It was that guy; the one who made the whole class laugh at Jenny earlier.
As he walked by, Jeremy casually stuck out a leg, like oops, didn't see you there.
"Yo! Watch it, Jeremy!" Rex barked, stumbling to keep his balance.
Before Rex could take two steps, Jeremy grabbed a fistful of his shirt collar.
"What the hell were you pulling back there? Acting tough? Bullying her in front of everyone?" Jeremy snapped, face inches from Rex's, his voice sharp enough to cut.
"And what, she your damn girlfriend or something? Mind your own!"
Before Rex could finish, bam! Jeremy's fist crashed into his face.
Rex stumbled back, wiping the tiny streak of blood from his cheek.
"Ahhh! You jerk!" Rex growled, swinging back, only to be grabbed mid-motion by one of Jeremy's boys, as a crowd started to form.
"Isn't that the same guy who dissed Jenny earlier?" one student whispered to her friend.
"Real question is, why's Jeremy so pressed about it?"
"Wait... you think he likes her?"
"No way! Jenny? The nerd? Jeremy would never stoop that low. He's just pulling the hero card again like he always does," her friend replied, and they all giggled and swooned.
"Ughhh, Jeremy's so hot," one of the girls sighed dreamily.
They pinned Rex's arms behind him, holding him like a rag doll.
Jeremy strode up slowly, eyes burning.
"Next time you mess with her….or anyone else….I'll break every damn finger you've got."
"Let him go," Jeremy ordered, turning his back as his guys finally released Rex.
*
*
*
*
Jeremy walked past the threshold of his home when is mom's voice called out from the kitchen, "Jeremy, wash up! Dinner's almost ready!"
He stopped midway, "Mum always knows when I come in," and smiled.
"Yeah," he said as he walked in.
Raising his eyes, he caught sight of someone.
Maximus.
He was leaning casually against the living room wall, arms crossed and a lazy grin plastered on his face.
"Yo, cousin," Max said, pushing off the wall. "Long time, huh?"
Maximus was back.
Jeremy blinked. "Max? What the hell…you didn't tell anyone you were coming back."
"Surprise," Maximus smirked, dropping his duffel bag on the floor.
He was as hard to miss as ever.
Towering at 6'2", Max had jet-black hair that curled just slightly at the edges, emerald green eyes that always seemed to sparkle with mischief, and a jawline sharp enough to model for cologne ads. Jeremy, standing at an even 6 feet, was no slouch himself, but next to Max… he always felt like background noise.
Max had the whole effortless bad-boy charm thing down to a science. Girls used to follow him around like moths to a flame before he moved to California.
And now, he was back.
Living with them.
Great.
*
*
*
Jenny's POV
The front door creaked open and Jenny stepped inside, dropping her bag by the shoe rack like it weighed a thousand pounds.
The comforting smell of garlic and tomato sauce drifted from the kitchen, and her mom's voice floated in from the living room, humming along to a playlist of 80s ballads.
"Jenny, that you?" her mom called.
"Yeah," Jenny replied, her voice flat as she kicked off her shoes.
She made it halfway down the hall before—
"Jen-nay!" came a voice from upstairs, stretched out in the most annoying singsong.
Her brother, Caleb.
Before she could even roll her eyes, he was thundering down the stairs two at a time, wearing mismatched socks and a headset around his neck.
"You looked like a raccoon on the school bus," he said, grinning like he'd just delivered a punchline worthy of a late-night show. "You okay? Or did your anime boyfriend dump you?"
Jenny gave him a glare. "You're the reason I believe in karma."
"Aw, come on," Caleb said, draping an arm over her shoulder like a cheesy sitcom brother. "Don't be mad. Want me to beat someone up for you? I've been working on my dramatic slap technique."
"Go away," she muttered, shrugging him off.
"I live here too, drama queen," he called as he headed into the kitchen, probably to steal food before dinner. "Besides, you love me. Deep, deep down."
Jenny groaned and made her way to her room, ignoring her sister's door slightly ajar across the hall.
Her older sister, Rachel, was probably already curled up with a book or responding to work messages.
Rachel worked at one of the biggest media companies in the city, a rising journalist known for her sharp headlines and fearless attitude.
Rachel was the golden child; quiet, driven, effortlessly graceful. Jenny admired her, even if she sometimes felt like she lived in her shadow.
She shut the door to her room and flopped onto her bed, face-first into the pillow.
Her backpack lay forgotten on the floor, textbooks poking out like they were judging her for slacking off. But for once, homework wasn't the biggest weight on her mind.
The house buzzed with warmth, pots clanging, the distant murmur of her dad's voice as he got home from work—but Jenny just felt… off.
Dull. Like the day had drained every bit of color from her.
And worst of all, she couldn't stop seeing Jeremy's face.
Not the smirk he always wore. The way he looked when she handed over the letter.
She sighed, pulling a blanket over her head. Maybe tomorrow would be better. Or at least less humiliating.
A knock came a few minutes later. "Dinner's ready, sweetheart."
"Okay," she mumbled.
Downstairs, Caleb shouted, "I call dibs on the biggest slice of lasagna!"
---
At Dinner
The dining table was already set when Jenny dragged herself downstairs.
It was her favorite; garlic bread and cheesy lasagna, but even that wasn't enough to lift her mood.
She slid into her seat, across from Caleb, who was already halfway through his first slice and chewing like it was a sport.
"So," her dad began cheerfully, pouring himself a glass of water, "how was school today?"
Jenny stabbed her lasagna. "Fine."