Flashback
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MELINA'S POV
"Oh boy, oh boy, I am late to college!" I muttered under my breath as I grabbed whatever my hands could find—water bottle, hair clip, pen, apple… anything within reach. None of it made sense, but I didn't have the time to care.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and skipped steps down the staircase, desperate to make up for lost time. My foot slipped on one step, and I half-glided, half-tripped my way down.
"Ahk!" I hissed. But luckily, no fractures. No injuries yet.
Just as I was about to dart out the door, I caught sight of my sister Melodie. She sat by the window, her eyes unfocused, completely drowned in her own thoughts. Something about her looked so out of place. She'd been always there for me.I feel very bad for not having time to sit with her.
Sorry, sister! I'll definitely talk to you when I get home, but I'm late!" I mumbled to myself, guilt tugging at me as I rushed outside.
The bus ride stretched into twenty minutes. In my head, though, I kept pressing the accelerator, urging it to go faster. Somehow, by some miracle, I reached class before the professor did.
I slid into my seat, Panting and heart still racing. Not so short after someone followed and sat in the empty seat beside me. Naturally, I assumed it was Theo. I tilted my head toward him.
But it wasn't Theo.
It was a girl. And not just any girl—the girl from the mall.
My mind scrambled to put the pieces together. She was the same one who had questioned me for calling Theo stupid. The same one Theo had left us for, tossing his credit card at Zara.
Angela.
And now she was sitting beside me.
Wow. Up close, she was even more gorgeous. It was like her face came with an inbuilt filter, the kind that made her look angelic without even trying. Then, she smiled.
Do I like women? Or do I love women? If that were a choice, I would.
"You're that girl from the mall. Zara's friend,"She said her voice calm , and tone polite.
"Yes, I am! And you're Theo's friend?" I replied, cautiously.
"Friend is a strong word, sweetheart. We tolerate each other," She said, and she chuckled, opening her book.
That's when I noticed her handwriting. It was immaculate—straight, sharp, beautiful. Not a letter out of place.
Meanwhile, Theo was still missing, even after the professor walked in. VIP, indeed.
"The Gordon's model for determining dividend payout…" Professor Wing began, his voice steady. But within minutes, it became background noise. "…blah blah… twinkle twinkle little star…"
The lecture was so boring, my brain filled in the rest like a nursery rhyme. I imagined him singing it, and a laugh slipped out of me.
Loud.
"Ms. Grey?" His voice snapped me back to reality. "Please explain how this formula was derived."
My stomach dropped. "Uh… Professor Wing… I—I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"I thought you were one of my good students. Or maybe I wasn't explaining it clearly?" His words weren't harsh, just disappointed. He genuinely cared. And I suddenly felt terrible for not respecting him.
Before I could speak, the girl beside me, Angela --lifted her head and recited the entire derivation as though she had memorized the textbook. Smooth, perfect, and confident.
Professor Wing sighed, then looked at me. "It's hard for me to say this, Ms. Grey, but detention. Right now. And come to my office after class."
My face heated instantly. Detention. My first ever detention. Please, dear universe, don't let my parents hear about this.
I dragged myself toward the detention room, my mind buzzing. The door creaked open, and there he was—Theo—sitting on a desk, legs stretched out, leaning back, chewing gum like he owned the place.
Of course.
"The disguised good girl gets detention?" he said with a smirk.
I ignored him, taking a seat. "And you? You are not here so early in the morning for watering plants right?"
"I broke something. Nothing huge."
"Broke what? Someone's heart?" I asked, sarcasm dripping.
"Nope. Nose."
I froze. He wasn't joking. His face had faint bruises, proof of a fight.
Before I could ask, the door opened again. Someone walked in. His nose was bandaged, his knuckles red, but he looked fine otherwise.
My jaw dropped seeing who it was. Damon?!
Theo and Damon. The inseparable duo. They'd fought each other?
The air in the room turned glacial. Their eyes locked, sharp enough to slice through steel.
"So… it was Damon you fought with," I whispered, though Theo's glare silenced me instantly.
Minutes passed with the heavy and silent atmosphere in detention room. It felt like its been days i am stuck with these two. As if things weren't chaotic enough, the girl from earlier stepped in—this time with a cold beverage can in her hand. Without hesitation, she walked over and sat right on Theo's lap.
My jaw nearly hit the floor and Something tugged in me. I smelled something burning. Probably my head.
There's no way to hate Angela, but i doesnt like her. Not because anything else. Just because i Doesnt know her yet.
i hope.
Theo wrapped his arm around her waist, comfortable and unfazed, while Damon's jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter.
No way. No freaking way. They fought over her?
"Heyy~" she tilted her head at me with a smile.
I raised a hand awkwardly in return.
And then Damon stood, closing the distance in just a few strides. He dropped into the seat beside me, snaking his arm around my shoulder.
"H-he-hey, Demon!" I stammered, voice trembling.
"He is indeed a demon," Angela laughed leaning her head to touch with Theo's head.
I could feel somebody's gaze on me.and it was neither Damon's nor Angela's.
"If I'm a demon, then you're one too, Miss Demon," Damon shot back.
I mumbled an apology to Damon, but Damon leaned to my ear mumbling An ' Its alright ' off casually, like it was nothing.
Theo's arm tightened around the girl's waist, his glare still on Damon. The tension grew thicker, the air almost unbreathable.
My first detention, my sister acting strange, Theo and Damon fighting like enemies, and now a girl who seemed to be at the center of it all—
This was too much for one morning.
I finally pushed myself out of the room, heading toward Professor Wing's office. But as I walked, one question refused to leave my mind—
What on earth could have driven Theo and Damon to turn against each other?
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