Chapter Nine

The points tally for the marriage practical was posted in the common room the next morning, drawing a crowd of anxious students. Jamie and Sandra's surprisingly successful picnic basket and decent showing in the cooking competition had placed them comfortably in the top ten. Across the room, Jamie saw Annabella and Greg hovering near the list, their expressions a mix of curiosity and mild disappointment. They were somewhere in the middle.

As the crowd dispersed, Jamie found himself lingering near the board, a strange reluctance to fully embrace his temporary success. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Annabella.

"Hey," she said, her voice softer than usual. Greg was a few feet away, engrossed in a conversation with Cathy.

"Hey," Jamie replied, a nervous flutter in his chest. It was the first time they had spoken properly since the partner swap.

A brief, awkward silence stretched between them. Annabella fiddled with the strap of her backpack. "So… you and Sandra seem… good," she said finally, her gaze flicking towards Sandra, who was chatting with another student.

"Yeah," Jamie said. "It's… comfortable. Like we're picking up where we left off." Which was true, but he omitted the part about the underlying feeling of something missing, a certain spark that had been unexpectedly present during his time with Annabella.

Annabella nodded slowly, her eyes downcast. "Right. Comfortable."

Another silence descended, this one even more charged than the last. Jamie wanted to say something, anything, to break the tension, but the words seemed to catch in his throat.

"Jamie," Annabella said, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes finally meeting his. "About… everything. The past few days. With you…"

Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Greg, who bounded over, his arm slinging around Annabella's shoulders. "Annie! Cathy and I were thinking of grabbing some breakfast. You guys wanna join?"

Annabella's gaze flickered from Jamie to Greg, a conflicted look in her eyes. "Uh, maybe later, Greg."

Greg, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension, just grinned. "Cool! More for us then!" He tugged Cathy away, leaving Jamie and Annabella standing awkwardly together once more.

"What were you saying?" Jamie prompted gently.

Annabella hesitated, then shook her head, a small, forced smile gracing her lips. "It's nothing. Just… glad you got what you wanted." She turned to leave, then paused, looking back at him. "Just… don't forget about the partner swap option, okay?" Her tone was light, almost teasing, but Jamie caught a hint of something else beneath the surface – a plea, perhaps?

Before Jamie could respond, Sandra approached, a warm smile on her face. "Hey, Jamie! I was thinking we could work on our presentation for the history of marriage later? Maybe after breakfast?"

Torn between the lingering conversation with Annabella and the familiar comfort of Sandra's presence, Jamie hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Yeah, sure, Sandra. Sounds good."

As he walked away with Sandra, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed an important moment with Annabella. Her words, her hesitant demeanor, the almost desperate plea in her eyes – they all suggested that her feelings about their accidental partnership were more complex than he had initially realized.

Later that day, while Jamie and Sandra were researching their presentation in the library, Annabella and Greg were attempting to navigate the 'romantic stroll' challenge. Greg, ever the enthusiastic participant, tried to hold Annabella's hand and pepper her with compliments. Annabella, however, seemed distracted, her gaze often drifting towards the window overlooking the school gardens, a wistful expression on her face.

That evening, the tension finally reached a breaking point. Jamie, feeling increasingly conflicted, found Annabella alone in the common room.

"Annabella," he began, his voice low. "About this morning…"

Annabella cut him off, her voice sharper than he had heard it before. "There's nothing to talk about, Jamie. You're with Sandra now. You got what you wanted. Just focus on earning those points."

Her abruptness stung. "But I thought…"

"You thought wrong," she snapped, her eyes flashing with an emotion he couldn't quite place – hurt? Anger? Jealousy? "Just leave it, Jamie. Please."

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Jamie standing alone, the weight of his complicated feelings pressing down on him. The path to his initial desire had somehow become tangled with unexpected emotions and unspoken words, and he was beginning to realize that getting what he thought he wanted might not bring him the happiness he had envisioned.

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