The buzz of the faculty drifted like a distant echo in Damian's ears. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his posture seemingly relaxed. However, his mind was a battlefield. Luna's appearance had ignited a spark of annoyance that now burned like a constant flame. He felt the weight of the girl's boldness, her way of barging into his life with that possessive attitude that made his teeth grind. But it was more than that. It was the moment, the place, and above all, Eliza's presence that made his irritation escalate to dangerous levels.
Eliza. Just thinking about her made him feel a warmth that spread from his chest to every corner of his body. There was something about her sweetness, the way her timid gaze always seemed to seek refuge in him, that completely disarmed him. And just when he was about to approach her, when their eyes had met and the electricity of the moment was palpable, Luna had appeared like an unexpected storm.
Damian clenched his jaw as he watched Luna shamelessly hanging from his neck. He felt her sweet, artificial perfume invading his personal space, and he had to make a superhuman effort not to push her away abruptly. But what really infuriated him was Eliza's hurt look. That fleeting expression, as if someone had turned off the light in her eyes, hit him harder than any words could.
"Damian, darling," Luna's syrupy voice cut through his thoughts like a dull knife. "Who's your little friend?"
He gently but firmly pushed her away, making it clear he wasn't willing to tolerate her game. His eyes sought Eliza's, trying to convey something, anything that might ease the tension that now floated in the air like a heavy cloud.
"Luna," he said with a sigh loaded with impatience, "this is Eliza. Eliza, this is Luna."
Eliza barely nodded, and Damian could see how her hands trembled slightly as she gripped her books more tightly. But before he could add anything to calm her, Luna dropped the bomb.
"His fiancée," she announced with a poisonous and triumphant smile.
Damian felt rage rising up his throat like a contained roar. Fiancée? How far was Luna willing to go just to mark her territory?
"Stop telling people you're my fiancée, Luna," his tone was ice-cold, each word charged with an authority that left no room for doubt.
Luna pursed her lips with feigned innocence before saying goodbye with a kiss dangerously close to his lips. Damian remained motionless, but inside he was boiling. Not because of Luna, not because of her audacity... but because of Eliza. Because of the damage that scene had caused her.
When Luna disappeared into the crowd, the silence between him and Eliza was almost unbearable. He could feel how she tried to maintain her composure, but her eyes betrayed her. There was something broken in her gaze, and that irritated him even more. Not toward her, but toward himself for allowing something like this to happen in front of her.
"So..." he finally said, forcing a smile to break the tension, "are you joining us for lunch?"
Eliza quickly shook her head, and Damian noticed how she avoided looking at him directly.
"I can't. I have class," she lied, but he knew it instantly.
When she tried to leave, he couldn't help himself. He extended his hand and gently took her arm, stopping her. His touch was firm but warm, and he felt how she tensed under his fingers before slowly turning to look at him.
"Eliza," he pronounced her name with an intensity that surprised even himself. His eyes sought hers until they found them. "I wanted to ask you something."
She swallowed, and he could see how her lips trembled slightly before responding, "Yes?"
Damian moved a little closer, reducing the distance between them until only a few inches separated them. His hand slowly moved up to her face, brushing her cheek with a delicacy that contrasted with the whirlwind of emotions inside him. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and that small gesture was enough to feel her holding her breath.
"What are you doing tonight?" he asked in a deep whisper that seemed to envelop both of them in a bubble apart from the outside world.
Eliza could barely respond; her words came out as a murmur
"I was thinking of studying a bit..."
Damian smiled as he heard her say that while nervously biting her lower lip. That simple gesture drove him crazy, awakening in him a dangerous mixture of tenderness and desire. Without thinking too much, he let his fingers brush the edge of her blouse before moving up to her chin. With his thumb, he gently caressed her lower lip, and the little moan that escaped from her made him as hard as a rock; he hoped she wouldn't notice.
"We're going to dinner tonight," he finally said, leaning a little closer until his lips almost brushed against hers. "I'll pick you up at eight."
Eliza opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say anything, he closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was soft at first, like a shy caress full of unspoken promises. But soon that softness gave way to something deeper, more intense. It was as if all the fire contained in him was released in that moment.
Eliza trembled under his touch, and Damian felt how she instinctively clung to him. Everything disappeared. When they finally separated, both were breathless. Damian gave her a mischievous smile while his fingers continued to gently caress her face.
"See you tonight," he said with that overwhelming confidence that always accompanied him before slowly walking away.
As he walked down the hallway with firm, sure steps, he couldn't help smiling to himself. His mind was still divided between the latent rage toward Luna and the burning desire he felt for Eliza. But one thing was clear: he would do what was necessary to protect what he was building with her... even if it meant facing the storms that Luna might unleash.