The last bell rang through the noisy halls of St. Agatha's, releasing a flood of students eager to escape the confines of detention, homework, and each other. But I wasn't rushing out like the others. Instead, I stood frozen in place, trapped by a whirlwind of thoughts that refused to settle.
Zara. Bianca. Jace. Phoenix.
Each name tugged at me with a different kind of weight, twisting my heart into knots.
---
I glanced toward Zara, who was sitting alone by the lockers, her eyes distant and sad. The warmth that once blossomed between us was wilting under some invisible frost.
I wanted to reach out, to break through the silence that had settled like a thick fog between us. But how?
Bianca's whispers had poisoned the well — lies seeded between us until Zara started to doubt everything we'd shared. And I couldn't blame her. If I were in her shoes, I'd feel betrayed too.
I squared my shoulders and approached her.
"Zara," I began gently, "have you noticed Bianca watching you? Her eyes aren't friendly."
She looked up, startled, but nodded. "Yeah… she's been doing that ever since she saw us getting close."
I smiled, trying to keep my voice steady. "She's trying to turn you against me. Don't let her win."
Zara's gaze dropped. "It's hard. She told me you only care about Jace. That I'm just a distraction."
A pang of guilt stabbed my chest. I squeezed her hand. "I care about you — more than you know. Bianca's lies aren't true."
She hesitated, then whispered, "I want to believe you."
I promised myself I'd prove it.
---
My phone vibrated, buzzing in my pocket like an alarm bell. A message from Jace blinked on the screen: Meet me. Now.
My heart jumped. For days, he'd been distant, unreachable, and the silence between us had grown unbearable.
I glanced back at Zara, who gave me a small nod of encouragement. Then I turned and hurried toward the art room where we'd agreed to meet.
---
Jace was pacing beneath the towering oak tree, shadows pooling at his feet. When he spotted me, his tense features softened.
"Hi Jace, where the hell have you been?" I demanded, unable to hide the frustration in my voice.
He stopped and looked at me, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. "The Black Holes."
I blinked, confused.
"The Black Holes?" I repeated.
He nodded grimly. "It's a place they send kids who won't 'straighten up'—stubborn ones who don't see the light. It's brutal, Aria. Worse than you can imagine."
My stomach clenched. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want you to worry. I wanted to protect you," he said, voice rough.
I reached out and gripped his arm. "You're not alone, Jace. I'm here."
---
Just then, a familiar shadow stepped forward. Phoenix.
"Aria," he said softly, eyes glowing with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. "We need to talk."
Jace's gaze flickered toward Phoenix, and the tension between them was palpable. I felt it too — the invisible line tightening, squeezing my heart.
Phoenix stepped closer. "I'm not here to fight, but you need to know… I care about you. More than you realize."
Jace's jaw clenched, voice low. "We both do."
The unspoken battle crackled between them.
I swallowed hard, torn between two worlds — two hearts.
How was I supposed to choose when both felt like home?
---
Later, I sat with Zara in the quiet sanctuary of the library. The weight of her silence had been unbearable.
"Tell me what Bianca said," I urged gently.
She hesitated, then confessed, "She told me you don't really care about me. That I'm just a pawn in your game for Jace's attention."
My chest tightened. "Zara, I care about you. Bianca's lies are poison — designed to divide us."
She looked down, her voice barely a whisper. "I want to trust you, Aria. I really do."
I reached for her hand again. "We'll get through this. Together."
---
The cafeteria buzzed with gossip and laughter, but I was hyper-aware of the dangerous game unfolding around me.
Bianca sauntered past with a smirk, eyes sharp and calculating.
"Looks like Zara's confused. And I hear Jace has been… distracted," she sneered. "Things are falling apart, Aria."
Zara shot Bianca a glare, standing up tall. "Not if we have anything to say about it."
I caught Phoenix's eye across the room, his expression unreadable. He gave me a small, encouraging nod.
Then Jace appeared beside me, slipping an arm around my shoulder.
The love triangle was no longer just an invisible tension — it was a living, breathing thing.
And we were trapped in its center.
---
That night, lying in bed, my mind raced.
Jace — the boy who'd suffered the Black Holes, yet fought to stay close.
Phoenix — the one whose smile could brighten my darkest days.
Zara — the friend I couldn't afford to lose.
Bianca — the shadow threatening to tear us all apart.
I realized the war was just beginning — a battle for trust, loyalty, and maybe even love.
But one thing was certain: I wasn't backing down.
Because this was my story. My chaos. My heart.
And I would fight for it — no matter the cost.