Lilana's voice quivered a bit as she asked, "Why… why are we here?" Her fingers nervously toyed with the strap of her bag, her knuckles turning pale. The atmosphere felt thick, almost like a heavy blanket pressing down on them.
Amara took her time before responding. She simply smiled a smile that was too serene, too calculated, as if she were relishing the moment. "No reason," she replied softly, her tone almost playful, but there was an unmistakable edge lurking beneath.
Her eyes wandered to one of the boys hanging out near the edge of the port. He was absorbed in his phone, thumbs gliding lazily over the screen, as if whatever he was doing required hardly any effort at all.
"Regan," Amara called out, her voice a mix of authority and familiarity. The boy's head snapped up, revealing sharp features and a calculating look in his eyes. He smirked, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Regan Barker Amara's older brother. The boss of the third years or 12th graders.
Lilana felt her stomach drop. She hadn't anticipated family involvement. A shiver ran down her spine.
The way Regan carried himself casual yet threatening made it clear he wasn't here to be friendly.
Amara's eyes sparkled with mischief as she took a slow, purposeful step toward Lilana. "Don't worry, I just wanted to introduce you properly," she said, her voice light and almost teasing, but every word was laced with an underlying threat.
Regan's smirk grew wider as he lowered the phone, letting it hang casually at his side. "So, you're the famous Lilana everyone's been buzzing about," he said, his voice low and smooth, but with an edge of menace. "Cute. Very… distracting."
Lilana fought to keep her shoulders squared, forcing the smile that had become her armor. "I… I don't know what you mean," she replied softly, even though every fiber of her being screamed that she was in real danger.
Sophie and Riley lingered nearby, their presence silently reinforcing Amara's grip on the situation. The port felt smaller now, with every shadow stretching just a bit too long, every movement amplified.
Amara glided behind Lilana, her heels clicking on the stone path. "Regan's been itching to meet you," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "And I thought… why not make it unforgettable?"
Regan stepped closer, phone back in hand, but Lilana noticed how he angled his body slightly, as if ready to pounce or record at any moment. Her mind raced. Any sudden move could set off something she couldn't control.
Lilana swallowed hard, forcing her breathing to stay steady. She needed to think. One wrong move here wouldn't just be embarrassing it could be perilous.
Amara's smirk deepened. "Oh, don't be so tense," she said softly, her eyes scanning Lilana like a predator assessing its prey. "We're just having a little… fun."
Lilana felt the weight of every gaze on her, the cruel anticipation thick in the air. Yet, somewhere in the back of her mind, a spark flickered an instinct telling her that nothing about this trap was random, that every move, every smile, every step had been meticulously planned.
She just had to find the flaw in their scheme… before it was too late.
Amara stepped closer, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor. "It's time to take control of you, Lilana," she said, her voice smooth yet laced with danger. Her eyes sparkled with that same calculating malice that had set this entire trap in motion.
Lilana blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "Take control… of me?"
Amara's smirk grew wider, and for a brief moment, her usually sweet tone took on a razor-sharp edge. "Picture time," she said matter-of-factly.
Lilana frowned, still puzzled. "Picture… time?"
Then it hit her like a blast of cold air. She remembered Clara. The hushed whispers. The cruel laughter. The photos. That was why Clara had always been targeted. The same fate awaited her humiliation caught on camera, ready to be shared with the world.
Her stomach twisted, but she kept her expression steady. Instead, a small, almost playful smile began to form on her lips.
Regan Barker, still clutching his phone, subtly nodded toward one of the boys standing nearby.
The boy locked eyes with Lilana, then nodded once before sprinting toward her. His footsteps echoed against the stone. For a split second, Lilana's mind raced then she noticed something unbelievable.
Before the boy even reached her, he shot backward into the air, flipping and twisting as if gravity had no power over him.
Lilana's eyebrows shot up in amusement. A slow, genuine smile spread across her face. "This… is really interesting," she said, her voice low and almost teasing.
She dropped her bag, raised her fists, and slid into a boxing stance. Her eyes darkened, pupils narrowing as her "psycho mode" kicked in. That cold, calculating gaze—the one that could freeze even the boldest of predators—hit them like a shockwave.
Amara hesitated for just a moment, her grin faltering. Sophie and Riley exchanged quick glances, unease creeping into their expressions. Even Regan, usually so composed, felt a flicker of doubt as Lilana's intense stare locked onto him.
A tense silence fell over the port, broken only by the faint lapping of water against the dock. For the first time, the predators the hunters felt a flicker of doubt.
Lilana wasn't just a girl they could corner. She was calculating, unshaken, and ready to turn the game back on them.
And now… it was her move.