The night hung thick with an oppressive darkness, the kind that wrapped itself around the old college like a shroud, whispering secrets to those brave enough to wander its empty halls. Aria stood at the edge of the forest, her heart racing as she gazed toward the moonlit canopy that loomed above. The branches twisted and turned, gnarled and ancient, and a chill ran down her spine. She was captivated by the sight, but tonight was different; the air crackled with something electric, a palpable tension that made her skin prickle.
Her flowing gown, a midnight blue that shimmered like the sky, fluttered around her ankles as she took a hesitant step forward. The moon hung full and bright, casting a silvery glow that illuminated the path ahead, yet the shadows seemed to stretch and writhe in the corners of her vision, as if beckoning her deeper into the woods. She had come here seeking solace, a place to escape her tangled emotions, but the forest felt alive, breathing and watching.
And then, like an apparition, he appeared. Aiden, with his dark hair tousled and his striking features sharp as the crescent moon overhead, stepped from the shadows. His presence was magnetic, drawing her in even as it filled her with trepidation. His eyes gleamed like pools of molten gold, a stark contrast to the darkness around them. For a heartbeat, the world fell away, and it was just the two of them, suspended in a moment that felt both thrilling and terrifying.
"Why are you here, Aria?" His voice was a low murmur, laced with something she couldn't quite decipher—curiosity, disdain, or perhaps something deeper.
"I—" She hesitated, words faltering on her tongue as she fought to maintain her composure. "I came to think. To escape."
"Escape?" He scoffed, the sound like ice cracking beneath a heavy weight. "What do you have to escape from? Your perfect life? Your perfect friends?" The contempt in his voice stung, and she flinched, her heart sinking.
The truth was, Aiden was everything she had ever wanted, and yet he stood there, arms crossed, exuding a coldness that made her feel small. "You don't know anything about me," she replied, a tremor of defiance lacing her words.
"Do I need to?" He stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "You're just like the rest of them, Aria. Playing the part of the innocent girl while you hide behind your pretty facade."
Her pulse quickened at the accusation, frustration boiling within her. "I'm not hiding! I'm just...trying to figure things out." She swallowed back the rush of emotions that threatened to spill over, her gaze darting to the ground, ashamed of the way her heart raced at his proximity.
Aiden watched her, a flicker of something softer passing over his features for the briefest moment before it vanished, replaced by that familiar scorn. "Figure what out? How to fall in love with your best friend?" The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
"Noah doesn't love me," she insisted, but even as she spoke, doubt gnawed at her insides. Noah, her loyal friend who stood by her through thick and thin, always with a kind word and a supportive smile. But love? No. That was reserved for moments shared in the moonlight with someone like Aiden.
"Is that what you tell yourself?" Aiden stepped even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent shivers racing down her spine. "You're too blind to see it, Aria. He's in love with you, but you're too busy chasing after dreams that don't exist."
The words cut deep, igniting a fire within her. "And what about you? You think you're so much better than everyone else? That you can just insult me and walk away?"
Aiden smirked, a wicked glint in his eye. "I don't need to walk away, Aria. I can stand right here and watch you drown in your own delusions."
The tension between them was palpable, a treacherous dance of emotions that left her breathless. She wanted to scream, to run away from the torment he inflicted with mere words, but her feet remained rooted to the ground, bound by an inexplicable pull toward him. "You don't know anything about me," she repeated, though the conviction was waning.
"Maybe I know enough," he replied, taking another step forward until they were nearly touching. The air crackled with an intensity that made her skin tingle, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt it too.
But just as quickly as it had ignited, the flame flickered