Chapter 13: Sabotage Backfires and Dangerous Flirting
The school courtyard was buzzing like it was about to erupt.
Amy Rivers had spent the entire morning planning the "perfect" sabotage.
Her mission: publicly humiliate Lily Hart and finally make Noah Blackwood hate her.
Step one: rig the microphone at the school assembly.
Step two: sneak in a recording that made it sound like Lily had been bragging about stealing Noah's attention.
Step three: enjoy the chaos as Lily's so-called "perfect, carefree" image crumbled before everyone, especially Noah.
It was flawless… in theory.
Lily strolled into the auditorium, carefree as ever, flipping her hair casually.
Mia whispered, "You're about to get wrecked if Amy's plan works."
Lily smirked. "Let her try. I don't care."
Amy, hiding behind the curtains, gave a satisfied nod and pressed play.
A voice echoed through the hall:
"I can't believe Noah Blackwood still notices me. Poor Amy… she has no chance."
Gasps erupted. Students whispered. Cameras caught every reaction.
And Noah?
He froze mid-step.
Except… the recording immediately cut out.
Static. Noise. Then a loud POP!
The speaker screeched horribly, sparks flying as Amy screamed in panic, flailing to stop the chaos.
In the commotion, a janitor tripped over the wiring, crashing into Amy. She toppled into the middle of the stage, taking the microphone stand with her.
The entire auditorium watched in stunned silence.
Amy's perfectly cultivated "good person" image? Obliterated.
Students whispered, snickering.
Teachers were mortified.
Noah? He stood frozen, eyes dark, jaw tight… not at Lily, but at Amy's spectacular meltdown.
Lily, calm and collected as ever, walked onto the stage. She handed Amy a hand to get up. "Need a minute? Or… do you want me to call an ambulance for your ego?"
The audience laughed.
Noah's chest tightened. He didn't move from the stage edge. He didn't even realize he was staring at Lily until she winked at him.
Later, in the empty courtyard, Noah found Lily leaning against the fountain, sipping a soda like nothing had happened.
"This… what you did today—humiliating her in front of everyone—" he started, voice low and dangerous.
Lily laughed lightly. "You mean surviving Amy's disaster? I barely had to do anything. She just… helped me shine."
Noah's jaw clenched. "You don't get it, Lily. I… I need to tell you something."
She tilted her head, curious. "Oh? What is it?"
"I—" He started, then stopped, swallowing hard. "I like you. I've liked you for months, and—"
Lily's eyes widened for half a second. Then… she leaned casually closer, resting an elbow on the fountain edge. Her voice was light, teasing.
"You… like me?"
He nodded, heart hammering, words trembling.
She laughed softly. "Wow. That's… cute. But I thought you still liked Amy?"
Noah froze.
"I mean, she's your girl, right? Not me," Lily added casually, twirling a strand of hair over her finger, making it look like the most effortless, irritatingly adorable gesture in the world.
Noah's chest tightened. His hands curled into fists.
"Lily… I'm serious!" he growled.
She smirked. "So am I."
He blinked. "…What?"
She laughed lightly, brushing her hair back. "I'm serious about the Amy thing… and also, I like that you're panicking. You're adorable when flustered."
Noah's brain short-circuited.
She thought he still liked Amy.
She was flirting with him… on purpose.
And somehow… she was enjoying the chaos in his chest.
"Lily!" he barked, voice cracking between fury and something else—something dangerously close to desperation. "Stop—stop teasing me!"
She winked. "Stop thinking I'm like Amy, maybe?"
Noah stumbled backward, gripping the edge of the fountain for support. His face burned.
She's… impossible. I can't… she's driving me insane.
And from somewhere deep inside, he realized…
He didn't want her to stop.
Because Lily Hart—carefree, teasing, untouchable Lily Hart—was slowly, irresistibly rewriting every rule he'd ever known about obsession, love, and losing control.