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The clock ticks on as you continue to stare at the equations in front of you. You're starting to curse your guidance counselor for insisting you take calculus this term. Math had always come easy to you, but derivatives and integrals were just ridiculous. You had a test next week and were determined to pass, but the longer you attempted to study, the more of a pipe dream passing seemed. Your head feels heavy as you lift it to see the clock. 8:16pm. You'd been in the library for 3 hours already. You groan as you drop your head to the table you've been camped at. Maybe studying after a full day of classes was a bad idea, but you had no other option. You close your eyes for just a moment, letting them relax after the hours of strain.
A gentle shake wakes you up. You look up to see the librarian. She lets you know the library is closed before moving on to wake the next poor soul who fell asleep. You look at the clock again. 10:05pm. You sigh, having lost about 2 hours of study time. As you sit up and stretch, you realize an unfamiliar letterman jacket has been draped over your shoulders. It's heavy and warm. You take it into your hands and look at the back, a number and a last name proudly on display. Talis. The name is unfamiliar, which sparks curiosity. What kind of person would leave their jacket to a stranger? You have time to contemplate as you pack up the immense math textbooks and head towards your dorm, jacket folded between your arms.
The next day you decide to wear your new accessory, hoping it'll be spotted by its true owner. It fits large on you, enveloping your body with warm fleece. It smells like coffee and musk. Your stomach flutters at the thought of people thinking this stranger is your romantic partner who gifted the coat to you. You brush away the thought as a silly notion and prepare yourself for another full day of classes. Even as you step foot outside your dorm you notice looks you've never gotten before. You're usually not the topic of conversation, so you wager it's the jackets. Feeling particularly brave you decide to approach a few of the people who give you looks throughout the day. It seems this Talis person has made quite the name for himself: engineer, athlete, and quite the handsome devil, according to some particularly shameless students. That silly notion of people thinking you're dating slowly becomes rooted in reality, making you more bashful in this stranger's oversized jacket.
After your last class of the day, you make your way to where you suspect to find the jacket's owner, the field. It'd be a nice day to walk the track or even lounge on the bleachers if you didn't have so much studying to do. You spot the soccer team mid practice. It's almost dizzying to think any of these athletic men just gave a sleeping stranger their jacket out of pure chivalry. One of the players notices you as you approach, and gets a teammate's attention. The teammate visibly perks up upon seeing you, and jogs over to the edge of the field to meet you. You take the moment to take in his features: tan skin that glows in the evening sun, dark brunette hair that's sticking to his forehead, broad shoulders, and beautiful golden eyes that catch the light just right. He slows his pace to approach you, smiling brightly. You can't help how shy you feel as you speak up.
"Um, hey. Talis, right?"
"Yep, but most people call me Jayce." His natural charm instantly has you.
"Well, nice to meet you Jayce. And, thanks for the jacket." You shrug, gesturing to the jacket still draped around your shoulders. The notion of parting with it suddenly feels bittersweet.
"No problem, you looked cold." You smile at his tongue and cheek comment. You decide to respond with your own.
"Do I still look cold?"
"Maybe." He shrugs. He rubs the back of his neck, also growing bashful.
"Why give a total stranger your jacket? Weren't you afraid you'd never see it again?"
"Not really, it's just a jacket. Besides, it was worth it if the sleeping cutie came by to return it." You both giggle. His eyes brighten as though he just remembered something. "Not to be nosey, but I saw the books you were studying. Need a math tutor?"
"Oh come on, you can't be both athletic and a genius." You'd kick yourself for the cheesy line, if it didn't work that is. You catch him looking to the ground, his cheeks flushing ever so slightly.
"I'm free after practice. Meet me in the library at 6?"
"I'll be at the same spot." You both smile and wave your goodbyes before he returns to practice and you head to the library to get a head start. Focus is hard to come by with such a dashing figure still dancing around your mind. You try to shake some sense into yourself. You're usually not so hung up on someone's looks, but the way Jayce held himself with such easy confidence is hard to forget.
"Hey!" You jump at his sudden approach. You were so lost in your musings you didn't hear him walk up behind you. You return his greeting before he gestures to the books you've barely begun studying. You sigh, which makes him laugh a bit. As you begin it's clear how naturally these topics come to him, but he's hardly arrogant about it. He takes his time explaining each concept to you, answering your questions, and walking you through the example problems. What was arduous work has now become easy, almost pleasant. You still struggle immensely, but you feel less stress knowing you have Jayce by your side to help you through it.
By the time you feel confident that you've learned the concepts, the sun has well and truly set and you're the only souls left in the building, other than the librarian who you're sure is somewhere. As you both pack up, you remember the jacket that you've been wearing all day. You go to take it off to finally return it, but Jayce stops you. He adjusts it, making sure it sits on your shoulders just right.
"Keep it, it suits you." You both revel in the moment, smiling contently. You exit the library and say your goodbyes, but only after you exchange phone numbers. You return to your dorm and prepare for the night, hanging up your new jacket. You smile to yourself, already looking forward to your next study session with Jayce.