The whispers followed me through the halls like smoke I couldn't outrun.
"Did you hear? Ava and Rylan were caught—"
"That new girl's fast, huh?"
I clenched my fists and pushed open the classroom door, trying not to let the words sink into my skin. Damien was already at his desk, his jaw tight, knuckles white on his pen.
He looked up the moment I walked in.
"Did you see it?" I asked quietly.
He nodded, his blue eyes dark with frustration. "Yeah. The whole school probably has."
"I swear, Damien. It's not true. I didn't—"
"I know," he said, voice low and serious. "You don't have to explain."
That should have comforted me. But something about his tone made my stomach twist. There was more he wasn't saying.
Damien's POV
I knew the rumor was planted.
And I knew who did it.
Serena.
She had been circling ever since Ava and I got close, throwing herself in my path like a fire alarm desperate for attention.
But this? This crossed every line.
As Ava sat down beside me, visibly shaken, I wanted nothing more than to hold her hand and erase the worry from her eyes. But I couldn't. Not here. Not yet.
"Don't let them get to you," I said instead.
She gave a small nod, but her lips trembled.
Later, in the hallway, I heard Serena giggling with her group of girls.
"Oops," she said with mock innocence. "I guess words really do travel fast."
That's when I saw him—Rylan.
Leaning casually against the lockers, arms crossed, watching Ava like a silent threat. Or worse... a challenge.
Flashback: Damien, 12 Years Old
"You're not going anywhere until you memorize all the terms on this list."
My father's voice echoed off the marble walls of our estate library.
"Dad, I—"
"No Damien. You're going to lead this company one day, and you'll do it perfectly."
I clenched the pencil in my hand until it snapped in half.
"I don't want your company," I muttered.
My father looked at me like I had just insulted his existence.
From that day on, I planned my escape.
And I never looked back.
Chloe's POV
Lunch was awkward.
Ava picked at her food. Damien barely touched his. Rylan kept glancing between the two like he was reading a chessboard.
I couldn't take it anymore.
"Ava," I said gently. "Can we talk for a sec?"
She blinked, surprised. "Yeah. Sure."
We stepped outside by the garden.
"I need to tell you something," I started, biting my lip. "About Rylan."
"What about him?" she asked, wary.
I hesitated. "I think I… I might have a crush on him."
Ava's eyes widened, and I rushed on. "I know you two are close. And I know the rumor's fake. But… the more I see him, the more I just… feel something."
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she smiled gently. "Chloe… you don't need to explain. It's okay. I'm just glad you told me."
Ezra's POV
I watched Chloe from across the cafeteria.
She looked different today. Not in what she wore, but in how she moved.
I used to tease her just for fun. But now, when I made her laugh, it meant something. And the way she smiled at me afterward...
It was messing with my head.
"Stop staring before you start drooling," Damien said beside me.
I smirked. "Says the guy who nearly melted when Ava touched his hand."
He rolled his eyes but didn't argue.
We were all tangled in something now. A messy knot of hearts, secrets, and things we weren't ready to say out loud.
And the strings were only pulling tighter.