Chapter 57: 57 | Socializing is a Daily Quest, Family is a Raid Boss

"So what’s your major?" Jordan asked.

"Biomedical Engineering and Applied Physics."

Jordan blinked. "Both?"

"Double major." Brooke’s cheeks flushed again. She said it quickly, like she was bracing for a reaction. "I know it’s a lot. My parents think I should pick one and commit, but I couldn’t choose between them, so I just. Kept both."

"That’s insane."

"In a good way or a bad way?"

"In a holy shit you must never sleep way."

Brooke laughed. It was quiet, a little breathy, like she wasn’t used to doing it in front of other people. "I sleep. Sometimes."

"How many units are you taking this semester?"

"Twenty-two."

Jordan’s brain did something that felt like a hard reboot. "That’s not even legal."

"It’s technically allowed with a high enough GPA." Brooke shifted her bag to her other shoulder. The movement tugged at her oversized sweater, pulling the collar wide enough that a stretch of collarbone appeared above the neckline. "I had to get special permission from my academic advisor. It took three separate meetings."

Jordan tried not to stare at her collarbone.

Failed completely.

Got his eyes back where they were supposed to be and cleared his throat.

"So you’re a genius."

"I wouldn’t say that."

"You’re carrying twenty-two units, double majoring in two of the most brutal programs this school offers, and you got a faculty exception to do it. That’s the textbook definition of genius."

Brooke’s face went from pink to full red. She looked down at the table for a second, like she needed somewhere neutral to put her attention. "I just. I like learning. And tests are easy for me. That’s not the same as being smart."

"It literally is though."

"Smart is different." Brooke pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Smart is knowing how to walk into a room full of people and not feel like you’re about to have a medical event. It’s knowing what to say when someone makes a joke, or how to make friends without it being this enormous, complicated project. I’m terrible at all of that. Like, genuinely, clinically terrible."

Jordan glanced around the lecture hall. The last few students had already filed out, leaving the two of them in the wide, empty rows. "You’re doing fine right now."

"That’s because you’re easy to talk to."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Brooke looked at him directly for exactly two seconds before her attention went somewhere past his shoulder. "Most guys either spend the whole conversation staring at my chest or they get weird about my eyes. Like I’m doing something wrong by having them."

Jordan’s gaze dropped to her chest involuntarily.

Goddammit.

He snapped his eyes back up. "Your eyes are cool."

"They’re weird."

"They’re unique. That’s different."

Brooke’s expression softened. "That’s. Actually really nice of you to say."

"I’m a nice guy."

The words came out without thinking. Jordan immediately wanted to shove them back into his mouth and swallow them whole.

Never say you’re a nice guy. That’s the number one rule of not being a creep.

But Brooke just smiled wider. "I can tell."

Jordan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it.

Dr. Ashford looked up from her desk at the front of the room. Her gray eyes locked onto Jordan and Brooke with laser focus.

"If you two are finished socializing, I’d appreciate it if you vacated my classroom. I have office hours in ten minutes."

"Sorry!" Brooke grabbed her Starbucks and practically sprinted toward the door.

Jordan followed at a more reasonable pace. He could feel Dr. Ashford’s eyes on his back the entire way up the stairs.

The hallway outside was packed with students rushing between classes. Brooke stood just outside the door, clutching her coffee cup like a lifeline.

Jordan stepped out beside her. "You good?"

"I hate being called out by professors." Brooke’s voice was quiet again. "It makes my brain stop working."

"She does that to everyone. It’s her thing."

"I know, but it still sucks."

His phone buzzed again. He pulled it out, expecting another System notification, but it was a text from Kyle.

Kyle: Where are you? Econ discussion in 10 minutes.

Shit. He’d completely lost track of time. Between Ashford’s interrogating stare and talking to Brooke about spectral analysis and quantum coherence for the better part of ten minutes, the clock had run away from him entirely.

Jordan looked back at Brooke. She was still standing in the exact same spot, coffee cup in both hands, like she hadn’t moved an inch since they stepped out of the classroom. "I have to run to my next class. But, uh. Maybe I’ll see you around?"

Brooke nodded quickly, a fast little bob of her head. "Yeah. Definitely." She paused. "This was. Nice."

"It was," Jordan said, and he meant it.

He started walking backward down the hallway, navigating around the stream of students by feel alone. Brooke stayed planted by the classroom door, still clutching her Starbucks, watching him go with those strange crimson eyes.

"See you Thursday!" Jordan called back over the noise.

Brooke waved. A small, awkward wave that involved too much wrist movement.

Jordan turned around before he could crash into someone. His phone buzzed a third time.

DAILY QUEST: Path to Becoming Adonis

\[✓\] Physical: 90 minutes of activity (Gym session: 97 minutes)

\[✓\] Hygiene Level 1: Shower using actual soap

\[✓\] Hygiene Level 2: Brush teeth, floss

\[✓\] Grooming: Skincare routine

\[ \] Social: Speak to 3 beauties for 2 minutes each (Progress: 1/3)

Current contacts logged:

Brooke Hastings, 8:47 AM, 11 minutes 23 seconds

Jordan dismissed the notification. One down, two to go.

He could knock out the other two at karaoke tonight. Talk to Kumiko for a few minutes. Maybe Alexis if she didn’t immediately tell him to fuck off.

His phone buzzed with a real text this time.

Mom: Your sister told me you have a girlfriend!

Jordan’s entire body went cold.

Cassie. That absolute snitch.

He typed out a response.

Jordan: It’s complicated. I’ll explain later.

Mom: Is she nice? What’s her name? When can I meet her?

Jordan: Mom. Later. I promise.

Mom: Okay sweetie. Love you!

Jordan locked his phone and smacked his face.