Slow It Down

Part 6 •REWRITTEN•

I went for my go-to area and found a seat near the windows, hoping to disappear into the background. The classroom was already filling up, students chatting in low murmurs, flipping through notebooks, or scrolling their phones as they waited for class to start.

I kept my head down, pretending to scroll through my own phone, though my mind was still racing from my lunch with Nate. I could still hear his voice, see the easy smirk on his face when he called me cute, the way he added the little heart next to my name in his phone. It was the kind of attention I never imagined receiving, let alone on my first day.

It made me feel like I was stepping into an entirely different world—one where I wasn't the girl everyone ignored, mocked, or whispered about behind my back. Dropping the topic, I was about to pull out my notebook when the door opened, and a hush fell over the room.

The professor confidently strolled in, shutting the door behind him as the second bell rang to signal class about to begin. Just as he began to introduce himself, writing his name on the upper corner of whiteboard, I felt it before I even saw him.

The sudden scrape of the classroom door opening pulled my attention away from the front of the room, and immediately, the energy in the room shifted. The quiet conversations completely lulled, like the presence of whoever had walked in was enough to make everybody in the room react to it, a heavy energy settling over the class. And then—

"Mr. Brooks, nice of you to join us," the professor said dryly, quickly glancing over his shoulder before returning to the board. The sound of his name sent a jolt through me.

And then I saw him.

Jackson.

He strolled in like he owned the place, chin slightly lifted, expression unreadable as his piercing blue eyes scanned the room. His dark hair was tousled like he'd just rolled out of bed. His inked arms were crossed loosely over his broad chest, his usual scowl firmly in place, like he was already annoyed with being here as he barely acknowledged the professor.

It was like watching a storm roll in—something dark and inevitable, carrying an unspoken force that people instinctively reacted to.

Some of the guys acknowledged him with nods, others murmured low greetings as he passed. A few of the girls straightened in their seats, tucking their hair behind their ears, subtly adjusting their posture like they suddenly wanted to be noticed.

But Jackson didn't give them a second glance. He didn't give anyone a second glance. He walked past them all, looking unimpressed, his focus locked ahead.

I forced my gaze down, my pulse hammering in my ears. I should've known I wouldn't be that lucky.

It wasn't until he passed by my row and turned to cross the room that I realized—he didn't know I was here.

The realization sent a strange sensation through me. A mix of relief and something bitter, something I wasn't quite ready to unpack.

Of course, he didn't notice me. Even after everything, I was still invisible to him.

He walked toward the opposite back corner of the room, farthest away from the windows, choosing an empty seat as far away from the front as possible. He slouched into the chair, elbows resting on the desk, legs stretched out in front of him like he was settling in for a long, dull ride.

My breath caught in my throat as I turned my gaze forward, willing myself not to look at him again.

I should've known he'd be in this class. Kayce had mentioned before that Jackson was majoring in business. It made sense that he'd be taking this course.