mr. Untouchable, finally put in his place.

But still, it was weird. Part of me was almost tempted to poke him, just to see if he’d snap out of it.

Finally, some peace and quiet. After dodging a thousand "partner with me" pleas from Max and Dylan—and throwing in a few well-placed threats—they finally left, letting me breathe. They finished eating, and five minutes later, my shift ended. Thank God.

As I walked back through the alley, my eyes kept darting left and right, half-expecting Jason to pop up out of nowhere like he always did, with that cocky grin plastered on his face. But tonight? Nothing. No Jason lurking in the shadows. Weird. I shrugged it off, reached my place, and went through my usual night routine. Though, I couldn’t shake off the thoughts of Jason and his odd behavior today. The guy was basically a shadow, so his absence? Yeah, it was throwing me off a little.

After brushing it off, I flopped onto my bed, opened my laptop, and dove into researching LBJ Company. The more I dug, the more frustrated I became. Apparently, they were an up-and-coming giant in the electronics industry. Great, right? But there was one tiny problem—the CEO was a total mystery. No photos, no public appearances, no interviews. The guy was like a ghost, staying in incognito mode like some kind of digital ninja.

So now, I had to impress a man I knew absolutely nothing about. Perfect. I thought that if I could find out more about him—his background, his preferences, anything—I could tailor my project to win his approval. But no, I had to figure this out blindfolded. All I had to work with was the company’s overall profile and its focus on electronics. Fantastic.

I sighed, leaning back, staring at the ceiling. This was going to be harder than I thought. But, if I could pull this off... it could change everything.

I spent the entire night hunched over my laptop, struggling to piece together a project that would knock LBJ Company off their feet. The clock kept ticking, and with each passing hour, the pressure mounted. I sifted through endless ideas, scrapping them as quickly as they came. Electronics, innovation, user impact... my brain was practically on overdrive, and I had the headache to prove it.

By the time the sun began to rise, all I had managed to come up with was... well, *something*. Definitely not my best work, but I had laid the foundation. I stared at the screen, my eyes burning, my head throbbing, and I groaned.

"This project better be worth the bags I’m about to carry under my eyes," I muttered, feeling like I had aged ten years in a single night. I rubbed my face and slumped back in my chair.

No sleep, minimal progress. Great start, Ella. Great start. But I wasn’t about to give up—I was getting closer to something. I just had to refine it, push through, and soon enough, I’d have a solid project worthy of standing out. I just hoped I wouldn’t pass out halfway through class later today.

**** a week later 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The buzz about Amber’s downfall had finally died down, but of course, people needed a new topic, and the LBJ Company competition was the new obsession. Even Amber made her appearance today, though she wasn’t the same Amber who used to thrive on attention and drama. It was almost pathetic—she tried to blend in, like a deer trying to hide in plain sight, terrified that any form of attention would spark the memory of her downfall.

But karma’s funny like that. No matter how hard she tried to be invisible, someone would always point her out, murmuring about her "little secret." It wasn’t as bad as last week, but she wasn’t fooling anyone.

I, on the other hand, was dead to the world. All those late-night hours spent working on my project for the competition had left me a zombie. The moment I walked into the class, I couldn’t even care about Amber’s pathetic attempts at normalcy. I just wanted sleep.

Dragging myself to my usual spot, I didn’t even bother with the pretense of paying attention. I slumped onto my desk and shut my eyes, hoping to catch at least three minutes of sleep before the professor showed up. If anyone tried to disturb me right now, they were getting stabbed with a pen, no questions asked.

The classroom was buzzing with gossip, mostly about the LBJ Company CEO. The rumors were wild—some said he was young and ridiculously handsome, others claimed he was stinking rich but came from a wealthy family that had cut him off. Supposedly, he’d built his empire from scratch, and now, his family was begging him to come back.

Seriously? People were so quick to assume it was a "he." It never even crossed their minds that a woman could be the mastermind behind a multi-billion dollar company. There wasn’t a single photo or shred of information about the CEO, yet everyone seemed so sure of their assumptions. Typical.

But I wasn’t about to argue. I didn’t care who ran the company—man, woman, or alien. I just needed sleep, and if I could sneak in two more minutes, I might actually survive this day.

Honestly, people needed to get their priorities straight. Meanwhile, mine involved a quick power nap before the professor arrived. Two minutes could work miracles right about now.

Amber POV:

I couldn’t show my face for a week. A whole week. And the longer I hid, the more pissed I got. My dad’s team had tried retracing the digital footsteps of whoever exposed me, but the hacker was good—really good. It was like they vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

Sure, I knew my origin, but that didn’t mean I wanted to share it with the entire world! Only my parents and I knew the truth, and there was no way they’d breathe a word of it. I hadn’t trusted anyone with that information either, so how someone managed to dig it up was beyond me. But mark my words, if I ever caught them, they wouldn’t like what I’d do. Too bad even my father’s best tech team couldn’t trace them.

Now this LBJ Company competition—this was my golden ticket. Winning it would shoot me straight back to the top, restoring my reputation and then some. My dad’s team of experts was already working on it. Like, duh, did anyone expect me to do all the work myself? That’s what money’s for. Hire the best, claim the glory. Typical Amber move, right? I just hope they come through because if I don’t win, they’ll have more than just me to deal with—they’ll be hearing from daddy too.

My reputation was in tatters, and daddy made sure to remind me of the consequences. He said the scandal had ruined the marriage proposal he was negotiating with the King family. The King family. My one-way ticket to power and influence beyond this pathetic university. And now, I had to work twice as hard to gain back my glory, win the LBJ competition, and—most importantly—claim my Jason. Jason was meant for me, and no one—no one—was going to take him away.

I heard the rumors floating around campus, whispering about how Jason had been sitting with that hoodie girl ever since I missed a few days. She better watch her back because I’m back now, and Jason? He’s mine. Always has been. Always will be.

Transferring universities had crossed my mind, and daddy even suggested it. He wanted to whisk me away, protect me from any further "reproach" as he put it. But I was already halfway through the year, just months from graduating. A transfer now would set me back, and worse—it would take me away from Jason. I couldn’t afford that. Not when some bitch was trying to slide in just because I missed a few classes.

She thinks she can steal him in one week? Pathetic. Jason is mine, and I’ll remind him of that soon enough.