Beneath his cruelty

Too Close

Emily spent the rest of lunch hiding in the girls’ bathroom.

Not because she wanted to cry.

She refused to cry over people like Bianca Sterling.

But because she needed a moment to breathe.

Everything had happened too fast.

The prank.

The humiliation.

Damon defending her.

Again.

And worst of all—

That look in his eyes.

Emily sat on the closed toilet seat with Damon’s blazer folded tightly in her lap.

The expensive fabric still carried a faint scent of his cologne.

Clean.

Sharp.

Dangerously comforting.

Emily groaned softly and buried her face in her hands.

“This is bad,” she muttered.

Very bad.

Because Damon Blackwood was supposed to be her enemy.

The arrogant rich boy who bullied her for entertainment.

The guy who made sarcastic comments every five minutes.

The guy who irritated her beyond reason.

So why did her chest feel weird every time he protected her?

A knock suddenly sounded on the bathroom door.

Emily immediately straightened.

“Occupied.”

The door opened anyway.

Emily frowned instantly.

“Do rich people not understand privacy?”

Damon leaned casually against the doorway.

Completely unbothered.

“You’ve been hiding in here for twenty minutes.”

Emily blinked.

“…You timed me?”

“No.”

A pause.

“Maybe.”

Emily stared at him.

“You are genuinely creepy.”

Damon ignored the comment and looked toward the blazer still in her lap.

“You kept it.”

Emily crossed her arms defensively.

“You told me to wear it.”

“You could’ve returned it.”

“You could’ve stopped being annoying years ago, but life isn’t perfect.”

A faint smirk appeared on his face again.

Emily hated how often he did that around her now.

Especially because the smirks looked more real lately.

Less cruel.

Damon pushed himself off the doorway slowly.

Then walked further inside the empty bathroom.

Emily immediately looked horrified.

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You cannot casually walk into the girls’ bathroom!”

“There’s nobody here.”

“That’s not the point!”

Damon shrugged carelessly.

“You complain too much.”

Emily pointed toward the door dramatically.

“Leave!”

Instead of leaving—

Damon sat against the sink counter.

Emily stared at him in disbelief.

“How are you a real person?”

“That’s still being debated.”

That almost made her laugh.

Almost.

Silence settled briefly between them.

Not awkward.

Just quiet.

Then Damon looked at her carefully.

“You okay?”

Emily froze slightly.

Because the question sounded genuine.

Not teasing.

Not mocking.

Actually genuine.

That somehow caught her more off guard than the bullying ever did.

Emily looked down at the blazer in her hands.

“…I’ve had worse days.”

Damon’s jaw tightened slightly.

“That wasn’t funny.”

Emily blinked.

“I wasn’t joking.”

Silence.

Something shifted in Damon’s expression again.

an almost angry expression.

But not at her.

Emily noticed it immediately.

And suddenly—

She became curious again.

“You really hate bullying,” she said quietly.

Damon scoffed softly.

“That’s ironic.”

“A little,” Emily admitted.

“But seriously.”

She hesitated before continuing.

“You looked angry out there.”

Damon looked away first.

And for some reason—

That surprised her.

“I hate pathetic behavior,” he muttered finally.

Emily studied him quietly.

“You mean Bianca.”

“I mean people who gang up on others to feel important.”

Emily blinked slowly.

Because that answer felt personal.

Very personal.

Before she could ask more—

The bathroom door suddenly burst open.

Two girls entered laughing loudly before freezing instantly at the sight of Damon standing inside.

Silence.

Complete silence.

One girl nearly dropped her phone.

“Oh my God.”

Emily closed her eyes briefly.

Of course.

Perfect.

Now rumors would get worse.

The girls looked between Emily and Damon rapidly.

Then one of them squealed quietly.

“We’re leaving.”

And both immediately disappeared again.

Emily groaned loudly the second the door shut.

“This school is going to kill me.”

Damon looked strangely entertained.

“You’re dramatic.”

“You were standing in the girls’ bathroom!”

“You invited me.”

Emily’s jaw dropped.

“I absolutely did not!”

Damon’s smirk deepened slightly.

And for one horrifying second—

Emily noticed how attractive he looked when genuinely amused.

Emily quickly stood up before her brain betrayed her further.

“I’m going back to class.”

The moment she moved past him—

Damon suddenly grabbed her wrist lightly.

Emily froze instantly.

Not because he held her tightly.

Actually…

His grip was surprisingly careful.

Still—

The contact sent something strange through her chest.

Damon looked down at her wet sleeve slightly.

“You should change first.”

His voice sounded quieter now.

Closer.

Emily suddenly became very aware of how near he was standing.

Too near.

She swallowed once before speaking.

“…Can you let go of me?”

Damon’s eyes lifted slowly to hers.

And for one brief second—

Neither moved.

The atmosphere changed again.

That strange tension between them growing heavier.

More noticeable.

Then Damon released her abruptly.

Almost like he realized what he was doing too late.

Emily stepped back immediately.

Trying to ignore how fast her heartbeat suddenly became.

“Right,” she muttered awkwardly.

“The uniform.”

Damon looked away first.

“Yeah.”

The awkwardness shocked both of them.

Emily could tell.

Because Damon suddenly looked irritated.

Not at her.

At himself.

Without another word, he grabbed the blazer from her hands.

Then tossed it back onto her head carelessly.

“Keep it until you change.”

And just like that—

The moment disappeared.

Damon walked toward the bathroom exit calmly like nothing strange had happened.

But right before leaving—

He paused slightly.

Then said without turning around—

“Don’t let Bianca get to you.”

The door closed behind him quietly.

Leaving Emily standing there completely stunned.

Because Damon Blackwood—

The guy who bullied her constantly—

Had just comforted her.

By the time Emily returned to class in dry clothes, whispers had already spread everywhere again.

Of course they had.

Students looked at her with open curiosity now.

Some amused.

Some jealous.

Some shocked.

Because apparently the entire school already knew Damon had gone into the girls’ bathroom after her.

Fantastic.

Emily dropped into her seat dramatically.

“I need a new life.”

Damon sat beside her lazily.

“You’re overreacting.”

Emily turned toward him immediately.

“People think we’re secretly dating now!”

Damon looked unimpressed.

“They’re stupid.”

Emily stared at him.

Then narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“…That didn’t bother you at all?”

Damon shrugged.

“Should it?”

That answer did absolutely nothing good for Emily’s heartbeat.

Before she could respond—

Bianca suddenly entered the classroom.

And immediately stopped walking when she saw Damon beside Emily.

Again.

Then her eyes landed on the blazer folded over Emily’s chair.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Bianca’s face lost color for one second.

Just one.

Because she recognized the blazer immediately.

Everyone would.

Damon never let anybody touch his things.

And now Emily had worn it.

Bianca’s expression hardened slowly as she walked toward her seat.

But before sitting down—

She looked directly at Emily.

And smiled.

The smile terrified Emily instantly.

Because it wasn’t jealous anymore.

It looked calculating.

Like Bianca had finally decided something.

And somehow—

Emily knew things were about to get much worse.