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ARKs POV
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The final bell rang with a sharpness that made my shoulders jerk. A collective sigh swept through the classroom as everyone shoved books into bags, laughter and weekend plans filling the air. I lingered, slow, letting the crowd empty before me. The thought of weaving through all that noise- of possibly seeing him right away- made my stomach twist.
I tugged at my scarf, adjusting it for what felt like the hundredth time that day. My fingers were damp beneath the fabric. No matter how tight I wrapped it, I swore it loosened on its own, betraying me.
The hallway was thinning out when I finally stepped out. My sneakers squeaked faintly against the polished floor. I thought maybe- just maybe- I'd make it to the doors without incident.
"Ark."
His voice.
My whole body flinched before I even looked. Jade leaned against the lockers just a few steps away, like he'd been waiting the entire time. Bag slung casually over his shoulder, shirt collar loose, hair falling in a way that looked accidental but wasn't. His eyes caught mine, sharp and unreadable, and for one suspended moment the hallway noise drowned out.
"You think I'd let you leave without me?" His lips tilted in that infuriating half-smirk.
My throat tightened. "I- "
"Come." It wasn't a suggestion. He pushed off the lockers and started walking, not even checking if I followed.
I hesitated. The rational part of me screamed to turn the other way, to blend into the crowd of kids spilling toward the parking lot. But my feet betrayed me, falling into step behind him like I'd been hooked on invisible strings.
We slipped out the side doors where fewer students lingered. The late-afternoon sun stretched shadows across the concrete, painting everything in fading gold. I could still hear bursts of laughter from the main gates, but here it was quieter. Too quiet.
"Where are we going?" I asked, voice muffled by the scarf.
He didn't answer at first. His stride was lazy, unhurried, yet each step pulled me deeper away from safety. We rounded the corner of the gymnasium, toward the far edge of the athletic field. A cluster of trees lined the back fence, their branches swaying gently.
Finally, Jade stopped. He turned, hands slipping into his pockets, gaze sweeping over me. "Here's fine."
I hugged my books tighter against my chest, heart racing. "Why here?"
He smirked, leaning slightly closer.
"Because no one's around to interrupt us this time."
My breath caught. Heat rushed to my cheeks beneath the scarf. The memory of him pressing me against lockers just yesterday flashed, too vivid. His hand at my waist, his lips hovering dangerously close. My fingers trembled around my books.
I opened my mouth- to protest, to deflect, I wasn't sure- but movement at the edge of my vision froze me.
A figure leaned casually against the fence a few yards away. Broad-shouldered, taller than Jade, dark hair cut close. Max.
He had one hand tucked into his jacket pocket, the other holding something- maybe a cigarette he hadn't lit. He wasn't looking directly at us, but the angle of his body said he was aware. Very aware.
Jade's eyes flicked toward him briefly, then back to me. His smirk didn't falter, but something sharper edged into his gaze.
"Don't mind him," he murmured. "He's nothing."
But the way Jade's jaw ticked betrayed him.
I shifted uneasily, hugging my books tighter. I'd never spoken more than two words to Max, but his presence prickled at my skin. He carried a different kind of energy- heavier, more dangerous in silence.
Jade stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair that had slipped loose from my scarf. His fingers ghosted against the fabric near my jaw. "Relax, Ark. You're with me."
My pulse jumped at the contact. I wanted to step back, to tell him to stop- but my feet rooted in place, caught in the same dizzying pull that always disarmed me.
And then, just as suddenly, Jade pulled away.
"Wait here,":he said, tone clipped. He glanced toward the parking lot. " I left something in the car."
Panic flickered. "What? No-"
He gave me a look that silenced me instantly. "I'll be back."
And then he was gone, strides confident as he disappeared around the corner of the gym, leaving me standing frozen in the late afternoon hush.
I turned my eyes toward the fence.
Max was already moving.