---
"I saw Aries Mantle troubling you… why?" Ava asked, eyes narrowing.
"It's nothing," I replied, shrugging. "He—"
"—Don't even try lying to me, Rhea. Your tiny nose wiggles when you lie." Ava cut in. I sighed, touching my nose.
"Aries wants to be my friend."
"The Aries Mantle?" Ava's voice jumped.
"The one you saw."
"And?"
"I said no."
Ava's jaw dropped. "You turned down Aries Mantle?"
"Yes… I did."
Ava blinked, then laughed. "Ha! Good one."
"I'm not joking."
She stared, mouth slightly open. "Are you insane? Aries Mantle offered to be your friend — he never does that — and you said no?!"
"He literally said those words." I rolled my eyes.
Ava shook her head, baffled. "At least tell me why."
I hesitated.
"Rina… right?" Ava guessed.
"She told me to keep a low profile. You should've seen her face after I answered that question."
Ava exhaled hard. "I knew it. Rina won't let you have a single ounce of happiness. She's like a damn vacuum — sucks the life right out of you. And now… you can't even make friends without her approval?"
"It's not like that…"
"Then what is it like, Rhea?!" Ava snapped.
"It's not just Rina. I… I have this weird feeling Aries wasn't being genuine."
Ava frowned. "Huh?"
"I mean, why would a guy like him suddenly want to be my friend? There's something behind it."
Ava huffed. "Probably. There's always something with rich, popular boys."
I smirked. "Still not over your hatred for rich people?"
"Doesn't matter. What matters is you don't get caught up with those heartless, handsome monsters." Ava looped her arm through mine.
I smiled — right before my stomach growled loudly.
We laughed, skipping toward the cafeteria like little kids.
---
The cafeteria buzzed with noise. Ava and I grabbed our trays, served ourselves, and joined Lisa and the boys, who were already seated.
At the VIP table, Stacy tapped Rina's hand, nodding toward the food counter. Rina turned — and her gaze locked on me heading toward our table.
Just as I passed, Rina stretched her leg out. My foot clipped hers. My tray flew up — and so did I.
Everything slowed.
But I never hit the floor.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me before I fell. The clatter of my tray echoed like a gunshot in the frozen cafeteria.
I glanced up — and met a pair of deep, forest-green eyes staring right into mine. Eyes that seemed too calm… too knowing.
My glasses hit the floor with a soft clink. I snatched them up, hurriedly pushing them onto my face.
"Th-Thank you."
"You should be more careful, miss," the stranger said with a slow smile.
"Da-Damian?!" Stacy's sharp voice rang out as she stood abruptly.
"Damian King… no way," Ava gasped beside me.
Even Aries shot to his feet, glaring. "Damian," he said, voice low.
"Aries," Damian replied coolly.
The entire cafeteria stared — caught in the tension hanging between them.
Where Aries had a dangerous, devil-may-care beauty, Damian was the exact opposite — polished, angelic, almost too perfect. One looked like sin; the other like salvation.
Aries wore black jeans, a t-shirt, and his signature leather jacket. Damian? Black dress shirt, white slacks, gold-rimmed glasses, blonde hair falling perfectly into his face. Same height. Same build. Except Aries's inked arms gave him a dark edge.
"Who is that?" Rina whispered.
"Damian King. Stacy's ex… the one she still wants," Harriet whispered back.
"Why does Stacy always get the best?" Rina muttered.
Ava tugged my arm. "Let's get out of this toxic male standoff."
But before I could move, Damian gently caught my wrist.
"I still don't know your name," he said, voice low — just for me.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Damian!" Stacy barked, striding over. She slapped his hand off my arm and wedged herself between us.
"Stacy," Damian greeted, his face unreadable.
Without warning, Stacy kissed him. Full on the lips.
The cafeteria lost its collective mind.
"I missed you," Stacy whispered, hugging him tightly.
Ava grabbed my hand and yanked me away. "We're out of here."
---
Rina's POV
"What was that about?!" Damian hissed after Stacy finally let go.
"What?" Stacy played dumb.
"Why the hell would you kiss me?" Damian asked, eyes narrowing.
"Why? Can't I kiss my boyfriend? You ignored my calls, my texts…"
"We broke up. You dumped me." Damian scoffed.
"But you know I want you back, Dami…"
Damian gave a thin smile, glancing around. "Excuse me."
And just like that, he walked away — like she was nothing.
I noticed Aries by the door — fists clenched so hard I was sure his nails pierced his palm.
A slow grin tugged at my lips.
So… Damian and Rhea, huh?
The spark I saw in Damian's eyes… it wasn't my imagination. And if I played this right, I could get exactly what I wanted.
All I had to do was push Rhea and Damian together. Stacy would lose her mind… and Aries? He'd be all mine.
Thank you, dear sister.
"Rina!"
I blinked. Aisha was glaring at me.
"Huh?"
"I've been calling your name for two minutes. What the hell were you thinking about?"
"Nothing," I lied.
Suddenly, Stacy slammed her hand on the table — hard enough to spill a milkshake onto James's lap.
"Damn it!" James stood up, wiping his pants.
"Tell your slut of a sister to stay away from my Damian," Stacy hissed. "Girls here know better than to mess with what's mine."
Aries shot her a look. "Stacy…"
"What?!"
He opened his mouth… then shut it. With a sharp motion, he grabbed his leather jacket and stormed out.
"Aries!" I called, chasing after him.
My chance.
"Aries!" I caught up with him outside.
"What, Rina?!"
"Calm down, you—"
Aries slammed his fist into the wall. The sharp crack echoed down the hallway.
"Aries!" Rina rushed over, grabbing his hand before he could pull away. Blood welled from his knuckles. "Are you crazy?"
He didn't answer — just stared past her, fists clenched, breathing hard.
"Come with me."
She tugged him toward her locker without giving him a choice. Aries let her, slumping against the cool metal, sliding down to sit on the floor. Rina crouched beside him, pulling wipes and a bandage from her locker.
"Seriously… punching walls now?" she murmured as she cleaned his hand.
Aries flexed his fingers, wincing. "I fucking hate that guy."
"Stacy still got you on a leash?" Rina asked, making her voice sound playful, though every word was calculated.
Aries gave a short, hollow laugh. "It's not just Stacy, Damian and I… we used to be friends. I told him everything. How I felt about her. And then one day, I walk in on them — him with his tongue down her throat."
Rina tilted her head, wrapping the bandage tighter than necessary. "Ouch."
"He didn't even hide it. Went public like it was some big flex, he did it to torment me and never apologized for it. And now he walks back in like nothing happened."
Rina slid her fingers slowly down from his wrist to his forearm, her touch light, intentional. "But didn't Stacy dump him?"
"She did. After her accident — the one that ended her swimming career, she did so out of anger. Damian ghosted her when she needed him most. And now… she still looks at him like he's the only one who matters."
Rina let out a soft sigh. "You deserve better than that, Aries. Better than friends like him. Better than a girl who keeps you around just to make herself feel better."
Aries lifted his eyes — surprised, maybe. Rina offered a soft smile and leaned back against the locker beside him, "Why do you seem so interested in Damian, are you also smitten by his charms?"
"God no, I--i'm just curious, being the new girl and all. I feel left out. And for the record… I've always prefered bad boys with a little mystery," she added lightly.
Aries gave a faint chuckle but said nothing.
Rina's smile lingered as she glanced at the clean white bandage wrapped around his hand.
Funny… how easily a heart bleeds when you hit it at the right angle.
She let her eyes drift over him — the tension in his jaw, the storm in his eyes.
If Damian's after Rhea… and Stacy loses her grip… Aries will crack right open. And when he does?
All she had to do was stay close.
When they all start falling apart… I'll be the only one standing close enough to pick up the pieces.
---