The final bell rang, and the classroom quickly filled with the usual after-school noise.
Students packed their bags, chairs scraped across the floor, and conversations overlapped everywhere.
Dean stretched her arms. "Finally."
Ezekiel leaned back in his chair beside her. "You say that every day."
"Because every day feels long when I have to sit next to you."
"Wow. Hurtful."
CJ suddenly appeared beside their desks, dropping his bag onto Dean's table.
"Group study today," he said. "My house. Don't forget."
Cy walked up behind him, holding her notebook. "You mean our group study."
CJ shrugged. "Same thing."
Dean looked at Ezekiel. "Are you actually going to study?"
"Of course," he said.
She narrowed her eyes.
"That sounded fake."
"Rude."
—
A little later, the four of them were sitting around CJ's living room table.
Books, notebooks, and snacks were scattered everywhere.
CJ was explaining a math problem while Dean tried to follow along.
Cy tapped her pen against her notebook, looking bored.
Ezekiel leaned back in his chair, clearly not paying attention.
"Are you even listening?" Dean asked him.
"Absolutely," he said confidently.
"Then what did CJ just say?"
Ezekiel paused.
"…numbers."
CJ threw a pencil at him.
"Idiot."
Dean sighed and shook her head.
"Why did we bring him again?"
"Emotional support," Ezekiel replied.
Dean rolled her eyes and looked back at her notebook.
As she leaned forward to write something down, Ezekiel suddenly reached over and brushed something off her hair.
Dean froze.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said casually. "There was something in your hair."
"Oh."
Dean looked back at her notes.
But for some reason, her ears felt warm.
Across the table, Cy slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes moved between Dean and Ezekiel.
Then she smirked.
"Oh my god," she whispered dramatically.
CJ frowned. "What?"
Cy leaned closer to him.
"They're flirting again."
CJ glanced at the other side of the table.
Dean was explaining something to Ezekiel while he leaned closer to hear her.
Their shoulders almost touched.
CJ sighed.
"Yeah," he said. "They do that."
Cy's eyes suddenly sparkled with mischief.
But instead of looking at Dean and Ezekiel again…
She turned to CJ.
"You know what?" she said.
"What?"
Cy leaned back in her chair.
"If those two won't date already… maybe we should ship someone else."
CJ frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Cy pointed between them.
"You and Ezekiel."
CJ stared at her.
"…what?"
Cy nodded seriously.
"You two argue like an old married couple too."
CJ slowly turned to look at Ezekiel.
Ezekiel blinked back at him.
Dean looked between them, confused.
Cy clapped her hands once.
"I ship it."
CJ immediately pointed at her.
"Absolutely not."
Cy grinned. "Coward."
CJ leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"Oh really?"
Cy tilted her head.
"Really."
CJ suddenly smirked.
"Well then," he said calmly.
"Should we date, Cy?"
The room went silent.
Dean choked on her drink.
Ezekiel burst out laughing.
Cy blinked twice.
"…wait."
CJ leaned forward slightly, still smirking.
"What happened?" he said. "You started it."
Cy pointed at him.
"That's illegal."
"It's not illegal."
"It feels illegal."
Dean wiped her mouth, still laughing.
"You two are insane."
Ezekiel shook his head.
"Worst study group ever."
CJ grabbed his notebook again.
"Alright," he said. "Back to studying before Cy ships the entire room."
Cy crossed her arms.
"No promises."
Dean leaned closer to her notebook again.
Ezekiel leaned closer too.
Their shoulders brushed slightly.
Dean looked at him.
He looked back.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then Ezekiel smiled.
Dean quickly looked back at her notes.
Across the table, Cy noticed everything.
And her grin slowly returned.
"Oh," she whispered to herself.
"This is going to be fun." After nearly an hour of studying, CJ suddenly slammed his pencil down.
"Break," he declared.
Dean immediately agreed. "Yes, please."
Cy stretched her arms above her head while Ezekiel grabbed CJ's game controller from the side table.
"You still have this?" Ezekiel asked.
CJ smirked. "Of course."
A few seconds later, the two boys were sitting on the floor in front of the TV, completely focused on the game.
Dean and Cy stayed at the table, watching them.
"You're losing," Ezekiel said casually.
CJ scoffed. "Relax."
The game continued for another minute before CJ groaned loudly.
"Oh come on!"
Ezekiel burst out laughing.
"I told you!"
CJ pointed at the screen. "I'm at the bottom!"
Without missing a beat, Ezekiel replied loudly,
"And I'm at the top, you idiot! Respect me here!"
Cy froze.
Slowly… very slowly… she turned her head toward Dean.
Her eyes sparkled with pure mischief.
Dean immediately understood.
Cy covered her mouth dramatically.
"Oh my god," she whispered.
Dean leaned closer.
"What?"
Cy pointed at the boys.
"Did you hear that?"
Dean tried to stay serious.
"I heard it."
Cy's grin slowly grew wider.
"My ship," she whispered dramatically.
"…is sailing."
Dean almost choked trying not to laugh.
On the floor, CJ and Ezekiel paused the game.
"Why are they laughing?" CJ asked.
Ezekiel looked back at the table suspiciously.
Dean waved a hand.
"Nothing."
Cy leaned forward.
"Nothing at all."
CJ narrowed his eyes.
"…I don't trust that."
Cy suddenly clasped her hands together.
"You said you're the top."
Ezekiel blinked.
"…in the game."
Cy nodded enthusiastically.
"Sure."
CJ realized what she meant and immediately grabbed a pillow.
"CY."
Dean finally lost it and started laughing.
"This study group is chaotic," she said.
CJ threw the pillow at Cy.
"You started this!"
Cy dodged it easily.
"Hey, I'm just supporting the relationship."
"There is no relationship!"
Dean raised her hand dramatically.
"Your honor, the evidence says otherwise."
Ezekiel sighed and stood up.
"You two are impossible."
Dean smirked.
"Come here, wife," she said jokingly. "Let me hug you."
CJ immediately pointed at her.
"SEE?!"
Cy clapped her hands like she had just proven something.
"My ship has TWO directions now."
Ezekiel walked over and flicked Dean's forehead lightly.
"Stop stealing my joke."
Dean kicked his leg.
"You started it."
The rest of the night continued like that.
They studied for a while.
Then argued about answers.
Then joked again.
Sometimes CJ and Ezekiel argued over games.
Sometimes Cy made dramatic comments about "ships."
And sometimes Dean and Ezekiel teased each other until one of them kicked the other under the table.
Hours passed quickly.
Eventually CJ checked the time.
"Okay," he said. "That's enough studying for today."
Cy packed her notebook.
Dean closed hers too.
Ezekiel stretched his arms.
As they walked outside together, the night air felt cool and quiet.
CJ waved lazily.
"Same study group next time?"
Dean nodded.
"Sure."
Cy pointed at Dean and Ezekiel.
"I'll bring wedding invitations."
Ezekiel groaned.
"Please stop."
Dean laughed.
"Goodnight, idiots."
One by one, they all walked in different directions.
Still laughing.
Still teasing.
Still pretending everything between them was simple.
Just friends.
Even though sometimes…
It felt like something more.
Something confusing.
Something that neither Dean nor Ezekiel wanted to admit yet.
Something dangerously close to
Almost something.