🌺💎 BEAUTIFUL
RIVALS 💎🌺
(Our Dangerous Attraction)
❌ DO NOT COPY OR REPOST WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM ME ❌
BY
Alex B. Annie
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UNITED STATES — NEW YORK —
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long golden shadows across the quiet street as Maya Reed stepped out of the small cyber café.
She tightened her grip on the slightly crumpled sheet of paper in her hand, her heart still racing from the words printed boldly across it.
Congratulations.
The single word felt unreal. Heavy. Life-changing.
A soft breeze lifted strands of her brown hair as she walked slowly along the dusty road, her worn sneakers scraping lightly against the pavement. Cars rushed past in the distance, their engines humming like a reminder that the world was still moving — even though her own had just tilted completely off balance.
Crestwood Academy.
The name alone carried power. Prestige. A future she had only dared to imagine in quiet moments before sleep. Now it stared back at her from the printed page. Her dream was finally becoming reality.
A sudden laugh escaped her lips as excitement bubbled inside her chest. She even began to skip lightly along the road, unable to contain her joy.
That was when it happened.
A car sped past, sending a splash of muddy water all over her clothes.
"What the heck?!" she shouted, jumping back in shock.
The car slowed down a few metres ahead.
At least the driver has some conscience, she thought, hurrying toward it.
As she approached, the tinted window rolled down, revealing a boy about her age — effortlessly handsome, with an air of confidence that instantly irritated her. Maya was far too upset to notice anything else.
"Mister, you just splashed water all over me with your car," she said, forcing herself to sound polite despite the anger rising inside her.
"Oh. Yeah, I know," he replied casually.
Her jaw tightened.
"Then do the right thing and apologise."
"Apologise?" he repeated with a faint smirk. "Why should I?"
Maya stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious right now? You soaked me with muddy water and you're asking why you should apologise?"
He leaned back slightly, studying her with clear amusement.
"You expect me to apologise to you? You look like you should be grateful I even stopped."
For a heartbeat, Maya said nothing.
Then slowly, she reached into her small bag and pulled out a half-full bottle of water. Without breaking eye contact, she bent down, scooped a handful of sandy dirt into it, shook it once… and flung the muddy mixture straight through the open window.
"What the hell?!" he yelled, jerking back in shock.
"Arrogant jerk," she muttered, turning on her heel and walking away, her heart pounding wildly.
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
The boy sat there in stunned silence, muddy water dripping slowly from his jawline onto his crisp white shirt. His perfectly styled hair was now damp and streaked with grains of sand.
No one had ever dared to humiliate him
like that before.
No one.
He pushed the car door open and stepped out, his polished shoes hitting the pavement with controlled force. A few passers-by turned to stare, whispering among themselves. Normally, he would have ignored them. Today, he barely noticed.
His sharp gaze followed the retreating figure of the girl who had just declared war on his pride.
She was walking fast, her shoulders stiff, her head held high as though she refused to acknowledge his existence anymore. The audacity almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Instead, a slow, dangerous smirk curved his lips.
"Hey!" he called after her, his deep voice cutting through the quiet street.
Maya hesitated for the briefest second but didn't turn around.
Interesting.
He ran a hand through his wet hair, letting out a low chuckle that held no real amusement. Something about her defiance stirred an unfamiliar feeling inside him — irritation… mixed with curiosity.
"You just made a very big mistake," he muttered under his breath, his eyes still locked on her fading sneakers.
Then, with one last glance, he got back into his car.
But this time, he didn't drive away immediately.
For the first time in a long while, Noah Kingston found himself wondering who exactly had the courage to challenge him…
Maya's steps slowed as soon as she turned the corner and the sound of the car engine faded behind her.
Only then did she release the breath she didn't realise she had been holding. Her heart was still pounding violently against her ribs, a mixture of anger, shock, and something she couldn't quite name.
"What is wrong with that guy…" she muttered under her breath, brushing weakly at the dried patches of mud staining her blouse. The fabric felt stiff and uncomfortable against her skin, a constant reminder of the humiliating encounter she had just survived.
She tightened her grip on the scholarship letter again.
The paper was slightly damp now, wrinkled at the edges from the way she had been clutching it. For a moment, fear shot through her chest. What if it tore? What if the ink smudged? What if this opportunity somehow slipped through her fingers just like everything else in her life seemed to?
Her steps became quicker.
She forced her eyes forward, trying to ignore the curious stares of strangers and the occasional honk of passing cars. The excitement she had felt minutes ago now tangled painfully with anxiety.
Crestwood Academy.
A place filled with students like him.
Rich. Arrogant. Untouchable.
A small knot formed in her stomach.
What if I don't belong there?
The thought crept in quietly but refused to leave. She had fought so hard for this scholarship — late nights studying under dim lights, sacrificing outings, ignoring the whispers of classmates who said she was aiming too high.
And yet… one careless encounter had already made her feel small.
She shook her head firmly.
"No," she whispered to herself. "I'm not backing down."
Her fingers curled around the letter as determination slowly replaced doubt. Whatever kind of people filled that school, she would survive. She always did.
Still, as the image of the boy's smirking face flashed across her mind again, her heartbeat betrayed her calm.
Something told her that meeting him today was not just an accident.
It felt more like the beginning of a storm she was not ready for…
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The excitement in Maya's chest slowly faded as she reached the narrow staircase leading to her apartment building.
Reality.
It always waited for her at the doorstep.
She slowed down in front of a narrow two-storey building with cracked paint and rusted railings.
Home.
It wasn't much, but it was all they had.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the slightly crooked door open and stepped inside. The air was warm and carried the faint scent of instant noodles and detergent. A single bulb hung from the ceiling, flickering weakly as if it could give up at any second.
Her mother sat at the small dining table, papers scattered around her like fallen leaves. She looked up, surprise flashing across her tired face.
The exhaustion on her face was impossible to miss.
"Maya… you're back," she said softly.
"You're late today," she added gently.
Maya forced a small smile, her fingers tightening around the folded sheet in her hand. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the woman who had sacrificed everything for her.
Then slowly, she placed the letter on the table.
Silence filled the room.
The kind of silence that carried hope… and fear.
Because dreams like this could change everything.
Or destroy everything they had left.
Maybe… it was their only escape.
👁🗨
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TBC
🖤🖤