Chloe awoke with a weight in her chest, the kind that had settled there and refused to let go. The day had started with the same routine: a quick breakfast, a rushed glance at her lesson plans, the faint echo of her brother's warnings still fresh in her mind. But it wasn't just David's words that lingered; it was Jax's.

Every encounter with him had unraveled something inside her, something she couldn't put back together. She'd tried to bury it, distract herself with work and obligations, but the truth was—every day felt like a choice. A choice between her family's expectations and something entirely different. Something... uncertain, dangerous even.

Chloe sat at her desk, staring blankly at the stack of papers in front of her, the hum of the school day fading into the background. Her phone buzzed again—another text from David, reminding her of something she already knew. "Stay away from Jax."

But the pull of her curiosity, the sense of unfinished business that lingered between them, kept gnawing at her. She didn't know what to do with it. She didn't know how to put it out of her mind.

By the time the last bell rang, Chloe was tired in a way that felt heavier than physical exhaustion. She gathered her things, trying to ignore the chaos in her mind, but when she stepped out of the classroom, there he was.

Jax.

He stood just outside the door to her classroom, leaning casually against the wall, his motorcycle helmet in one hand, his leather vest fitting him like it was part of him. The air between them shifted as soon as their eyes met—he wasn't just standing there. He was waiting. And Chloe knew it wasn't an accident. He'd been waiting for this moment. For her.

Chloe's pulse quickened, and for the first time in days, she felt something—something real—stir inside her. Something dangerous and undeniable.

"Are you going to just stand there?" Chloe asked, her voice sharper than she intended. She tried to mask the rush of emotions that suddenly surged in her chest, but it was no use. He could always see through her.

Jax pushed off the wall and took a few steps toward her, his hands in his pockets. "Didn't think you'd be this hard to find," he said, his voice quiet but purposeful, carrying an unspoken intensity.

Chloe didn't back away, but her arms instinctively crossed over her chest. She wasn't sure if it was to protect herself or just to shield the storm inside. "What do you want, Jax?" Her voice was steadier now, though it still trembled under the weight of what she was really asking. What do I want from you?

Jax paused, studying her with an unreadable look in his eyes. "You know what I want," he replied, his gaze flickering to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "You've known from the start. It's you, Chloe."

Her breath hitched. "It's you, Chloe." His words hung in the air, thick with something she couldn't quite name. A challenge? An invitation? She wasn't sure, but the tension in her chest tightened.

"I can't keep doing this," she said quietly, almost to herself. "I can't keep going back and forth, pretending I don't feel this pull toward you."

Jax took another step forward, now standing only a few inches away from her. The world around them seemed to shrink, everything fading into the background. It was just the two of them, standing there in the hallway, caught between what was and what could be.

"You don't have to pretend anymore," he said, his voice dropping even lower, like a promise. "This thing between us—it's not just something you walk away from. Not unless you really want to hurt yourself."

Chloe swallowed, feeling that familiar knot in her throat. "I don't know what you're asking me, Jax. It's like you think we're playing some game, but this isn't a game to me. It's—" She cut herself off, her words falling away. She didn't know how to explain it, not when she barely understood it herself.

Jax's eyes softened, his gaze flicking over her face as if searching for something. "I'm not asking for you to throw everything away," he said gently, his hand reaching out, stopping just short of touching her. "I'm asking you to stop running from it. From us."

Chloe closed her eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle in her chest. She could feel the heat of his hand just inches from her skin, and everything inside her screamed to give in. But the other side of her—the part that had spent years building walls, making safe choices—held her back.

"I don't know how to do that," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"You don't have to know," Jax replied, his voice barely above a breath. "You just have to let yourself feel it. Let yourself... want it."

Chloe's heart raced, the quiet silence between them suddenly filled with all the things they hadn't said. The fear, the longing, the confusion—all of it wrapped in a single breath. She opened her eyes and looked at him, really looked at him for the first time in what felt like forever. He wasn't just some dangerous guy from the motorcycle club. He wasn't just the bad boy her brother warned her about. He was real, and in this moment, so was she.

"I don't know if I can make that choice," she admitted softly, the words leaving her lips before she could stop them. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to choose this."

Jax's eyes softened, a hint of something warm and genuine flickering behind the edge of his usual cool exterior. "You don't have to be strong all the time, Chloe. I'm not asking you to be perfect. I'm asking you to trust me."

Her chest tightened at his words, the weight of them pressing down on her, filling her with a strange mix of hope and fear. Trust him. Could she? Could she really take that leap, let go of everything she knew, and trust someone like him? Someone who represented everything she had been taught to stay away from?

Chloe took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. "I don't know if I can trust you, Jax," she said softly, the vulnerability in her voice raw and unguarded. "I don't even know if I can trust myself."

For a moment, neither of them moved. The only sound in the air was their breathing, heavy with the weight of everything unspoken between them. Finally, Jax nodded, his expression softening.

"I'm not asking you to make a decision now," he said quietly. "But when you're ready, I'll be here. And I'll be waiting."

He turned to leave, but before he walked away, he looked over his shoulder. "Just don't run from this, Chloe. Whatever happens, don't run."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Chloe standing in the hallway, her heart pounding, her thoughts a chaotic storm. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, but one thing was certain—she couldn't pretend anymore.