The halls of Ridgewood International felt smaller somehow, the walls pressing in as Maya descended the stairwell. Every step echoed her racing thoughts, a jumble of fear and anticipation. Liam Kingston. His name repeated in her mind like a whispered dare she could not refuse.
She tried to focus, but Vanessa's smirk kept replaying behind her eyelids, her sharp tone from earlier a sting that refused to fade. Maya knew Vanessa would not let things go. Not now. Not ever.
When Maya reached the lobby, she spotted her classmates filing out of the building, their conversations lively but irrelevant to her. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying the rooftop encounter over and over. How close Liam had been, how he had said this is ours, right now. Her heart still thumped at the memory.
Then she saw him.
Liam Kingston, leaning casually against the marble railing of the staircase, his expression unreadable, as if he had been waiting for her. Her chest skipped. He looked effortless, untouchable, and yet fully present.
"You are staring," he said, voice low and smooth.
Maya's cheeks burned. "I was not."
"Sure," he said with a faint smirk. "You are lucky I like honesty."
She wanted to protest, but no words came. Instead, she walked past him, careful not to brush against him. He followed silently, like a shadow that felt too close and yet entirely welcome.
Vanessa appeared at the entrance to the lobby, as if on cue. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, announcing her presence before she even spoke.
"Well, well, the scholarship girl and the golden boy," Vanessa said, her tone sweet but venomous. "I see the two of you have been spending time together."
Maya froze, her stomach twisting. She felt Liam tense beside her, a subtle but unmistakable shift in his posture.
"Nothing is happening," Maya said, her voice steady even though her mind screamed otherwise.
Vanessa's smirk widened. "Oh, I am sure. But do not forget, Maya. Everyone here has a price, a limit, and I always find mine."
With that, Vanessa turned and walked away, leaving Maya staring after her, breath caught in her throat.
Liam reached out, lightly brushing her arm as he passed. "Ignore her," he said quietly. "She likes to pretend she runs this place, but she does not scare me. And she should not scare you."
Maya's heart leapt at the casual intimacy of his words. "Easy for you to say," she muttered.
"Not easy," he said, his gaze locking on hers. "But necessary. You are part of this now. No turning back, right?"
Maya swallowed hard, the memory of the rooftop flashing in her mind. "Right."
He gave her a faint grin, the kind that promised both trouble and protection. "Good. Then I expect you to keep up."
As she walked away, Maya realized that Ridgewood International was more than just a school. It was a battlefield, and she had just stepped into the front lines. With Liam Kingston by her side, every challenge suddenly felt both terrifying and exhilarating.
The hallways buzzed with whispers, glances, and unspoken rivalries, but Maya's mind was elsewhere. She could not help but wonder what other moments like the rooftop were waiting for her and whether she was ready for them.
One thing was certain. She was no longer just surviving. She was involved, and with that came consequences she was not sure she could resist.
Her heart raced with equal parts fear and excitement.