Lena nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt, and let out a small sigh.
"I'm getting off here. You should head back to school soon, okay? Don't speed, and watch the road."
She reached for the door, ready to hop out, but Evan caught her arm.
"What is it?" She looked at him, puzzled, her fair face a little tense.
Evan raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing. "You're leaving, just like that?"
Lena froze for a split second before understanding what he meant. She blushed, but leaned in and kissed Evan, quick and soft.
"I really have to go now. Seriously, go back to school."
Evan smiled after the kiss. "Alright. Go on."
Lena opened the door and stepped out, but didn't head inside right away. She stood there, waving at Evan.
"You first. I'll go in once you're gone."
"Alright."
Evan nodded, turned the car around, and pulled away toward the entrance of the complex.
He checked his rearview mirror and spotted Lena still standing there. She looked incredible in that white dress—her figure was something else.
He found himself glancing back more times than necessary. And in his mind, he couldn't help comparing Lena and Emily. Both gorgeous, just in different ways.
Honestly, he still couldn't believe he was dating both of them. Before the system, that would've just been a wild daydream.
That thought made him grin. He shook it off and headed back to school.
-------
Silver Brook Apartments.
Lena watched the BMW disappear before she finally turned toward her building. She adjusted the bag with the new iPhone inside and stepped into the dark hallway. She didn't mind the dim lighting; she had grown used to it over time.
She coughed, and the sensor light flickered on, casting a weak yellowish glow.
Lena started up the stairs, white dress swishing around her knees, white socks and sneakers completing the look. She moved quickly, feeling almost weightless. Her good mood was clear in her eyes.
She felt genuinely happy. Dating Evan had happened fast, but she didn't regret a thing. He met all her expectations.
That's why she'd said yes. Just thinking about it made her cheeks heat up.
Her mind drifted back to what happened in the little park. "Hmph, not honest at all," she thought, but the memory made her smile with a hint of pride. She glanced down at herself and felt even more smug.
Lost in her thoughts, she reached her floor. Third floor, left side—the place she shared with her best friend.
The building was old, no elevators, just stairs. She dug her key out of a bag with a cute cartoon charm and unlocked the door.
Light spilled from the living room. Lara was sprawled on the sofa, phone in hand, half-distracted. As soon as the door clicked, she perked up, head swiveling.
"Lena! Spill! What happened tonight?"
Lara jumped up, eyes sparkling with curiosity. She looked comfortable in a white tank top and black shorts.
"Gosh, you're nosy," Lena said, blushing at Lara's eager face.
"Of course I'm nosy! It's your first dinner with a guy. Come on, give me details—how did it go?"
Lara looped her arm through Lena's, but after a second, she pulled away, frowning.
"Honestly, Lena, every time I link arms with you, I just feel defeated. What do you eat? You're so blessed."
Lena just rolled her eyes. She was used to Lara's teasing.
"Alright, enough about that. Get to the good part—what happened tonight?"
Lara wasn't upset for long. She knew Lena's body was something to envy, but she had her own favorite feature—her tiny, perfect waist. She was confident in her own figure and never felt inferior.
"So, what happened with you two?" Lara pressed.
Lena's cheeks turned pink. She wanted to come clean—lying to her friend just didn't feel right.
Still, knowing how dramatic Lara could get, Lena decided to warn her first.
"Okay, before I say anything, promise me you won't freak out."
Lara crossed her arms, looking unimpressed. "Relax. I'm a grown woman. College diploma and everything."
Lena shot her a skeptical look.
Lara rolled her eyes. "Come on, spill it! What's going on?"
Lena hesitated for half a second, then blurted it out. "Things are going really well. We're actually dating now. And… we kissed."
Her face practically glowed red.
"!!!"
"!!!"
"No way!!"
A second ago, Lara acted like nothing could faze her. Now she looked like she'd just heard aliens landed in the backyard. She sat there, stunned, then let out a loud curse.
"You literally just said you wouldn't get all worked up!" Lena said, trying not to laugh.
Lara threw her hands in the air. "Can you blame me? You just said you're in a relationship—and already kissed! Are you serious? Don't you dare lie to me. If you do, may you never make a dime again."
Lena nodded, still blushing.
Lara stared at her, speechless for a moment. "Wow. I always thought you were the conservative one. Turns out, I'm the prude."
She shook her head, grinning. "You kissed on the first day? Things are moving pretty fast."
"What are you even saying!"
Lena's cheeks went red. She patted Lara's shoulder like she was trying to shush her.
Who would kiss someone one day and then just hop into bed the next? That's nuts. Things don't move that fast.
But Lara just shrugged. "What am I saying? I'm just being real. We already kissed and made it official. You can't deny how quick this is going." She didn't seem bothered at all.
Yesterday, they met. Today, they're together—and already kissed. At this speed, tomorrow night's going to get interesting. Was she wrong for pointing it out?
"Honestly, At this pace, things might move faster than you expect."
Lara grinned, totally serious now. "Lena, let's be honest—if things keep moving like this, who knows where you'll be next year."
Lena's blush deepened. She looked like she might burst into flames. "I'm done talking to you. I'm going back to my room."
She spun away, ready to escape, but Lara grabbed her arm. "Wait, come on, stay a bit longer. I want to hear what happened tonight—like, how did you guys even confirm things and end up kissing? Don't leave me hanging!"
Lena eyed her, suspicious. "Fine, but you're not allowed to bring up any weird idea again, alright? Seriously, it's not happening that fast."
"Deal, I swear. Spill," Lara said, nodding like an overexcited puppy.
So Lena gave in and started telling her about their dinner date and movie.
Lara's jaw basically dropped. "Wow, Lena, you're braver than I thought."
Apparently, when the staff asked if they were a couple, Lena just said ,"yes." And when he wanted proof—a kiss—she didn't even hesitate. That's bold. No wonder things escalated so quickly.
"Okay, that's the story. Happy now? I'm heading to my room," Lena said, trying to act all nonchalant. Of course, she left out the bit about what happened in the little park afterward. No way she was telling Lara about that—she'd go wild.
But Lara wasn't done. She tugged Lena's sleeve, suddenly looking shy, which was weird for her. "Wait, actually, I have another question…"
Lena stared. "Since when do you get embarrassed?"
Honestly, Lena's usually the quiet, easily-flustered one. Lara's the opposite—always outgoing, never awkward. In all four years of college, Lena had never seen Lara act like this. So, yeah, she was curious.
Lara hesitated, cleared her throat, and finally blurted out, "I just wanted to ask… what's kissing like?"
Her cheeks turned pink, and she stared at Lena with these big, hopeful eyes. She really wanted to know. Thing is, Lara's never had a boyfriend—not that anyone at work would guess, since she always acts like she's dated a bunch.
Lena blinked. That was the big question?
"Hurry up and tell me!" Lara demanded, but she just looked adorable trying to be fierce.
Lena couldn't help grinning. Her friend was so embarrassed.
"Honestly, it's hard to explain. I just felt kind of dizzy. That's it. You'll get it when you finally get a boyfriend," Lena said, still blushing.
"Dizzy? That's all?" Lara frowned, like she couldn't believe it.
Lena laughed. "Kissing's great—you'll see when it happens for you."
She didn't want to keep talking about it. "Anyway, can we change the subject? I need your help. My phone's out of space again, and Evan saw, so he bought me a new iPhone. Can you help me set it up?"
Lara's eyes went wide. "Wait, he bought you an iPhone? Which one?" She finally noticed the bag Lena was holding.
Curiosity got the better of her.
"It's the latest Apple 16 Pro Max. The one with 1TB," Lena said, almost casual about it.
Lara's eyes widened. Wait, you mean the 16 Pro Max? "With a whole terabyte? The most expensive model?"
Lena nodded.
Lara stared at her in stunned silence.
Honestly, she wanted that phone too. Who wouldn't? But the price… That was several months of her salary. She could only daydream about it, while Lena just waltzed in with it in her hand.
So yeah, her feelings were a mess.
"Lara? You good? You haven't said a word," Lena finally asked, a little concerned.
Lara let out a heavy sigh. "Honestly, I'm just jealous. When am I ever going to meet a rich boyfriend who'll buy me stuff like this?"
She couldn't hide the envy in her eyes, but she tried not to let it show too much.
Then she forced a smile. "All right, enough of that. Let's open it up and get you set up. It's easy—I'll walk you through it."
Lena nodded and started unboxing the phone. That bright white Apple logo popped out, looking all sleek and shiny.
--------
Evan pulled into the school parking lot and killed the engine. He glanced at his phone—9:30. Not bad. He still had a solid half hour before the dorm lights went out.
He got out, locked the car, and started heading toward his dorm. As he walked, he kept thinking about the whole renting-a-place-off-campus idea. Honestly, it made so much sense. No need to rush back to the dorm every single night. Plus, the privacy—yeah, that was a big deal.
It would solve a lot of problems. Whenever he was with Emily or Lena, finding a quiet place became tricky. Having his own place would make things so much easier.
But if he wanted this to work, he'd need two apartments. One for Emily. One for Lena. The good news? The girls' dedicated dating funds could cover the rent.
Wait, that made sense, right? Even apartment rent could be justified as part of maintaining a relationship? "System?" Evan asked out loud. The answer popped up right away: Yes, he could use the fund for rent.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Emily, asking if he was still outside.
"No, I'm back at school. Just parked. Heading to my dorm now," he replied. Then he snapped a quick photo—the school buildings clear in the background—and sent it along.
Meanwhile, over in the girls' dorm, Emily lay in bed, fresh-faced after washing up. She read Evan's message and studied the photo for a second. Instead of texting back, she reached for her mirror, checking her reflection. No makeup, but honestly, her skin looked great tonight. Satisfied with what she saw, she put the mirror down with a smile.
Then she hit the video call button.
As the call rang, she angled her phone for the best view. Rose, in the next bed, heard the ringing and looked over. "Who are you calling so late?" she asked.
"Evan." Emily grinned, just as his face popped up on the screen.
"Checking up on me?" Evan teased, seeing her bright, makeup-free smile.
"Go ahead. Investigate all you want," he added.
Emily's eyes sparkled. "You finish washing up?" Evan asked, trying to keep his thoughts in check.
"Yeah, just got into bed," she replied. "Honestly, I was worried you'd feel lonely walking back to your dorm by yourself, so I thought I'd video call. Pretty good girlfriend, right?"
She looked so proud of herself, it was impossible not to laugh. She really was cute sometimes.
Jasmine, on the next bed over, kept sneaking glances at Emily. Her eyes were full of regret. How had she missed that Evan was actually loaded? If she'd noticed before Emily did, maybe she'd be the one chatting with him right now. That designer bag could have been hers.
And Evan—he wasn't just any rich kid. You don't just hand out designer bags like that if you're ordinary.
********