Chapter 80: Nice, Easy, and Not Enough

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Nice, Easy, and Not Enough

The afternoon sun warmed the small, secluded courtyard behind the student union. It was usually quiet here, tucked away from the main foot traffic and surrounded by thick, red brick walls.

Chloe sat on a stone bench. She had her legs crossed, a thick economics textbook resting on her knee. She was wearing her signature black leather jacket, but it was unzipped.

Heavy footsteps crunched against the gravel path.

Delivery, Leo announced happily.

Chloe looked up. Leo walked over holding two large plastic cups from the campus coffee shop. He was wearing his gray team sweatpants and a tight black t-shirt. He looked massive, exhausted from training, and incredibly happy.

He handed her the cup. Iced Americano. Two extra shots of espresso. Because you looked like you were plotting a murder this morning.

I was, Chloe said. She took the cold cup. My professor assigned another group project. I hate group projects. They require relying on other people, and other people are entirely incompetent.

You just hate people in general, Leo corrected smoothly.

Exactly.

Leo laughed. He didn’t sit on the opposite end of the bench. He sat right next to her. There was absolutely zero space between them. His thigh pressed firmly against hers. He threw his arm along the back of the stone bench, making himself entirely comfortable in her personal space.

A month ago, Chloe would have shoved him away. She would have told him he was suffocating her. She would have built a thick, sarcastic wall.

Today, she didn’t even flinch. She just took a sip of her coffee and leaned her weight gently against his side.

How was training? Chloe asked.

Terrible, Leo groaned. He tilted his head back, resting it against the brick wall behind the bench. Jackson is acting like a dictator. He actually made us run laps because a freshman dropped a water bottle. He thinks he is Mason.

Nobody is Mason, Chloe noted.

I told him that, Leo sighed. He told me to run another lap.

Chloe smirked. She set her iced coffee down on the stone beside her. She reached out with her free hand. She gently flicked the edge of his dark hair, which was falling messily into his eyes.

Leo opened one eye. He looked at her.

You missed a spot, Chloe said softly. You have turf in your hair.

Clean it for me, Leo requested lazily.

I am not your groomer, Leo.

Please?

Chloe rolled her eyes, but she reached her hand back up. She gently brushed the tiny green speck of artificial grass out of his dark, sweaty hair. Her fingers lingered for a second against his scalp.

Leo smiled. He turned his head and pressed a quick, soft kiss into the palm of her hand.

Chloe’s breath hitched slightly. The fierce, untouchable ice queen completely melted.

You are incredibly needy, Chloe whispered.

I am, Leo agreed without a single drop of shame. And you like it.

Do not push your luck.

Leo let out a low, rough laugh. He moved his arm from the back of the bench and wrapped it securely around her waist. He pulled her flush against his chest. Chloe let her textbook slide off her lap onto the bench. She turned her face up to his.

He leaned down and kissed her. It was not a quick peck. It was slow, soft, and entirely sweet.

Daisy stood at the edge of the brick archway.

She was gripping the thick strap of her camera bag with both hands. Her knuckles were completely white.

She had come to the quiet courtyard looking for a good place to test a new wide-angle lens. She did not expect to find them here.

Daisy stared at the stone bench.

She watched the way Leo held Chloe. She watched the way Chloe, the girl who literally glared at everyone on campus, melted perfectly into his arms. She watched the way Leo looked at her. He looked at Chloe like she was the only person in the entire universe.

Daisy felt a terrible, sharp ache in her chest.

She knew they were back together. Audrey had told her. Leo had told her. She knew it was official.

But seeing it in person was completely different.

Daisy swallowed hard. A hot, burning feeling crawled up her throat.

I wanted them to fail, Daisy thought.

The realization hit her like a physical blow. It was an ugly, selfish thought. She had spent the last week secretly, naively hoping that Chloe would push him away again. She hoped Chloe would get angry and build her walls back up. She hoped Leo would finally get tired of the constant rejection and walk away.

She hoped he would realize Daisy was right there. Waiting. Nice. Easy.

But looking at them now, Daisy finally understood the truth.

Leo didn’t want easy. He wanted Chloe. He wanted the arguments, the stolen hoodies, and the sarcastic comments. They made sense together.

Daisy squeezed her eyes shut. She felt incredibly guilty. She was supposed to be a good person. Good people did not wish unhappiness on others just to get what they wanted.

A hot tear spilled over her eyelashes. It rolled down her cheek.

She couldn’t watch them anymore.

Daisy spun around on her heels. She kept her head down. She practically ran back down the campus path, moving as fast as her legs could carry her. She just wanted to get to the journalism office. She wanted to lock herself in the darkroom and cry until the tight pain in her chest finally faded.

She jogged around the corner of the journalism building. Her vision was entirely blurry from the tears.

Smack.

Daisy collided hard with a solid wall of manila folders and a very loud person.

Hey! Watch it! a voice shouted.

Papers exploded into the air. They fluttered down onto the concrete pathway like snow.

Daisy stumbled backward, wiping her wet eyes frantically. I am so sorry! I wasn’t looking.

She dropped to her knees immediately. She started grabbing the scattered papers with shaking hands.

You completely ruined the sports section layout! Ben complained loudly. He dropped to his knees right across from her. I spent an hour organizing these stat sheets, Preston!

I’m sorry, Daisy choked out. Her voice cracked terribly. Another tear slipped down her face.

Ben stopped reaching for the papers.

He froze. He looked at the freshman.

Ben was loud. He was chaotic. He only cared about deadlines, word counts, and printing schedules. He was entirely terrible with human emotions.

But even Ben could see the absolute misery on Daisy’s face.

Whoa, Ben said. His voice dropped its usual booming volume. Are you... leaking?

Daisy let out a wet, broken laugh. She wiped her nose with the sleeve of her yellow cardigan. I am crying, Ben.

Ben stared at her in pure panic. He looked completely out of his depth.

Is it the camera? Ben asked frantically. He pointed at her bag. Did you break the lens? Because Mrs. Higgins will literally fire both of us if you broke the university camera equipment.

The camera is fine, Daisy sniffled. She handed him a stack of the messy papers.

Then why are you crying? Ben frowned deeply. Did someone yell at you? Was it the tennis coach? Because I will write a highly critical hit piece on him by tomorrow morning. Just give me a name.

Daisy looked at the senior editor. He looked so genuinely stressed by her tears that it was actually somewhat comforting. He was trying to solve her sadness like it was a newspaper crisis.

Nobody yelled at me, Daisy said quietly. I just... I realized something sad.

Ben sat back on his heels. He ran a hand through his messy hair.

Sad things do not get front page coverage, Ben told her firmly. Nobody wants to read a sad story, Preston. They want action. They want victory.

It’s not a story, Ben, Daisy said. It’s real life.

Real life is just material for the next edition, Ben argued logically. He reached into his pocket. He pulled out a crumpled, slightly lint-covered tissue. He held it out to her. Here. Fix your face.

Daisy took the tissue. She wiped her eyes. Thank you.

Listen, Ben sighed, looking highly uncomfortable giving advice. I don’t know what you are sad about. But if you sit on the concrete crying, you are wasting valuable layout time. You are a great photographer. You should be taking pictures, not crying on the pavement.

Daisy let out a long, shaky breath. You are a terrible mentor, Ben.

I am an excellent mentor, Ben corrected proudly. Now, help me pick up the rest of these stat sheets. I will buy you a terrible coffee from the vending machine inside.

Daisy managed a small, genuine smile.

She looked down at the concrete path. Her heart still hurt. The selfish, naive hope was completely crushed. She knew it was going to take a long time to get over Leo.

But as she helped Ben gather his messy papers, she realized she was going to be okay.

Fine, Daisy said softly. But I want extra sugar in the terrible coffee.

Deal, Ben grunted. Now hurry up. We have a paper to print.

Daisy stood up, slung her camera bag over her shoulder, and followed him inside.