---
*Ariana's pov*
Ariana's smile dropped instantly, her face twisting into an unreadable expression. The energy shifted.
"Close your mouth, moron. Flies are coming," Blaze had said, smirking like the arrogant jerk he clearly was.
Ariana tilted her head slightly, eyes locked on his with fire. "Aww... how cute," she said coldly, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did your brain get left upstairs or did it just never grow with the rest of you?"
A sharp silence followed. Blaze raised a brow, his smirk faltering slightly as their eyes clashed like a silent war.
They glared at each other — neither backing down, the tension so thick you could slice it.
Just then, *Mrs. Hunter's* voice broke through the moment.
"Alright, enough with the staring contest," she said lightly, sipping her wine. "Blaze, that is not how you welcome a guest."
Ariana blinked, caught off guard when she noticed the slight curve of amusement on Mrs. Hunter's lips.
"I finally see who can actually keep up with my son's mouth," she added with a warm laugh, looking at Ariana with approval.
Blaze scoffed and sat down at the table, muttering something under his breath. Ariana gave a small victorious smile and also took her seat, flipping her hair like the queen she was.
She didn't know what kind of chaos just started — but she was sure of one thing… she was not the type to lose easily.
---
Blaze sank into his chair with that usual smugness, but surprisingly, he turned toward Ariana's mom and forced a polite smile.
"Good evening, ma'am," he said smoothly.
Ariana's mom smiled back, clearly charmed. "Evening, Blaze. Such a fine young man."
Ariana nearly choked on her drink.
As they started eating, Mrs. Hunter cleared her throat. "So, Ariana will be starting school on Monday," she said, looking proudly at her. "We've done most of the registration already, just a few things left to prepare over the weekend."
Blaze and Ariana continued eating in awkward silence, throwing occasional side-eyes at each other but saying nothing.
Then Mr. Hunter looked over at Blaze and said, "You'll be driving Ariana to school every morning. You both attend Crestwood High, and it just makes sense."
Blaze's fork hit the plate louder than necessary. "What? I can't do that," he said, clearly annoyed. "I'm not letting her stain my car."
Ariana's head snapped toward him. "Stain your car? With what, my presence or your insecurity?"
Mrs. Hunter gave Blaze a sharp glare. "Blaze. Enough."Blaze exhaled dramatically, pushed his chair back, and stood up. "I'm done eating," he muttered, clearly irritated, and began to walk away.
He had barely taken three steps when Mrs. Hunter's voice, calm but firm, stopped him in his tracks.
"Take Ariana along with you. Show her around the house. Including your room."
Blaze turned halfway, frowning. "What? Why—"
"Now," she added, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Ariana smirked, grabbed her drink, and stood up slowly. "Well, tour guide, lead the way. Try not to trip on your ego."
Blaze clenched his jaw but said nothing. He turned and walked off, and Ariana followed with that signature sassy sway in her step.
---
Blaze walked ahead through the hallway with heavy steps, clearly annoyed. Ariana trailed behind, eyes scanning the lavish interior, arms folded, still fuming.
As they reached the guest room area, Blaze abruptly stopped, turned around, and before Ariana could say a word—he grabbed her by the arm, yanked the door to one of the guest rooms open, and *shoved* her inside.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Ariana snapped, stumbling backward.
Before she could gain balance, Blaze stepped in, slamming the door behind him and pushing her against the wall with one hand against the wall beside her head.
In the struggle, the glass Ariana was holding slipped from her hand and *shattered* loudly on the floor.
"Are you insane?!" she yelled, glaring at him.
Blaze's face was close, eyes narrowed. "You're in my house. You don't get to talk to me like that."
Just then, both their mothers' voices echoed from downstairs.
"Is everything okay up there?"
A short silence passed before both Blaze and Ariana shouted back in unison:
"Yes!"
"Everything's fine!"
Still breathing hard, they locked eyes — both still burning with anger. But Ariana had had enough. She shoved Blaze off her with surprising strength that made him stumble slightly. He quickly caught himself, blinking in surprise.
"You're stronger than you look," he muttered, trying to hide his reaction behind a cocky smirk.
"I don't need strength to deal with an arrogant prick like you," Ariana shot back, brushing past him and opening the door.
He watched her go, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes before replacing it with his usual smug expression.
*This girl is going to be a problem…* he thought.
---
Blaze scoffed, stepping back slightly, arms folded across his chest. "I know my mom probably paid you to seduce me," he said with a mocking smirk.
Ariana's brows shot up, then a slow smirk spread across her lips. "You're such a fool for saying that," she replied calmly, but her eyes burned with rage. "Not everything revolves around your overinflated ego, Blaze."
Blaze's eyes flicked over her outfit—tight-fitting crop top hugging her curves, paired with ripped jeans that showed off her smooth legs. His gaze was sharp and judgmental.
"With the way you're dressed like a slut," he sneered, "it's obvious. Bitch."
The word hit her like a slap. Ariana's smirk faltered for a second. Her fingers clenched into fists.
Blaze, satisfied with her silence, turned on his heel and walked out of the room without another word.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Ariana stood still for a moment, breathing heavily, her jaw clenched tight. *I swear, one more minute with that idiot and I'll actually strangle him.*
---
She took a deep breath, adjusted her top, wiped the tear threatening to fall—*No, he won't get to me*—and walked out of the room, her heels clicking confidently on the tiled floor.
*If he thinks he can break me, he hasn't met the real me yet.*
---