Selene's hands shook slightly as she gathered her tray, the cafeteria buzzing around her again as if nothing had happened. But everything had changed. Damien's eyes weren't just watching—they were studying, calculating. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, but her feet stayed rooted.
"Are you okay?" Lila's voice cut through her panic, gentle but insistent. She was beside her before Selene realized it.
"I… I'm fine," Selene lied, sliding her tray into her locker.
"You're not," Lila said softly, tugging her towards the gym doors. "Cheer tryouts. We need to go now."
Selene hesitated, glancing back at the cafeteria. Damien was gone, swallowed by the crowd, but the memory of his stare lingered like a shadow across her skin.
"You're insane," she muttered.
"Or maybe you're just afraid to shine," Lila replied, grinning. "Don't worry, I'll make sure the whole school sees how amazing you are."
They reached the gym, the scent of polished wood and sweat filling Selene's senses. Around her, girls stretched and flipped through routines with practiced smiles. Selene felt the old familiar pull to shrink, to sink into the floorboards and disappear. But Lila's grip on her hand reminded her she wasn't alone.
"Just follow my lead," Lila whispered, squeezing her hand. "I've got your back."
Selene nodded, though her stomach churned. She had danced before, in the quiet of her room, the shadows her only audience. But a room full of strangers, eyes on her… it felt like standing on the edge of a cliff.
Then she saw him.
Damien, leaning casually against the gym doorway, arms crossed, eyes fixed on her. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, and Selene could feel it again—the same electric pull, the same unspoken challenge. He didn't move closer, didn't speak. He didn't need to. His presence was enough to make her pulse spike.
"Ignore him," Lila muttered, though her own eyes flickered towards Damien. "Focus."
Selene exhaled, trying to steady herself. The shadows she had relied on for years were gone. And for the first time, she realized… maybe they weren't protecting her anymore.
"Everyone ready?" The coach's whistle cut sharply through the air. Girls lined up, stretching and practicing spins. Selene hesitated at the edge of the floor, feet barely moving.
"Selene?" Lila's voice was low, urgent. "Now. You've got this."
Selene closed her eyes for a brief moment, recalling the countless nights she had danced alone. Every pirouette, every leap, every quiet rhythm of her heartbeat had led to this.
Her eyes opened. She stepped forward.
The first movement was shaky, almost clumsy. But then she let herself feel the music, let her body remember what it had always known. Twirls and spins followed, a quiet grace emerging from the shadows she had embraced for so long.
And all the while, Damien watched.
When the music ended, a silence filled the gym. Heads turned. Whispers started. Selene's chest heaved, but for the first time, she didn't feel invisible.
Damien's gaze met hers again, steady and sharp, a silent promise that this was only the beginning.
After practice, as the gym emptied, Selene lingered near the doorway, wiping sweat from her forehead. Lila had vanished with the other cheer girls, leaving her alone… except for Damien.
"You danced well," he said casually, stepping closer, though his eyes never left hers. "Better than I expected."
Selene blinked, unsure how to respond. "Thanks… I guess."
"You guess?" His smirk deepened, teasing. "Confidence suits you. Don't waste it hiding."
Selene felt heat creep up her neck, the familiar pull of embarrassment and… something else she couldn't name. She tried to look away, but his gaze was magnetic, holding her in place.
"You really are different," Damien murmured, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "Not like anyone else here."
Selene's breath hitched. It wasn't a compliment in the usual sense; it carried a weight, a depth that made her pulse spike. "I… I don't know what you mean."
"Yeah, you do," he said softly, stepping just a little closer. She could feel the faint scent of his cologne—sharp, intoxicating. The space between them was small now, the tension thick. Selene's instincts screamed to move, but something inside her stayed still.
"You shouldn't—" she began, but he cut her off.
"Shouldn't what?" he asked, voice low and smooth. "Run? Hide? Stay in the shadows forever?"
Selene's lips pressed into a thin line. "I… I'm careful."
"And careful keeps you safe," he said, taking a step closer, "but it also keeps you lonely." His eyes softened just enough to make her pulse flutter uncontrollably.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The gym echoed with empty footsteps, the distant sound of lockers clanging in the hallway, and their shared tension. It was intoxicating, charged, impossible to ignore.
Then, with deliberate slowness, Damien reached out. His fingers brushed hers—lightly, almost a test. Selene froze, every nerve on fire. The world narrowed to that single touch, fleeting but electric.
"You're not invisible," he whispered, almost in awe. "And I won't let you disappear again."
Selene's chest tightened. She wanted to pull back, wanted to retreat into shadows—but a strange, new sensation rooted her to the spot. Fear, yes—but also something else… anticipation.
"Damien…" she murmured, barely audible.
He tilted his head, studying her, the faintest smirk returning. "Careful," he said softly. "I might not let you go."
Selene's mind raced. She wanted to run, to escape—but part of her was mesmerized, drawn in by his presence, by the undeniable pull that seemed impossible to resist.
In that small, empty gym, with only the fading echo of music around them, Selene realized a chilling truth: the shadows she had relied on for comfort weren't enough anymore. And this boy—dangerous, magnetic, unpredictable—was going to change everything.