The Love Algorithm

Chapter 9 - Interference

     Theo

Theo wasn’t the jealous type.
At least, that’s what he told himself.

Until he saw Eliya laughing with someone else.

It was just outside the computer lab  she stood by the lockers, head tilted, grinning at a guy in a black hoodie and silver rings. His laugh was low and familiar, like he'd known her forever.

He had.

Eliya’s cousin, apparently.

> "Kai just moved back from London,” she had said earlier in passing, like it meant nothing.

But watching them now? It felt like something.

Kai leaned in, saying something that made her roll her eyes in that soft, playful way she usually reserved for Theo.

He didn’t realize he was staring until Zayn nudged him.

“Bro. You good?”

“Totally,” Theo said. “Just... calibrating.”

Zayn snorted. “You’re not a robot. Be jealous like a normal person.”

---

Eliya

She wasn’t trying to make Theo jealous.

Not really.

Kai was just... easy. He didn’t ask questions. Didn’t press when her voice caught or her answers felt rehearsed. And after everything swirling in her head  the app, the rumors, the anonymous threats  she needed someone who didn’t come with code attached.

But she did notice the way Theo looked at them.
That flicker of something in his eyes before he turned away.

And maybe, just maybe, she leaned a little closer to Kai when she saw it.

> “He’s cute,” Kai said quietly.
“The boyfriend?”

> “He’s not...”
“Right.”

Kai smiled. “Still. He looked like he wanted to hit me with a keyboard.”

She smiled, but her chest ached.

> What are we doing, Theo?

---

Ava

Ava watched the scene unfold from the hallway corner like it was her personal soap opera.

Kai was attractive. Charismatic. And clearly new enough not to know how everything in this school worked.

Perfect.

She approached with practiced ease.

“You must be Kai,” she said, lips tilted in a soft smile. “I’m Ava. I give tours... and warnings.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. “Warnings?”

“About people who pretend not to care but totally do.”

He grinned. “You mean like your ex?”

She blinked.

Okay. Maybe this one wouldn’t be as easy to manipulate.

But that just made it more fun.

---
Mina

Zayn was being weird.

Not rude, not distant  just... weird.

Like the way he looked at her and quickly looked away. Or how he suddenly knew her favorite indie band but claimed it was “just a guess.”

It didn’t help that Mina kept noticing his hands. His voice. The way he laughed at things she hadn’t even said yet.

She was doomed.

So when she saw him talking to Kai and laughing like they were old friends?

Yeah. Her stomach flipped.

> “Stop it,” she told herself.
“This is not a K-drama.”

But it kind of was.

And she kind of didn’t hate it.
 
---

Theo

Theo knew he shouldn’t care.

He told himself it was just her cousin. A chill guy with dumb rings and a cooler accent. No big deal.

But the way she looked at Kai…
The way she laughed without checking if Theo was around  it did something to him.

He scrolled through their chat history, thumb hovering over the keyboard.

> Typing...

He deleted the message before sending it.

It wasn’t worth it.
They weren’t real.

Except... it felt real.

That’s what messed with him most.

He looked across the courtyard again. Eliya was still with Kai, but now she was walking away  brushing his shoulder with hers on the way out. Nothing dramatic.

But Theo saw it.

Felt it.

And for the first time since this whole fake relationship started…
he realized he didn’t want to pretend anymore.

He wanted it all to be real
Except now, it might be too late.

---

Author’s Note 🧡

Hi!! Thanks so much for reading Chapter 9 of The Love Algorithm! I’m still new at this, so every read, vote, and comment seriously means the world 🙂

This chapter got a little messy (jealousy always stirs things up 👀), but I hope you’re enjoying the ride. Let me know what you think  I’m always reading!

See you in the next chapter! 💻✨

your nervous-but-excited writer😁👌