BRIANNA

17. HE'S NOT WORTH YOUR TIME

BRIANNA'S POV

Glancing at the clock on my bedside table, I realized I had just enough time to squeeze in an hour of study before bed. I didn’t want to fall behind, especially not in my favourite subject.

Math had always been my safe heaven, a world of logic and precision where everything had an answer if you worked hard enough to find it. I reached for my school bag, pulling out my math textbooks and notebook, feeling a quiet thrill as I flipped through the pages to find where I had left off.

Numbers and equations had always made sense to me, their predictability a stark contrast to the unpredictability of life. Even when I was little, I loved the challenge of solving problems, and the satisfaction that came with getting it right. It wasn’t just about being good at math—it was about the way it made me feel, like I could take on the world if I could just figure out the right formula.

As I worked through a few problems, my pencil gliding smoothly across the paper, I found myself slipping into that familiar rhythm, the steady flow of thought and calculation that quieted my restless mind. The numbers felt like old friends, comforting and constant, and for a while, I forgot about everything else—the party, JC, and even my lingering insecurities.

In this moment, it was just me and the math, the clarity of the problems cutting through the noise of the day. I felt a small sense of pride as I solved each equation, the solutions lining up neatly on the page, proof that some things in life still made sense. But as the minutes ticked by, I noticed the weight of fatigue beginning to creep in, my eyelids growing heavier with each passing moment.

Deciding it was time to call it a night, I carefully closed my books, placing them neatly back in my bag. Tomorrow was another day, and I wanted to be prepared for it. Being the new girl was hard enough without giving anyone a reason to think I wasn’t up to par.

I didn’t want to be late for class, didn’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons. First impressions were everything, and though I knew I couldn’t control how everyone saw me, I could at least make sure I gave them the best version of myself. Crawling under the soft covers of my bed, I let out a contented sigh, my body sinking into the mattress as exhaustion finally took over.

As I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the room bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight streaming through the curtains, my thoughts drifted back to JC, unbidden and unwelcome. I frowned, annoyed at myself for letting him occupy even a fraction of my mental space. Why was I even thinking about whether he’d make it to school on time? It wasn’t my problem, and I had no reason to care.

Yet, the image of him at the party lingered—his confident smirk, the way he moved through the crowd as though the world revolved around him, and, of course, the ridiculous amount of alcohol he consumed without a care in the world. I shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts, but they clung stubbornly, refusing to leave me in peace. Thinking that someone so rude and dismissive could worm their way into my thoughts without my permission was maddening.

I turned over, burying my face in the pillow, and mentally berated myself for giving him any of my energy. Jacob Charles was nothing but trouble, and I knew it. Sarah had warned me in no uncertain terms that he was the kind of guy who left a trail of broken hearts and shattered hopes in his wake, a walking red flag if ever there was one.

And yet, despite his flaws—and there were many—I couldn’t seem to stop my mind from replaying the way he had looked at me earlier. His gaze had been intense, piercing, as though he was trying to figure me out, and for a brief moment, I had felt a strange pull, a magnetic force that left me unsettled. But then I remembered his dismissive tone, his casual rudeness, and the way he seemed to revel in his own arrogance, and I felt my irritation flare up all over again.

What was wrong with me? I didn’t even know him beyond the brief and unpleasant interaction we’d had at the party, and yet here I was, lying awake, thinking about him like he mattered. He didn’t. He was just another spoiled rich boy who thought the world owed him something, the kind of guy who thrived on attention and would do anything to get it.

I didn’t need that kind of negativity in my life, and I certainly wasn’t about to become another notch on his belt. And yet, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that he wasn’t worth a second thought, my mind kept circling back to him, drawn by some inexplicable force that I didn’t understand and didn’t want to.

I took a deep breath, trying to centre myself, and reminded myself of all the reasons why JC wasn’t worth my time. He had been rude to me at the party, dismissing me as though I was insignificant, and I had no intention of letting someone like that have any power over me.

Sarah’s warning echoed in my mind, her voice firm and unwavering: “Stay away from him, Brianna. He’s bad news, and you don’t need that kind of drama in your life.” She was right, of course. Sarah always had a way of seeing through people, of understanding their true nature, and if she thought JC was trouble, then I had no reason to doubt her judgment.

Still, the part of me that had spent so much time on the sidelines, watching others live their lives while I stayed safely in my bubble, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of curiosity. JC was everything I wasn’t—bold, confident, reckless—and maybe that was what made him so intriguing.

But curiosity wasn’t a good enough reason to let someone like him into my life, especially not when I was still finding my footing in this new environment. I didn’t need the complications, the drama, or the heartache that came with someone like JC. And so, with a final mental slap to myself, I resolved to put him out of my mind once and for all. Tomorrow was a new day, and I wasn’t about to let him ruin it before it even began.

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing my room in a warm golden hue that should have made me feel optimistic about the day ahead. But instead, I felt a gnawing sense of apprehension as I swung my legs off the bed and planted my feet on the cool floor.

My thoughts had been restless, my dreams fragmented and confusing, and no amount of telling myself to move on from JC seemed to be working. I shook my head, determined to push him from my mind. I had far more important things to focus on, like navigating another day in a school where I still felt like an outsider.

After a quick shower, I went back to my room. Glancing at the clock on my bedside table, I realized I didn’t have much time before I had to leave for school. My school wasn’t within walking distance from the penthouse, so Sarah offered me a ride, and I gratefully accepted. The last thing I needed was to be late for class, especially on the first few days after moving to this new school. I didn’t want to stand out for any reason, especially not for tardiness.

I reached for my school uniform hanging neatly in the closet. The school’s strict dress code ensured that individuality was kept to a minimum, which might not be ideal for most people, but at least it simplified my mornings and ensured that I didn't have to worry about whether my clothes met the standards of everyone at school or not. I pulled the blazer over my shoulders and adjusted my tie, feeling oddly out of place despite my efforts to blend in.

As I gathered my books and essentials, the memories of last night lingered in the back of my mind. I wasn’t sure why, but the unsettling pull of JC seemed to have found its way into my thoughts. I tried to push it away, focusing on the more immediate concerns of school and making it through the day unnoticed.

With everything packed, I headed out, my mind occupied with the seemingly endless list of things I had to keep track of in this new environment. Sarah was already waiting downstairs in the car when I arrived. Her carefree demeanour was a comforting sight amidst the chaos of my thoughts.

“Hey,” Sarah greeted, offering me a small smile as I slipped into the passenger seat.

“Morning,” I replied, buckling up and glancing out the window, the rhythm of city streets passing by. The air in the car felt different from the quiet solitude of my room. There was something about Sarah’s presence that seemed to make things feel lighter, even if just for a little while.

The drive to school was mostly quiet, the hum of the engine and the faint sound of tyres rolling over pavement filling the space between us. I appreciated the silence, grateful for these few minutes where I could sit back and collect my thoughts before the day truly began. The noise of my new school, the people, and all the unknowns weighed heavily on me, but here, with Sarah, it felt manageable.

“So, sleep well last night?” Sarah’s voice broke the silence, her tone casual but subtly probing.

I shifted in my seat, my hands resting on my lap as I avoided meeting her eyes. There was something about her knowing gaze that made me uncomfortable, like she could read right through me. “Yeah, I managed,” I replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “No trouble sleeping.”

Sarah shot me a skeptical glance, one eyebrow raised. “No trouble? I know you, Bri. You’ve been tense since we got back from the party.”

I exhaled slowly, the sound carrying a hint of frustration. “I didn’t think about it more than necessary,” I said firmly, avoiding her gaze altogether. “I’ve got enough on my plate already.”

Sarah chuckled softly, her tone gentle but unrelenting. “Enough, huh? Bri, come on. You can’t lie to me. Even though I know we just met, I already know you. You’re curious, and that’s okay. But remember what I told you—he’s not worth your time.”

“I’m not curious,” I insisted, crossing my arms over my chest, though I could feel the familiar tension rising. “I’ve got no reason to be. He doesn’t matter.”

Sarah sighed, glancing at me briefly before returning her focus to the road. Her expression softened, though her voice remained steady. “Okay,” she said, though there was a hint of doubt beneath her words. “Just don’t let him pull you into something you don’t want.”

I turned back to the window, staring out at the passing scenery. The truth was, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t seem to shake JC from my thoughts. He had made it clear from the moment we crossed paths that he was someone I should stay far away from. Yet, there was something about him—something that felt unsettlingly magnetic. I didn’t want to admit that to Sarah, though. She was right, of course. I didn’t need any more drama in my life, especially not from someone like him.

But even as I tried to convince myself, I couldn’t fully erase the image of his smirk or the way he had looked at me, as if he knew things about me I wasn’t ready to face. I sighed, trying to push it all away, the sound heavy in the quiet of the car.

Sarah didn’t say anything for a while, letting the quiet settle between us again. But I could feel her watching me, sensing the uncertainty I was desperately trying to bury.

I wasn’t sure if it was curiosity or something else entirely, but one thing was clear: I wasn’t ready to let JC into my life, no matter how hard my mind seemed to linger on him.