Cafeteria

Ken spotted Jane and Paul already seated at their usual table, talking about something. A feeling of warmth blossomed in his chest at the sight of his two friends, but it was quickly change by a jealousy as he noticed Paul's arm resting casually on the back of Jane's chair.

"Hey guys!" Ken exclaimed, feigning cheerfulness as he approached the table, tray in hand.

"Ken, there you are!" Jane greeted him, her smile reaching her eyes. "We were just talking about our schedules for this semester."

"Ah, I see." Ken slid into the seat next to Jane, trying not to let his unease show. He couldn't help but notice the closeness between Jane and Paul and wondered if there was something more going on between them.

"Looks like we're all in the same calculus class," Paul said, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. "That should be... interesting."

"Definitely," Jane agreed, playfully rolling her eyes. "So, Ken, any other classes we share?"

"Uh, let me check," Ken fumbled with his phone, pulling up his schedule. "I think we have history together, Jane. And Paul, we're in the same gym class."

"Great," Paul grumbled, clearly unenthusiastic about gym.

Jane leaned over to look at Ken's schedule, her shoulder brushing against his. He felt a jolt of electricity at the contact, and his heart raced. *Get a grip, Ken,* he chided himself. *She's just your friend.*

"Wow, looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other this semester," Jane mused, her tone light and teasing.

"Guess so," Ken replied, forcing a smile. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of happiness and trepidation at the prospect of spending so much time with Jane, especially with Paul always

[nearby.

As

](http://nearby.As) they all dug into their lunches, they shared stories from their first classes, laughing and joking around.

"Hey, did you guys hear about that new teacher, Mr. Thompson?" Jane asked between bites of her sandwich. "Apparently, he's super chill and really cares about his students."

"Really?" Paul raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "I've got him for creative writing. Maybe I'll actually enjoy that class for once."

"Sounds like we lucked out with teachers this semester," Ken added, trying to keep the conversation going. He knew he shouldn't let his mind wander to jealous thoughts, but it was hard not to when he saw how easygoing Jane and Paul were together.

"Definitely," Jane nodded, her eyes bright with excitement. "I'm actually looking forward to school this year."

"Me too," Paul agreed, his gaze lingering on Jane just a moment too long.

"Speaking of being stuck, Paul," Ken interjected, trying to get a grip on the conversation, "you mentioned earlier that you're taking creative writing again this year. Are you having trouble with that subject?"

"Actually," Paul hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "I'm a repeater in both creative writing and biology. I struggled last year and didn't make the grades I needed."

"Really?" Jane chimed in, her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I never would've guessed, considering how smart you are."

"Hey, we all have our weak spots," Paul shrugged, trying to brush off the topic. "I'm just hoping this year goes better."

As the conversation continued, Ken couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Paul. He knew the pressure of trying to excel in school and how difficult it could be to face your shortcomings.

"Hey!" Jane snapped her fingers in front of Ken's face, bringing him back to the present. "You're spacing out again, buddy. Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah," Ken stammered, shaking off his thoughts. "Just lost in thought, I guess."

"Alright," Jane replied, eyeing him with concern. "Just remember we're here for you, too."

"Thanks, Jane," Ken murmured, doing his best to smile. As their lunch break came to an end, he couldn't help but think about the effect Paul had on Jane and what it meant for their friendship. But for now, he tried to focus on the fact that they were all there for each other, no matter what challenges lay ahead.