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ARKs POV
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The next morning, it was like nothing had happened.
At least, that's what it looked like when Jade walked into class, cool and composed, the same lazy smirk tugging at his mouth. But when he dropped into the seat beside me again- like it was the most natural thing in the world- my chest pulled tight. My scarf scratched my skin where I tugged it higher, as if fabric could shield me from him.
His arm stretched across the desk casually, brushing too close. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to. His eyes did all the talking.
That stare- low, steady, burning straight into me- locked me in place.
I pretended to look at my notes, pen scratching across the page, but it was useless. Every time I lifted my eyes, even for half a second, his gaze was there, deep and unblinking. And worse- when I caught him, when I stupidly let my own stare crash into his- his lips curved. Not in mockery. Not in cruelty. But into something softer. Amused. Knowing.
And I swore- just for a flicker- his cheeks colored faintly.
Jade. Blushing.
I almost dropped my pen.
His smirk followed me, playing at the corners of my vision. My face burned beneath the scarf. My heart felt like it had lodged itself somewhere in my throat.
The morning lesson dragged as always. And I was trying my best to stay composed near Jade. Students stood as a sign of lunch break.
I tried to stand, to break the moment before it broke me, but I didn't even make a few steps to the door when...
His hands caught me.
Strong. Firm. Wrapping around my waist, pulling me down. I gasped, clutching at the edge of the desk, but before I could say a word, he did the unthinkable.
He sat back, tugging me down with him, and laid his head-his actual head- against my stomach.
Right there. In the middle of an empty class.
I froze, every nerve in my body screaming, my hands hovering awkwardly in the air. He tightened his hold, resting against me like he belonged there, and for a few impossible minutes, he didn't move. Just held me. Breathing slow. Steady.
My heart thrashed, so loud I was sure he could hear it.
Then, like it was nothing, he stood up.
And that's when I realized.
Jade wasn't just tall. He was towering. When he rose fully to his height, the shadow of him hovered far above me, making me feel small in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. My breath stuttered. My knees wobbled.
And then, without warning, he leaned down.
His lips pressed against the side of my face- against the scarf covering my cheek. The heat of him bled right through the fabric, searing into my skin.
A kiss.
I froze, wide-eyed, but before I could process the shock, he slipped something into my pocket with a swift, subtle motion. By the time I glanced down, he was already walking away, cool as ever.
My fingers brushed against the small shape in my pocket. A candy.
A candy and a kiss.
I don't move for a few seconds. But decided to stay inside the classroom.
I sat stunned for what felt like hours, my mind split between panic, fury, and a secret amusement I hated myself for feeling. By the time I finally stood, the classroom was already filled with students. I hadn't even noticed them come in.
And then- my mouth betrayed me.
"Why did you kiss me?!"
The words tore out, too loud, too raw.
Silence slammed into the room.
Every head turned. Every pair of eyes zeroed in on me, wide and curious. Including his.
Jade sat right beside me, smirk tugging higher, eyes glittering with amusement.
Heat swallowed me whole. My face burned beneath my scarf. I wanted the floor to open up and drag me down.
Tasha and Charlotte twisted in their seats, their expressions sharp with disbelief, eyes narrowing like knives. They rolled their eyes dramatically, whispering behind their hands, and I knew they were already sharpening their claws for later.
The whispers spread like wildfire.
"She said he kissed her."
"When? Where?"
"Jade kissed her?"
I sank into my chair, burying my head in my arms, praying for the universe to erase me.
And then-
He laughed.
Not a smirk. Not that half-chuckle he sometimes gave his friends. A real laugh.
The sound cut through the whispers, silencing the entire room. Heads snapped toward him in unison, like puppets yanked by invisible strings.
Jade. Laughing.
The boy who never laughed. Who only smirked, mocked, or scowled.
Even I lifted my head, stunned, eyes wide.
And he was looking at me when he did it.
The sound of it- warm, deep, real- slid under my skin, filling spaces I didn't even know were empty. And God help me, I smiled. Just a little. Just enough.
For a moment, the world felt lighter.
After school, the world tilted back into danger.
Students spilled out of classrooms, chatter rising like smoke, but I stayed put, packing my things slowly, waiting for the crowd to thin.
When I finally stood, his hand caught my wrist under the desk. Firm. Unyielding.
I froze.
The room emptied, voices fading. The door creaked shut behind the last student. Silence settled.
And Jade didn't let go.
When the classroom was clear, he rose to his full, impossible height, walked to the door, and shut it. The click of the lock echoed like a verdict.
Then he turned.
His stride was slow. Deliberate. Each step pulled the air tighter until I could barely breathe.
When he reached me, I backed instinctively, but there was nowhere to go. The wall caught my spine. His arms caged me in, pinning me.
The heat of him pressed close, swallowing me whole.
"I know you wanna say yes," he murmured, his voice low, velvet-drenched steel.
My breath caught. My lips parted, but no sound came.
"Now say it." His head dipped closer, eyes burning into mine. "Say it. Yesss."
My heart screamed it. Over and over. But my mouth- my mouth sealed shut.
I shook my head weakly, trembling.
Something dark flickered in his eyes, but his smirk stayed. He leaned closer, so close I could feel every word brush against the edge of my scarf.
"You're already mine. Whether you say it or not."
The air collapsed around me.
And then-;soft as a promise- he pressed his lips to my forehead.
Heat spread, sinking into me, claiming me.
When he pulled back, his scent lingered- sharp, clean, intoxicating. It clung to me, wrapped around me, filling my lungs.
Then he left.
I stayed against the wall, shaking, burning, breathless.
And when I finally walked home, his scent was still there, clinging to me like I was branded.
At home, I couldn't stop smiling.
I chopped vegetables beside my mother, humming under my breath. The kitchen smelled of garlic and onions, the stove ticking with heat.
"You're in a good mood today," she said suddenly, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "What happened? Did you pass a test? Did you see something funny? Wait-" her eyes widened. "Did a boy ask you out?"
The knife slipped in my hand, nearly nicking my finger. I stuttered, shaking my head too quickly.
"M-Mom!"
Her laugh was light, teasing. She nudged me with her elbow, smiling knowingly.
But I turned back to the chopping board, scarf brushing against my lips, and pressed my smile down into silence.
Because if I let it out- if I let it bloom fully- she'd see everything.
And I wasn't ready to explain how the most dangerous boy in school had kissed me twice in one day, and how my heart had betrayed me by loving every terrifying second.
Dinner had never felt so strange.
My mother kept humming, smiling at me like I was some mystery she couldn't wait to solve. I forced myself to act normal, to laugh at her jokes, to carry the plates to the table, to bow my head when we prayed.
But the truth?
My skin still carried his warmth. My scarf still smelled faintly like him.
Every time I lifted the fork to my lips, I tasted the ghost of his kiss on my cheek. Every time I blinked, I saw his eyes, steady and burning, his words curling inside me like smoke.
"You're already mine."
I excused myself the moment I could, retreating to my room before my mother's questions sharpened. She called after me to finish my homework, to get some rest. I mumbled something in reply and shut the door.
Darkness folded around me, soft and suffocating.
I sat on the edge of my bed, scarf still wrapped tight, bag dropped at my feet. My fingers brushed the pocket where he had shoved that candy earlier.
I pulled it out.
A small piece of sweetness, wrapped in bright foil.
So simple. So childish. And yet my chest ached like it was some priceless treasure.
I turned it over in my hands again and again, until the foil wore thin at the edges.
Did he know how much damage he was causing me with such little things?
I laid back finally, staring at the ceiling. The shadows shifted across it, stretching and curling. My scarf scratched at my jaw as I tugged it tighter, hiding my face even though no one was watching.
My heart wouldn't slow.
When I closed my eyes, I felt the weight of his head against my stomach. I felt the warmth of his lips against my scarf. I heard his laugh- rich, deep, real- and the sound lodged itself in my ribs like something permanent.
I wanted to be angry.
I wanted to scream that he had no right to touch me, to cage me in, to brand me with kisses I didn't ask for.
But my heart… my heart betrayed me.
It kept whispering yes.
Yes, when he pressed against me.
Yes, when his lips brushed mine through the scarf.
Yes, when he whispered that I was already his.
I rolled over, burying my face into the pillow, groaning against the weight of it.
Why was I like this? Why couldn't I just hate him like I was supposed to?
Why did the danger of him feel like safety, even when it wasn't?
My phone buzzed suddenly, rattling against the nightstand. I jolted, heart leaping into my throat.
I grabbed it quickly, praying, terrified, hoping it was him.
But the screen was blank. Just a glitch. No messages.
Disappointment burned sharper than relief.
I set the phone back down and curled onto my side, clutching the candy in my fist until the foil crinkled loud in the dark.
Sleep didn't come easily.
When it finally did, it wasn't gentle.
I dreamt of his voice. His stare. His laugh.
Of his hands holding me down.
Of his lips whispering against my ear-
"Say it. Yesss."
And even in the dream, my heart answered for me.