Adrian's POV
"Let's go home," I said, grabbing Jake's backpack off his shoulder before he could protest.
His eyes widened slightly. "Wait… together?" His voice held genuine confusion.
I shrugged. "Yeah. I drop my friends off regularly."
That was a blatant lie.
I caught the way my friends snapped their heads toward me, their expressions ranging from disbelief to amusement. When, exactly, had I ever dropped anyone off? I almost smirked at their reaction.
Jake hesitated, clearly unsure of how to respond. I didn't give him the chance.
"Let's go." My tone left no room for argument.
We reached my car, sleek and polished under the fading sunlight. I unlocked it with a click and turned to him. "Where do you live?"
Jake tensed. "Ehmm… I can go myself." His voice was colder now, guarded.
I narrowed my eyes. He was hiding something. The hesitation, the way his fingers twitched slightly—he didn't want me knowing where he lived. That only made me more determined.
"I must drop you off," I said firmly. Then, raising an eyebrow, I added, "If not, we're not friends anymore."
I watched his face carefully, searching for a reaction. His lips parted slightly as if caught off guard. Was he nervous? Annoyed? Or just suspicious of my sudden insistence?
He clenched his jaw, probably debating whether arguing was worth it.
"Well?" I crossed my arms. "What's it gonna be?"