The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

Ella POV:

Okay, so... this wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Jason—against all odds—actually kept his promise. I handed over my notes, expecting him to make some sarcastic comment or crack a joke, but he just sat there quietly, flipping through the pages like a diligent student.

Every now and then, though, he’d glance up at me with this ridiculously sweet smile, like he was trying to charm the very air around him. I mean, who does that? Jason King, the self-proclaimed king of arrogance, sitting in my living room, behaving. Studying.

This was officially weird.

I tried to ignore him, focusing on my own work—my laptop open, fingers typing furiously as I powered through an assignment. But the weight of his gaze kept pulling my attention. I glanced up and, sure enough, there it was again—that stupid, soft smile.

"What?" I finally snapped, unable to take it anymore.

Jason blinked, as if I’d startled him, then tilted his head. "Nothing," he said, his voice light and casual. "Just... you look cute when you’re focused."

My jaw dropped, and I immediately threw the nearest pillow at him. "Don’t start with me, Jason!"

He caught the pillow mid-air, laughing softly. "What? It’s a compliment!"

"Well, keep it to yourself!" I retorted, turning back to my laptop with a huff. My cheeks burned, though, and I hated how much his words lingered.

For a few minutes, silence fell over the room again, and I managed to relax. The sound of pages turning and the occasional scribble of his pen filled the space. It was... surprisingly nice. Peaceful, almost.

Okay, Ella, don’t get used to this. It’s Jason. He’s just being unusually tolerable tonight.

But as I stole another glance at him—his head bent over the notes, brow furrowed in concentration—I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was more to him than the obnoxious, arrogant exterior he always wore.

Still, I wasn’t about to let my guard down. Not yet.

After a while, I heard the crinkle of a bag being torn open. Jason had decided it was time to raid the snacks he’d brought. "Chips?" he offered, holding the bag out to me with a hopeful look.

I hesitated, giving him my best skeptical glare, but my resolve wavered when I caught a whiff of salt and vinegar. Damn it. My stomach betrayed me with a low grumble, and before I could stop myself, I reached out and grabbed a handful.

"See? I knew you couldn’t resist," Jason said with a smug grin, popping a chip into his mouth.

"Don’t get used to it," I retorted, munching away. To my dismay—and his triumph—they were delicious. Stupid Jason and his stupid good taste in snacks.

Next, he pulled out a packet of biscuits. I glanced over, trying to feign indifference, but the sight of those buttery, chocolate-dipped biscuits made my mouth water. "You want some, don’t you?" he teased, holding one up like he was dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit.

"Fine," I grumbled, snatching the biscuit from his hand. "But only because I’m hungry."

Jason laughed, the sound warm and unguarded, and for a moment, I forgot to be annoyed.

Then came the chocolate. Oh, he really went all out. My eyes widened as he unwrapped a bar of dark chocolate with hazelnuts—the kind I only splurged on when I was having a particularly rough day.

"Alright, who told you my favorite snacks?" I asked suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at him.

Jason shrugged, feigning innocence. "Lucky guess."

"Lucky, my ass," I muttered, but I took a square of chocolate anyway. It was heavenly. The perfect mix of bitter and sweet, with a satisfying crunch from the hazelnuts. Damn it, I was starting to hate how much I was enjoying this.

Before long, the exhaustion of the day began to catch up with me. Between the warm, cozy atmosphere and the indulgent snacks, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. I fought to stay awake, determined not to let my guard down around Jason of all people, but the pull of sleep was too strong.

Jason must have noticed. "Tired?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.

"No," I lied, blinking rapidly in a futile attempt to stay alert.

He chuckled. "Liar. You’ve been yawning for the past five minutes."

I wanted to snap back with a clever retort, but my brain was too foggy to come up with anything. Instead, I sank further into the cushions, my head tilting slightly to the side.

"Go ahead," Jason said after a moment, his voice low and soothing. "Close your eyes. I’ll keep it down."

"Don’t... tell me what to do," I mumbled, but my words lacked any real bite.

Jason didn’t respond, but I could feel his gaze on me, warm and unguarded. He didn’t say another word as I let my eyes flutter shut, the sound of his pen scratching against the paper lulling me into a peaceful haze.

And just like that, I drifted off, surrounded by the scent of chocolate and the faint, comforting presence of the boy who, against all odds, was making himself surprisingly hard to hate.

Jason POV

I had to admit, walking into Ella’s apartment was like stepping into another world. It wasn’t extravagant or overly polished like the places I was used to, but there was something about it that felt real. The small bookshelf overflowing with novels, the slightly mismatched cushions on the couch, even the faint scent of vanilla hanging in the air—it all screamed her. It was chaotic and warm, and maybe I was crazy, but I liked it.

But what I liked even more? Watching Ella try to pretend I wasn’t here.

She was sitting a few feet away from me, curled up on the couch like some kind of moody cat, pretending to focus on whatever she was typing in her laptop she had pulled out to distract herself from me. Her hair was falling in loose waves over her shoulders, and every so often, she’d reach up to tuck a strand behind her ear with this unconscious grace that completely threw me off my game.

God, I was a goner.

I tried to focus on the notes she’d begrudgingly handed over, but my attention kept drifting back to her. She’d sigh dramatically every time I so much as shifted in my seat, and I swear, I could feel her glare burning into the side of my head. I couldn’t help but smile. She was stubborn as hell, but damn if it wasn’t the most adorable thing I’d ever seen.

After a while, I decided to push my luck. I tore open the bag of chips I’d brought and held it out to her. "Want some?"

Ella glanced at me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously, but the rumble of her stomach gave her away. She snatched a handful without a word, popping a chip into her mouth with all the enthusiasm of someone who really didn’t want to admit she was enjoying herself.

"See? Told you they were good," I said, smirking.

"Don’t get used to it," she shot back, but her tone lacked its usual bite.

One by one, I worked my way through the snacks, offering her something new every time she finished what she was eating. The biscuits were a hit—she didn’t even try to hide how much she liked those. And the chocolate? Let’s just say I’d never seen her look so close to smiling.

"Alright," she finally said, pointing a biscuit at me like it was some kind of weapon. "Who told you my favorite snacks?"

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Lucky guess."

She narrowed her eyes. "Lucky, my ass."

I chuckled, biting into a piece of chocolate. God, she was fun to mess with.

But as the night wore on, something shifted. Ella started to relax, her usual sharp edges softening into something quieter, something more vulnerable. Her posture loosened, and the tension in her shoulders eased as she sank further into the cushions. For a moment, it felt like we weren’t two people constantly at odds, but just... two people.

And then I noticed the yawns. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

At first, she tried to hide them, covering her mouth with her hand or turning her head away, but I caught every single one. "Tired?" I asked, watching as her eyelids fluttered briefly before she snapped them open again.

"No," she said, but her voice was softer now, lacking its usual venom.

"Liar," I teased, leaning back against the couch. "You’ve been yawning for the past five minutes."

She glared at me, but it didn’t have the same heat as before. If anything, it was almost... playful.

I went quiet after that, not wanting to push her too far. Instead, I kept my movements slow, my voice low, letting the atmosphere settle into something calm and peaceful.

Ella tried to fight it, but I could see the exhaustion creeping up on her. Her head tilted slightly to the side, her lashes drooping as she fought to stay awake.

"Go ahead," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Close your eyes. I’ll keep it down."

"Don’t... tell me what to do," she mumbled, her words slurring just a little.

I smiled, watching as she gave up the fight entirely, her breathing evening out as sleep took over. She looked so different like this, so... unguarded. The usual fire in her eyes was replaced by a quiet softness, and for the first time, I realized just how beautiful she was when she wasn’t trying so hard to keep the world at arm’s length.

I didn’t dare move, afraid that even the smallest sound might wake her. Instead, I sat there in silence, my eyes fixed on her peaceful face. The dim light of the room cast a warm glow across her features, highlighting the delicate curve of her cheekbones and the faint smattering of freckles across her nose.

God, I was so smitten it wasn’t even funny.

For someone who claimed to hate me, Ella had a way of getting under my skin like no one else ever had. She challenged me, called me out on my bullshit, and somehow managed to make me want to be better—all without even realizing it.

And now, sitting here in her living room while she slept, I couldn’t help but wonder how the hell I’d gotten so lucky.

Sure, she’d probably kill me when she woke up and realized I’d stayed longer than my promised hour, but for now, I let myself enjoy the moment.

I leaned back against the couch, my heart inexplicably full as I watched her sleep. Maybe she’d never see me the way I saw her, and maybe I’d spend the rest of my life trying to win her over. But for now, just being here, being part of her world, was enough.

I had fallen for Ella. Hard.

And there was no turning back.