The final bell rang, shattering the hallways into chaos. Students surged out of classrooms, slamming lockers and shouting across the corridor. Kaiden weaved through the throng with Mara beside him. Her hand didn't just brush his sleeve anymore—it gripped it firmly, anchoring him in the storm.
"You're too quiet," Mara said sharply, eyes scanning him like a hawk. There was no softness in her tone this time, only sharp concern, a subtle edge of anger simmering beneath it.
"I… I'm fine," Kaiden muttered, forcing a smile he didn't feel.
Mara's gaze narrowed. "Don't lie to me."
Before he could respond, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Kaiden!"
He froze. Lila, leaning against a locker, green eyes sparkling with mischief and something darker, daring. Mara's grip on his sleeve tightened like iron. Kaiden felt it—the silent, fierce warning.
"You're not leaving me behind, are you?" Lila called, stepping into the hallway and falling into stride beside him. Her presence was deliberate, teasing, intoxicating.
Kaiden's stomach twisted. "I… I was just—"
"I'll walk with you," Lila said, brushing against his arm lightly. Every movement was a statement, a provocation.
Mara's hand on his sleeve tensed. Her green eyes shot daggers at Lila, lips pressing into a thin line. She didn't speak, but Kaiden could feel her energy: Back off. You will not take him.
"Lila… you can't just—" Kaiden started.
"Why not?" Lila interrupted, grinning. "I just want to remind him who he really is. Isn't that right, Kaiden?"
Kaiden's pulse spiked. Mara's glare seared through him like fire. Suddenly, he wasn't just flustered—he felt trapped. Mara, usually calm and collected, was no longer hiding her intensity.
"Step away from him," Mara said sharply, her voice cutting through the hallway like a whip. Heads turned. Students paused, sensing the tension radiating from her. "You don't get to follow him wherever you please."
Lila's grin widened, unbothered, teasing. "Oh, I see how it is… she's protective. Cute."
Mara's jaw tightened. "Cute?" she snapped, stepping slightly in front of Kaiden, shoulder squared like a shield. "You have no idea what you're playing with, Lila. Kaiden isn't yours to tease. Not now, not ever."
Kaiden's chest tightened. Lila leaned closer, brushing her knee lightly against his, green eyes gleaming. "And yet here I am. You can try to stop me… but it won't work."
Mara's eyes flared. "Try me," she said coldly, daring. The fire in her gaze left no question: she would fight for him. "You touch him again in any way that makes him uncomfortable, and you'll regret it."
Kaiden swallowed hard, caught in the crossfire of desire and loyalty. He felt Lila's teasing warmth on one side and Mara's sharp, protective energy on the other. His chest ached from the pressure.
The walk to the bus stop was tense. Lila continued to linger close, her teasing persistent, trying to poke at Kaiden's restraint. Mara matched each step silently, her presence a constant, powerful force of warning.
"You're flustered," Lila whispered, leaning subtly closer. "You feel it, don't lie."
Kaiden shook his head, trying to regain composure. Mara's glare, fierce and unyielding, burned in his mind. Do not falter.
When the bus finally arrived, Mara hung back a few steps, arms crossed, her stance sharp, daring Lila to cross any line. Kaiden climbed aboard and Lila followed, sliding into the seat beside him like she owned the space.
The bus jolted forward, and Lila leaned slightly closer, brushing her shoulder against his. "You can't ignore me," she whispered. "Not now, not ever."
Kaiden's pulse jumped. He wanted to resist, but Mara's energy surged in his mind, protective and possessive. He could practically feel her daring Lila to step out of line. Mara wasn't silent this time—she was a fighter, and Kaiden realized with a twist in his chest that he had never had anyone so fiercely on his side.
"You're crossing a line," Kaiden muttered, voice tight.
Lila's grin deepened. "Lines are meant to be tested," she whispered, leaning closer. "I want to see if the real Kaiden is still in there. Don't fight it. I won't let you hide."
Kaiden's chest tightened painfully. Mara's imagined glare was almost tangible, searing through the bus like fire. Lila's teasing persistence pressed against him like heat. He felt torn—loyalty to Mara, temptation from Lila, and a fractured sense of his own identity.
The bus rumbled to his stop. Kaiden climbed down, stomach twisting, heart pounding. Lila walked beside him, brushing slightly against his shoulder. "Home already?" she teased. "Don't run."
Kaiden reached his front door, fumbling with the keys. "I… I have to go," he stammered.
"Sure," she said softly, leaning just close enough to make his pulse spike. "But remember… I know your secret. And I won't forget it anytime soon."
He slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. The quiet of his home did little to calm the storm inside him. Mara's protective, fiery energy lingered in his mind, Lila's teasing warmth burned against him, and he realized painfully that he was caught in a battle of loyalty, desire, and secrets—and he had no idea who he could trust.