Episode 14: Late-Night Study Session

Episode 14: Late-Night Study Session

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Ivy’s POV

I hated chemistry.

Not just in the ugh, this class is boring way, but in the this subject is actively ruining my life way.

No matter how many times I tried to understand molecular structures, balancing equations, or whatever nonsense my professor droned on about, it just wouldn’t click.

So, when Elena offered to help me study, I agreed out of sheer desperation.

Big mistake.

Not because she was a bad tutor—no, the opposite, actually.

The real problem?

Trying to focus when Elena was sitting this close.

We were in my dorm, my laptop and textbooks sprawled out across the tiny desk, but the real distraction was Elena. She had taken my desk chair, so I was sitting cross-legged on my bed, trying not to stare at the way she twirled her pen between her fingers as she explained ionic bonds.

Or at her lips.

Or at the way she smirked every time I got something wrong.

Or—

I was screwed.

"Carter, are you even listening?"

I blinked. "Uh—yeah. Totally."

Elena smirked. "Really? Then tell me—what’s the difference between covalent and ionic bonds?"

Panic.

I scrambled to remember anything from the last ten minutes. "Uh… covalent is… strong? And ionic is… also strong?"

Elena sighed, shaking her head. "Wow. Just—wow."

I groaned, flopping onto my back. "I suck at this."

Elena chuckled. "You don’t suck, Little One. You’re just overthinking."

I huffed. "I’m terrible at science. My brain just doesn’t work like this."

Elena tilted her head, studying me. "Alright, new approach."

She closed my textbook and set it aside, shifting so she was fully facing me.

"Okay, imagine this—" she started, voice dropping into that teasing, confident tone that made my stomach do stupid flips. "—you and I are in a bond."

I sat up. "What?"

Her smirk deepened. "I’m just making an analogy. Stay with me."

I narrowed my eyes. "Fine."

"So, let’s say we’re an ionic bond," she continued smoothly. "That means one of us is giving something to the other. Like electrons."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying I steal things from you?"

Elena laughed. "More like—one of us is willing to give something up. A little give-and-take dynamic." She leaned in slightly. "You know, like how you always steal my coffee but never buy me one in return?"

I gasped. "That’s totally different!"

"Is it?"

I crossed my arms. "Fine. What about covalent bonds, then?"

Elena’s gaze flickered over me, her smirk shifting into something more unreadable. "Covalent bonds are stronger. More equal. Both sides share electrons."

She paused. "It’s like… when two people match each other. When they balance each other out."

There was something in the way she said it that made my heart race.

The air between us suddenly felt heavier, like the weight of something unspoken had settled in the room.

My mouth felt dry. "That… actually makes sense."

Elena’s smirk returned. "See? You’re smarter than you think, Carter."

My brain scrambled for a response, but I couldn’t focus, not with the way she was looking at me—like she was waiting for me to catch onto something she wasn’t saying out loud.

The silence stretched.

And then—

Elena reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"You’re blushing," she murmured.

I instantly smacked her hand away. "I am not!"

Elena chuckled, leaning back. "Sure, Little One. Whatever you say."

I wanted to argue, to come up with some snarky response, but my brain was still lagging from the fact that she had just touched my face.

My entire body felt like it was on fire.

I was so, so screwed.

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Elena’s POV

Ivy Carter was a terrible liar.

She was blushing. Hard.

I wasn’t sure when exactly I had started noticing everything about her—the way she bit her lip when she was thinking, the way her eyes lit up when she finally understood something, the way she got defensive when I teased her—but now, it was impossible to ignore.

And, god, she made it so easy to push her buttons.

I watched as she buried her face in her hands, muttering something about chemistry being dumb.

I smirked. "Aw, come on, Carter. Don’t hide from me."

She peeked through her fingers. "I’m ignoring you."

"That’s a bold strategy, considering I’m the only reason you’re passing this class."

She groaned. "I hate you."

"No, you don’t."

She shot me a glare, but her lips twitched like she was trying not to smile.

God, she was cute.

Before I could stop myself, I leaned in again. "Admit it—you like studying with me."

She rolled her eyes. "I like that you’re explaining things in a way my brain actually understands. That’s it."

I hummed. "Mmm. You sure about that?"

She faltered.

And that’s when I saw it.

The way her breath hitched.

The way she looked at my lips.

The way she clenched her hands like she was trying to stop herself from doing something.

My heartbeat kicked up a notch.

I was about to say something—maybe push her just a little more—when, suddenly—

She kissed me.

For a second, my brain completely shut down.

Ivy Carter just kissed me.

It was quick, barely a brush of lips, but it sent a shockwave through my entire body.

And judging by the way Ivy immediately yanked herself back, eyes wide in horror, she was just as stunned as I was.

"Oh my god," she blurted. "I—I didn’t mean to—"

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t mean to?"

She looked completely mortified. "It was—it was impulsive! I wasn’t thinking! I just—"

I leaned closer, smirking. "You just what?"

She groaned. "Oh my god, stop looking at me like that."

I laughed. "Like what?"

"Like you knew this was going to happen."

I tilted my head. "I mean… I had a hunch."

Her eyes widened. "You—what—Elena!"

I shrugged, fighting the grin threatening to spread across my face. "Hey, you kissed me, remember?"

She groaned again, burying her face in her hands. "This is a disaster."

I shook my head. "No, it’s not."

She peeked at me. "It’s not?"

I hesitated for a moment, then reached out, gently pulling her hands away from her face.

"Ivy," I said softly, meeting her gaze. "Do you regret it?"

Her breath caught.

Seconds passed.

Then, finally—

She shook her head. "No. I don’t."

Something warm spread through my chest.

"Good," I murmured.

Because neither did I.