Lucien's POV:
I sat there, frozen, mind blank as Bridgette's frantic footsteps faded into the distance.
...Did that really just happen?
Did she seriously see me cry?
My jaw tightened, knuckles whitening against the cold metal stair. I'd spent years perfecting indifference, building walls taller than this entire academy — and in one stupid moment, the mask slipped.
And she saw it.
Bridgette La Rue, of all people.
I dragged a hand through my hair, letting out a low breath that almost — almost — turned into a bitter laugh. What was she even doing down here?
Before the spiral could take over, my phone pinged.
A message from Mark:
Where are you? Tristan is fuming and Jace is worried. Did you disappear again?
Typical.
I typed the shortest reply possible:
I'll be back soon. Don't wait.
Shoving the phone away, another thought gnawed at me.
Bridgette's face hadn't been smug or triumphant.
She looked... terrified.
And for some reason, that made everything feel worse.
Bridgette's POV:
I didn't stop running until I slammed into a wall.
"OW—!"
The impact snapped me back into reality. I clutched my forehead, panting, heart beating like a marching band.
"Okay, Bridgette, breathe," I gasped. "It's fine. You didn't see anything. He'll forget. Right?"
I froze.
Who was I kidding?
Lucien — the academy's Dark Prince — didn't forget anything.
My legs wobbled. "Great. Just great," I muttered. "I try to start fresh, and instead I catch the scariest guy in school crying. Amazing. Love that for me."
For a moment, I genuinely considered crawling into the nearest locker.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Isabel:
Bridgette, are you at school now? I'm in the classroom. I heard Travis made a scene again.
I chewed my lip, then typed back:
yeah. Just needed a moment. be there soon
Lucien's POV:
By the time I returned to the main hall, the bell had already rung.
I leaned against a locker, forcing my face back into its usual mask. The burn in my eyes lingered, but no one needed to know that.
"Hey! There you are!"
Mark jogged over, worry all over his face. "Where did you go?"
"Needed air," I muttered.
He frowned but didn't push. He knew me too well.
As we walked, I spotted Bridgette down the hall, standing stiffly by her locker. The moment our eyes met, she flinched — then looked away so fast she nearly dropped her bag.
Something twisted in my chest.
Confusion? Embarrassment? Annoyance?
No idea.
But I knew one thing:
She saw a part of me no one was meant to see.
And I saw a side of her no one else had, either.
Lucien's POV-Later
Class droned on. Everyone pretended to study. I stared out the window, stuck in my own head.
A rare moment of weakness — and she walked right into it.
Did she think I was crying?
No. She knew.
A bitter laugh almost slipped out. Bridgette La Rue, running away like she'd seen a ghost — or worse, my humanity.
Pathetic.
Annoying.
Infuriating.
And unfortunately... unforgettable.
After class, I kept seeing her — ducking behind corners, slipping away early, acting like I was a monster chasing her through the hallways.
Today, I wasn't letting it slide.
I found her near the library, half‑hidden behind lockers like a startled squirrel.
She jolted upright the second she saw me. "L-Lucien..."
I closed the distance. "You ran."
"I—I wasn't—"
"Don't lie." My voice was low. "You ran. You saw something you shouldn't have."
Her fingers twisted in her skirt, trembling.
I stepped closer, voice brushing her ear. "What did you see, Bridgette?"
"I... I didn't take a picture, I swear—"
"Do you think I care about a picture?" My tone sharpened. "I care about what you saw."
Her breath shook. "I saw someone... not as invincible as they pretend to be."
Her words hit harder than they should have.
"And I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have screamed. I shouldn't have run. I just... panicked. You've always been untouchable. And suddenly... you weren't."
That honesty disarmed me more than the fall ever did.
I exhaled. "Try again."
She swallowed. "I saw someone who's usually as terrifyingly perfect as a drama villain, but today you were just... human. Vulnerable. Possibly in need of a hug?"
My eye twitched. "A hug?"
She panicked. "N-not from me! Unless you — I mean — no! Definitely not—" She made a frantic zipping motion over her lips.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You're weird."
"I hear that a lot," she muttered.
I stepped back. "Don't mistake this for forgiveness. I won't forget what you saw. But... I'm not punishing you. For now."
Relief washed over her so visibly it almost made me laugh.
"Stay out of my way, Bridgette," I said, turning. "And remember — some things are better left unseen."
As I walked away, I could feel her eyes burning into my back.
A smile tugged at my lips.
Drama queen.