All Chapters of Pucking Hate You, My Bully Captain : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Zach’s POV“Zachary!”My eyes flutter and I thank the heavens for sending me a reason to look away from Ryder, I turned to find Gigi walking towards us.“Will I see you this evening?”My head snapped back to Ryder and I held his gaze for a moment. There was no denying the fact that the air had drastically shifted between the two of us.But what did that mean? I needed some time to figure that out.“I need to get some rest today.”He didn’t argue, just gave me an understanding nod before walking away.Just then, Gigi stepped up next to me.“What was that about?”I shook my head, leaning against her as all the strength I had mustered so that I won’t look weak next to Ryder came falling apart.“Nothing, he’s fine.”She gave me a look. “So… he’s not?”I shook my head again. “Can you take me home please?”Gigi nodded immediately. “Sure, let’s get you to the main hall and then I’ll go bring my car around.”Throwing my hand over her shoulder, Gigi led me through the hall, making small talk a

Zach’s POVMy hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I received another anonymous text at 3 AM.Sleep tight, pretty boy.Paranoia clawed at my ribs every time I stepped into a hallway. The cold war with Ryder only made it worse. Every dodged glance in class, every unfinished slide in our shared drive, chipped away at what little sanity I had left. I couldn’t keep doing this. Not if I wanted to survive the semester.I waited outside our Business Ethics lecture hall like a man waiting on his own execution. Students poured out. Ryder emerged last, backpack slung over one broad shoulder, jaw set in that permanent scowl he wore around. His eyes flicked to mine and narrowed.I stepped into his path before he could slip away. “We need to talk.”“Hallway’s not exactly private, Jameson.”“Don’t care.” I kept my voice low, but the exhaustion bled through. Dark circles under my eyes probably gave me away. “This avoiding each other bullshit has to end today. Let’s finish the damn project like adults.”Ryde

Ryder’s POVThe clock on my laptop read 1:47 AM. Empty energy drink cans littered the coffee table, and the only light came from our two screens glowing in the dim apartment. Zach looked wrecked, his hair messy, sleeves pushed up, eyes burning with that stubborn focus that made my chest ache.We’d been working for hours, but the rhythm between us had deepened into something almost addictive. The constant jabs were way past us now, and Zach seemed much warmer.I leaned back, stretching my arms overhead, and watched him rework a complex sensitivity table. “You’re fucking brilliant at this, you know that?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. “The way you catch the assumptions most people miss. It’s not just numbers for you. It’s like you see a story others don’t.”Zach paused, fingers hovering over the keys. He glanced up, surprise flickering across his face before something guarded settled in. “That’s a really nice way to put it.”“I see you.” My voice came out rougher than

Ryder’s POVMy jaw tightened as I tossed the plate Zach ate with into the dishwasher. I still couldn’t believe he left with that smug bastard.I was so furious that I went straight to bed after, the thought still rummaging through my mind as I struggled to sleep. The moment I closed my eyes, the image of his smile lighting up the moment he saw Damien burned behind my eyes and I eventually stayed up all night.By morning, I was done playing subtle with my feelings. I didn’t know what else Zach wanted from me before he would finally let me in, but I was sure about one thing.Damien would not get his hands on Zach. Not if I had something to say about it.Even though I didn’t know where Damien’s off-campus place was, a few calls amidst our mutual cliques pointed me in the right direction.In less than an hour I was already standing right at his porch, recognizing the blue ford parked in the driveway. I pounded on the door until it opened.Damien appeared in his designer sweats and a nice

Ryder’s POVThe project kept humming like a live wire, casually nearing its close. Our combined sections flowed together with an electric precision I’d never felt with any team before.Zach’s analytical depth sharpened my broader strategy plays, and when we synced on the final risk mitigation framework, it crackled with ideas bouncing fast, slides locking into place like they were always meant to be together. For a few hours, the outside world faded, and it was just us, the laptop glow, and that rare, addictive rhythm.Through it all, at the back of my mind, my resolve echoed like a mantra,I wasn’t letting him slip away without a fight.It made me grow bolder around him. In the study lounge the next morning, I saved him the seat beside me before he arrived, my jacket draped over the back like a claim. When he walked in and spotted it, his eyebrows rose, but he sat. Afterwards, I walked him to his dorm.“Just in case.” Was my answer to his protest and he quickly eased into my stride,