Off the Record….Chapter 6
info: Group projects, girls’ day plans, and Halloween costumes distract Y/N from her usual routine, but a new classmate starts getting her attention. Unfortunately for Nicholas, seeing someone else make her smile leaves him questioning everything.
warnings: language
previous chapter
The classroom hums with quiet conversation: the faint scratch of pens, the tapping of laptop keys, and the squeak of a dry-erase marker as the professor writes on the whiteboard. The board reads: Group Presentation: The Ethics of Criminal Defense-Defending the Guilty.
Students groan, a few already whispering to each other. Y/N sits, half-skimming her notes, sipping on her coffee. The moment “Group Presentation” hits her ears, her head lifts.
“Alright, everyone. You’ll be working in groups of four. You’ll analyze real-world cases, form an argument, and present your stance. Groups are listed on the board. Find your names, then find your people.” He steps aside, and students start standing, scraping chairs, and walking around the room to find their groups.
Y/N squints at the board: Group 3: Y/N Y/L, Tyler Ross, Kayla Nguyen, Aaron Cole.
She gathers her laptop and notebook, weaving through chairs until she spots a small group forming in the corner. She noticed Kayla since she’s had classes with her since freshman year, so they’re kind of acquaintances. Aaron is notorious on campus for somehow breaking the only bathroom in their building, leaving it broken for the remainder of that semester.
Tyler stands out immediately. He's leaning back in his chair, tapping a pen against the table, and chatting effortlessly with Aaron and Kayla. He looks up at her as she approaches.
"Hey, Y/N, right?" Tyler asks, pulling a chair for her next to him.
“Yeah, that’s me. You must be Tyler?”
“That’s me,” He grins. "Looks like we're tackling the most interesting question of the semester!”
“Fun? You mean ridiculous?” Kayla kicks in.
They all laugh softly, settling around a table. The noisy classroom soon fades into a comfortable hum: students chatting, chairs squeaking, the scribbling of notes.
“So… defending guilty clients. I guess we pick a side?” Aaron asks, completely lost.
“Yeah, probably one we can actually argue without losing our minds,” Tyler says, tapping his pen on the table. He then turns his attention to Y/N, “What side do you think we should take?”
"I mean…even guilty people deserve legal representation. Otherwise, the system stops being about justice and starts being about deciding who deserves rights." Y/N says as if she's been destined for this moment.
The group seemed to pause for a second, and Tyler, in particular, looked immediately hooked. Y/N offered a small, knowing smile, feeling the familiar, faint blush creeping up her cheeks as she glanced down at her notes, successfully having pulled off another spontaneous moment of brilliance.
"Wait, that's actually a great argument," Tyler says, sitting up straighter. "Why didn't I think of that? You sound like you’ve thought about this before.” He nods and grins at her, setting his pen down.
"Maybe once or twice." she replied with a small laugh.
He holds her gaze longer than necessary. She glances down at her notes, pretending to focus, but there’s a faint blush she tries to hide.
“Okay, so Y/N clearly is our voice of reason. Tyler, you can be our smooth talker for the presentation. Aaron and I will handle slides.” Kayla suggests.
“Smooth talker? Yeah, I can handle that.” Tyler says smugly, leaning back in his chair.
“As long as you actually do the work too, smooth talker.” Y/N playfully says, smirking at him.
“Promise. I’ll even share my best coffee shop study spots as payment.” Tyler suggests, Y/N smiles and looks down at her notes, catching a hint of flirtatiousness in his voice.
The classroom buzzes as other groups chatter about case studies and defense ethics. The group starts dividing up tasks, scribbling notes, sharing ideas, and exchanging numbers.
“Presentations will start two weeks from today. I’ll expect outlines by Monday!” The professor yells as everyone squeezes themselves out of the classroom door. Y/N gathers her laptop and notes and shoves them in her bookbag. She stands up from her seat and notices everyone in her group is gone, but Tyler still stands beside her.
“Hey, what class do you have next?” He asks, fixing the bookbag hanging off his shoulder.
“No class, just lunch break right now. I’ve got Constitutional Law at 2:45.”
“Nice, I’ve got Criminal Procedure next. Guess we’ll both be drowning in case briefs this week.” He says, tilting his head, giving a small chuckle.
“Yeah, the glamorous life of legal studies.” She laughs nervously, hoping to leave the conversation soon, as her empty stomach is screaming at her.
“Exactly,” He chuckles, “Well, maybe I’ll see you around… or, you know, talk to you later about our case notes.” He says with a slightly flirty tone.
“Sure. I’ll be around.” She smiles.
He grins and waves as he leaves the classroom, backpack slung over one shoulder. Y/N watches him go for a second longer than necessary before shaking her head at herself. She could admit that Tyler was cute, but maybe a little too confident? Too smug? She shakes her head as she gathers her thoughts and heads for the door and straight to the cafeteria.
The lunchtime rush hums softly around them, trays clattering, espresso machine hissing, bursts of laughter echoing off the walls. The light spills through the big cafeteria windows, casting a glow across half-empty tables.
Y/N slides into her usual spot across from Hailey and Mia, who already have their lunches out: a salad for Hailey, a wrap and chips for Mia. Y/N drops her bag onto the ground and exhales, chomping away at a turkey sandwich.
“You look like someone who just found out finals are next week.” Hailey says as she sees the tiredness on Y/N's face.
“I might as well have. Group projects were announced today.” She laughs.
“Ugh, the curse of college existence. What’s the topic?” Mia groans.
“Something about defending the guilty. I’m pretending I understood half of what he said.” Y/N says, taking another bite of her sandwich.
Hailey laughs before crunching on a crouton.
“You’ll nail it. Who’d you get stuck with?” Hailey continues.
Y/N shrugs as she swallows her bite, trying to look casual but clearly hiding a tiny grin.
“Kayla, I’ve had almost every one of my legal studies classes with her since freshman year, Aaron, the guy who clogged the toilet in Merrick Building and ruined the bathroom for the rest of the freshman year. But one of the guys-Tyler-he’s... uh, actually kind of nice. A little too confident, maybe, but nice.” She says.
“Kind of nice? Translation: cute. Spill.” Mia says, eyes widening and scooting closer to Y/N.
Y/N laughs, taking a sip of her drink to avoid answering.
“He’s in legal studies, too. We talked after class, just about schedules and... the project.” She finally answers.
“Oh my God,” Hailey mockingly gasps,” Y/N talked to a boy. Somebody alert the press.”
Y/N rolls her eyes, but can’t hide the smile on her face.
“So you’re saying you’re gonna finally let someone take you on a date that isn’t in your imagination?” Mia teases.
“Well, I didn’t say that, I’m picky.” Y/N points a finger back at Mia.
“You’re probably just traumatized from dealing with Nicholas since the moment you popped out of your mom.” Hailey jokes. Y/N pauses, caught off guard.
“No, it’s not like that. I just-yeah, I just need to stop thinking about him so much lately.” Y/N nervously laughs.
“Hold up. Off him? What does that even mean?” Mia says, shaking her head, giving Y/N a questionable stare.
“I don’t know. It’s not like I like him. It’s just—he’s been...constant, you know? Since we were kids.” She says, trying to cover her ass. She does not need her friends to know how she feels about Nicholas. That’ll be a whole conversation she does not want to have right now.
“It seems he’s got a new girlfriend, like he does every semester. I bet it gets tiring of all the girls he brings over.” Hailey snickers.
Y/N pokes at her food, not able to formulate a response. While the girls had never truly bothered her before, something about the recent shift felt different. She tried to dismiss the sharp stab of envy, forcing herself to wonder if the real ache was just a reflection of her own loneliness.
“It does. I’ve gotta stop making him the center of my world. I’ve got friends, school, and my own life. He’s got his. It’s just...not the same anymore.” She sighs, still poking at her food.
“Whoa. This is, like, emotional growth. Who are you?” Hailey sits back, giggling, liking the new Y/N.
“She’s in her self-actualization era.” Mia laughs.
They all laugh, the tension breaking. Y/N leans back, smiling genuinely for the first time that day.
“Alright,” Hailey sits back up, her attention on Y/N,” What’s the plan for today, then?”
“Since I’m actually going to the Halloween party. I figured I’ll find a costume, look hot, and maybe have some fun, I’m guessing?” Y/N says, even questioning herself as to what she’d even do. She’s never been to a party in high school or college, so she had no idea what to expect.
“Okay, okay. Who is she? I love this energy.”
“And Tyler might be there.” Mia teases. Both Mia and Hailey “oooh” dramatically, laughing. Y/N throws a napkin at them.
“Shut up. I don’t like him like that.” Y/N groans.
“Not yet, but it could be.” Hailey suggests with a teasing tone.
Y/N shakes her head, but the smile stays on her face.
“Soo…are you guys going costume shopping with me, right?” Y/N asks
“Yep. You’re driving.” Mia points a finger at Y/N.
“And we’re not leaving until you pick something that makes people stare.” Hailey adds.
“Deal. I could use a distraction anyway.” Y/N laughs, finishing her latte.
Y/N, Hailey, and Mia push through the glass doors, immediately caught in the chaos. Zombie by the Cranberries blasts from overhead speakers of the crowded Halloween store as wigs, masks, and glittering costumes line the aisles.
“Okay, rule number one: no boring costumes.” Mia grins, grabbing a basket.
“Yeah, no cats, no angels, and definitely no last-minute devil horns,” Hailey adds.
“So basically, you’re banning every idea I had,” Y/N sighs.
They laugh as they begin to move down the aisles, scanning over the overwhelming number of costumes hanging from the walls. Mia points out a beautiful fairy costume with an off-white skirt and a corset lined with colorful flowers and leaves. Y/N’s eyes lit up at the costume, loving the small details on the top, but frowned when she saw they were out of her size.
They move down a bit, then Mia holds up a vampire cape in front of Y/N, she stares back, unimpressed.
“Someone's going to step on that and choke me. Absolutely not.” Y/N laughs.
Hailey holds out a cowgirl outfit: a tan romper with a V-shaped zipper down the middle, exposing just a little cleavage, and a cowboy belt.
“Okay, but this is kinda cute, right?” Hailey grins at Y/N with a questionable smile.
“Admit it, you were made for this costume,” Mia exaggerates.
“You’re lucky I like you.” Y/N playfully glares at her, hating the outfit.
Eventually, Y/N's eyes land on a red and black pirate-themed costume. A red dress with puffed sleeves and a short, flared skirt with a black lace hem and a black lace-up corset with ribbons.
“Girl, that paired with some fishnets and some heeled boots? O-M-G, hottest girl at the party,” Hailey giggles.
She digs through the costumes hanging and lets out a sigh of relief when she sees her size in stock. She walks with her friends over to the fitting rooms, wanting to make sure the costume fits just right before spending the money on it.
Y/N steps into the dress, pulling it up to her chest. She zips the back and begins to fix the dress to emphasize her figure, fixing the ribbons on her front. She pats down the skirt, trying to get it to poof perfectly. The pirate costume fits faultlessly. She twirls around, silently loving the costume.
Y/N emerges slowly from the fitting rooms to show Hailey and Mia the costume, and they freeze mid-laugh.
“Oh... okay. That’s the one.” Hailey says, slightly impressed.
Y/N looks in the mirror. For a moment, the playful expression fades into confidence.
“It’s... actually kind of fun.” Y/N smiles as she twirls in front of the mirror. Trying to see how the dress looked on her from every angle.
“Fun? Girl, you look hot.” Mia laughs.
They all burst into laughter again. Y/N does a small spin, letting the skirt flare out.
“You are so right,” Y/N grins.
The three dissolve into another round of laughter as they discuss Y/N’s costume. Determining it’s the right fit for her.
The soft amber glow lights up the apartment, the setting sun filtering through the blinds. Y/N opens the door, juggling her bag, keys, and the shopping bag with her Halloween costume tucked neatly inside.
The distant chatter from a TV fills the space as Nicholas is sprawled on the couch, phone in hand, TV remote nearby. The moment he sees her, his face lights up in a way that feels unusually refreshed.
“Hey, you’re home!” Nicholas yells from the couch, giving her a cheesy smile
He actually gets up, something he rarely does, and pulls her into a hug. The gesture catches her off guard enough that she forgets to hug him back for a second. She just stands there before a soft laugh escapes her, and she slowly returns the hug.
“Okay... hi to you too?” Y/N laughs, confused as to what hair is up his ass.
“Just glad you’re back. How was your day? You disappear on me or something?”
“Hailey and Mia kidnapped me for a girls’ day. We just did a little shopping and got dinner.”
He notices the Halloween store bag hanging from her wrist and squints with curiosity.
“Oh-ho... What's this? You got a costume?” He teases, eyeing the bag with interest.
“Nope. Just... a t-shirt.” Y/N puts the bag behind her back, trying to hide it from Nicholas.
“Sure. Let me see.” He says, trying to snatch it from behind her back, but she starts backing down the hall toward her room.
“You’re ridiculous. It’s a surprise.” She laughs as she moves further down the hallway towards her room.
“A surprise, huh? Sounds like a costume in disguise.”
“Maybe it is. Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” She says, finally making it to the entrance of her room. He chuckles, and she shuts the door in his face.
Y/N sits at her desk, grabbing her laptop and notes from her bookbag. She opens her laptop, typing in the link to open her textbook, and lays out her pens, when her phone buzzes. A text from Tyler.
Tyler: So what are you doing for the project again?
She grins slightly. They talked about who was doing what in class, so he knows exactly what she’s supposed to be doing for the project.
Y/N: Why are you asking just me?
Tyler: Because you're the only one who actually had good ideas.
She lets out a loud laugh at the cheesy comment, covering her mouth.
“Oh my god, stop.” She says to herself, catching a breath from laughing. She shakes her head, cheeks turning pink.
She hears a light knock at her door before it creaks open slightly. Nicholas pokes his head in her room with a puzzled look. Seeing her amused grin, opens the door more and stands against the doorframe.
“What’s got you giggling like a schoolgirl in here?” He asks, grinning and crossing his arms.
“Uh—just something funny I saw on Instagram.” She says, avoiding the conversation of talking to a guy after so long.
Her phone buzzes again. Nicholas’s eyes flick toward her desk, catching a glimpse of the bold letters “TYLER” on her screen. He shifts uncomfortably in the spot he is standing in, curious about who Tyler was, though there was an uncomfortable feeling that he couldn’t quite place.
“Oh? Who’s Tyler?” He asks, a weird mix of curiosity and jealousy is plastered all over his face.
“Just someone I met in class. For a group project.” Y/N says softly, noticing his change in mood and tone.
He pauses longer than usual, like he wants to ask more. Instead, he pushes a quick half-smile.
“Anyway, uh—I should probably get to my homework,” he lies, desperate to escape the conversation.
“You? Doing homework willingly? That’s a new personality trait.” She giggles.
He gives a short laugh but doesn’t meet her eyes.
“Yeah, well. Gotta start sometime.” He turns and steps out, closing the door softly behind him.
Y/N stares at the spot where Nicholas once stood. She shakes her head. What was that reaction? He has always asked when she was going to start dating again, so why did he react like that when he saw Tyler’s text?
Her phone buzzes again. She glances down, another text from Tyler lights up the screen, she looks at the screen and back at the door where Nicholas stood. Was he jealous?
Nicholas closes his bedroom door behind him and leans against it for a moment. The silence feels heavier than usual. He stares at the floor, jaw tight, then drags a hand through his hair.
Y/N's laugh echoes in his head. Not the laugh itself, but the fact that it had been because of someone else. Tyler. The name leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
Nicholas scoffs quietly and pushes himself toward the bed. This is ridiculous. He'd spent years telling Y/N she should date more. Years of encouraging her to put herself out there. He'd never cared before, so why now?
He sits on the edge of the mattress and grabs his phone. The screen lights up immediately.
Charlotte: Call me when you can ❤️
His thumb hovers over the notification. After a few seconds, he locks the screen and tosses the phone onto the bed beside him.
His gaze drifts toward the wall separating his room from Y/N's. Just a wall separating them, and yet suddenly it feels like she's farther away than she's ever been.
Nicholas leans forward, elbows on his knees. His mind betrays him immediately. Before he can stop himself, the memories come rushing in.
Y/N laughing so hard she nearly choked on a milkshake.
Y/N stealing food off his plate and pretending she wasn't.
Y/N showing up at his bedroom door with medicine when he was sick.
Y/N falling asleep during movie nights, curled into the corner of the couch with a blanket half-slipping off her shoulder.
Y/N standing in the kitchen that morning, sleepy-eyed and smiling at the coffee he'd brought her.
The memories come one after another, effortless and familiar. And that's what finally makes his stomach drop.
No matter who he'd dated, no matter how many girls had come and gone, those weren't the moments he carried with him.
It was always her, always Y/N, and somehow, he'd never stopped to question why.
Nicholas squeezes his eyes shut, and suddenly Charlotte's text doesn't matter.
The dates don't matter, the distractions don't matter, because for the first time, he allows himself to think about the thing he's spent years avoiding.
The idea of Y/N with somebody else doesn't bother him because he's protective. It doesn't bother him because Tyler is a stranger. It bothers him because he doesn't want her to choose someone that isn't him.
His eyes open slowly. The realization settles over him all at once, heavy and impossible to ignore.
He leans back against the wall behind his bed and stares at the ceiling.
For years, Y/N had simply been part of his life. Constant. Always there. Now, for the first time, he finds himself wondering what would happen if she weren't, and the answer terrifies him.
He hears her faint laugh through the wall, and a small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. Now he finally understands why hearing her laugh with someone else felt so wrong.
It wasn't jealousy. At least, not entirely. It was something much worse.
He was falling in love with his best friend.
