It appeared they were the first to arrive. Jiko and Julie sat on the plush sofa, exging a slightly awkward gnce. Julie crossed her legs, her notebook banced on her p, and fiddled with the er of the page. “So,” she began, breaking the silence, “you think this is actually going to help us prepare?”

  Jiked, leaning back with his arms crossed. “It ’t hurt, right? Besides, Ni seems pretty serious about it.” He paused, then added with a wry smile, “Though I didn’t expect it to turn into a social gathering.”

  Julie ughed softly, shaking her head. “Well, if nothing else, it’ll be iing to see how this group haudying. They’re ly known for staying on task.”

  Before Jiko could respond, Ni appeared in the doorway, carrying a small stack of notebooks and a ly beled folder. “I heard that,” she said, modignant, narrowing her eyes at Jiko and Julie. “I’ll have you know I’ve put a lot of effort intanizing this session, so you two better not mess it up.”

  Julie smirked as if she oking her iionally. “Don’t worry, Ni. We’re just warming up. You’ve got the most disciplined group of students in school.”

  Ni rolled her eyes, setting the materials down on the coffee table. “Right. Because nothing says discipline like Fahim crag jokes every five minutes.” She g Jiko, her tone light but firm. “And don’t think I didn’t catch the ‘social gathering’ eher. If you’re here, you’re studying.”

  Jiko held up his hands in surrender, a grin spreading across his face. “Message received, Captain.”

  Ni shook her head, though her expression softened. “Good. Now, I’m going to grab a few more things from my room. Behave until the others arrive.”

  As she left, Jiko leaned closer to Julie and whispered, “See? I told you she was serious about this.”

  Julie smirked. “She’s not messing around. Maybe this study group will actually keep us on track.”

  Before Jiko could respond, the doorbell rang. Mrs. Shima’s cheerful voice floated in from the hallway as she greeted the arriving students. Moments ter, a small group of their cssmates ehe room, chatteriedly.

  There were three girls: Riya, a bubbly and eic girl who always seemed to have a joke up her sleeve; Anika, quiet and studious, with a demeanor that suggested she’d already read the entire sylbus twice; and Sumaiya, effortlessly stylish, her sharp wit always ready to turn heads. The two boys were Fahim, tall and nky, with a perpetual grin that hi mischief, and Rafsan, reserved and serious, who carried an air of quiet fidence.

  The atmosphere shifted the moment they walked in. Their eyes widened slightly as they took in the sight of Jiko and Julie sitting together on the sofa. The girls, especially Riya and Sumaiya, exged quick, knowing gnces, while the boys, particurly Rafsan, seemed a little flustered. Fahim, however, wasted no time breaking the ice.

  “Well, well,” he said, grinning as he dropped his bag on the floor. “Looks like we’re not the only ones eager to ace these exams.” He nudged Rafsan with his elbow, clearly enjoying his rea.

  Rafsan mumbled something under his breath, avoiding eye tact, while Riya and Sumaiya burst into ughter. “Holy,” Riya said, dropping onto the armchair beside the sofa, “I’m not even surprised. Jiko and Julie, the power duo. You guys have beealk of the school tely.”

  Julie raised an eyebrow, her toeasing. “Oh? Should we be fttered or worried?”

  Sumaiya leaned forward, her smirk pyful. “Definitely fttered. I mean, look at the rht now—half of us are here because of you two.” She winked, and a ripple of ughter spread through the group.

  Jik to deflect the attention, grabbed a textbook and flipped it open. “Yeah, well, let’s just focus on why we’re actually here, okay? Finals are ing, remember?”

  But Riya wasn’t ready to let him off the hook. “Oh, e on, Jiko,” she teased. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know how much everyone’s shipping you and Julie.”

  “Shipping?” Jiko sputtered, his head snapping up. “What does that even mean?”

  Fahim threw his hands up dramatically. “It means they think you two should be dating, man. Keep up.”

  Riya, ever the bold one, suddenly turo Jiko and Julie, a mischievous glint in her eye. “So,” she began, teasing, “are you two… like, dating?”

  Jiko’s head snapped up, and he blurted out, a little too quickly, “No! We’re not! We’re just… good friends!” He felt his cheeks heat up. He g Julie, who looked at him with a slightly amused expression, a small smile pying on her lips.

  Riya’s eyes widened in mock surprise. “Really? Everyohought you guys were together!” she excimed, gng at the irls. Anika, usually quiet, even offered a small smile.

  Sumaiya, with a pyful smirk, leaned forward. “What?” she said teasingly. “So you’re saying we have a ce then, huh?” She winked, and a ripple of ughter went through the group. Fahim chuckled, nudging Rafsan again. “See? Opportunities everywhere, man.” Rafsan just rolled his eyes, but a faint smile pyed on his lips as well.

  Jiko turned even redder, while Julie simply rolled her eyes, though a small smile pyed on her lips. “Don’t listen to them, Jiko,” she said, nudging him pyfully. “They’re just messing with you.” The air was thick with pyful tension, and Jiko felt very aware of the attention on him and Julie. He hoped they would move on to the actual studying soon.

  “Are we, though?” Sumaiya added, tilting her head with monoce.

  Julie set her gss of juice dowone suddenly cooler, cutting through the lighthearted banter like a sharp breeze. “Even if you’re not messing around, Sumaiya, you ’t have him,” she said, her words carrying an unmistakable edge.

  The room went utterly still.

  Every pair of eyes turoward Julie, the pyful atmosphere evaporating in an instant. The girls, especially Riya and Sumaiya, stared at her with wide eyes, their expressions morphing into ones of incredulity and challenge.

  “What did you just say?” Sumaiya asked, her smile now gone, repced by a raised eyebrow and a flicker of defiance.

  Riya, sittio her, exged a gh Anika, who looked just as stunned. It was as if a silent arm had gone off, signaling the possibility of an impending flict.

  Julie leaned ba the sofa, her posure unshaken, her eyes calm yet firm. She shrugged slightly, as if her statement had been the most natural thing in the world.