[4:35 pm]

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Considering the amount of times you kept rolling your eyes the moment Jake set foot inside your residence and cast all his attention on your dog, Joy, instead of the mountain of schoolwork strewn across your living room floor, you're mildly surprised your eyes aren't stuck at the back of your head yet.

Sighing, you swivel around in your chair to face the duo; inseparable despite only meeting a few hours ago, "Shim, if you don't stop now I'm pretty sure you'll be going home with another dog tonight," you grimace, scooping Joy up in your arms and shielding her from the clingy teenager (who keeps making grabby hands at her). "I'd like to keep the love of my life, thank you very much."

"But she's so adorable!" At his words, your beloved pet barks in favor and promptly shimmies out of your hold to settle in Jake's lap, and words aren't enough to articulate the pain Joy's betrayal has brought you.

With a hand on your heart, you look at Joy straight in the eye, her tongue dangling out of her mouth with the air of blissful ignorance. "Seven years—all gone in the span of three hours. I'll never forgive you for this, Shim."

Snorting softly, Jake presses one more kiss on Joy's soft coat and lets her scamper out the open door before tugging gently at your arm so that you're both on the floor, a breath of relief escaping you.

"Finally, I thought I was going to have to take Layla from you to even it out," grabbing a pen, you tap Jake's nose lightly with the end with a small smile, "there's also this thing called grades, you know; things we have to maintain in order to not face the wrath of self-induced shame."

He rolls his eyes, "You're just jealous because Joy likes me more than you."

"False, it's my mom that Joy likes the best. We're both just sore losers who's in love with her," you shrug with a look of bitter acceptance, and Jake laughs, his eyes turning into gentle crescent moons and stardust falling off his cheeks; you wonder if he's ever swallowed the constellations, because there's no way a person can make you feel like you can hold the universe from a single laugh—no, that's impossible.

And maybe you're doomed.

But Jake doesn't know that. He's leafing through the textbooks unawares of the chaos he's unleashed within your ribs, unknowing of the way you would give the world to him. Instead, you are left to deal with the repercussions, and you tend to your work more defeated than triumphant.

"But y'know..." Jake starts carefully, gauging your reaction from the corner of his eye. "Joy isn't the only one I'm in love with,"

You snort, "Obviously. What kind of human are you if you don't admit to loving Layla?"

Or maybe, you looked a little closer, you might realize that Jake would be willing to pluck every single star from the night sky all for you the same way you'd gather the cosmos for him.

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