The Dare
1181 Words
Chapter 1: The Dare
Elarion Academy wasn’t just a school, it was a kingdom. And like any kingdom, it had its royalty.
In this case, the crowned prince was none other than Raze Velasquez.
He arrived on campus like a storm each morning. Black helmet under one arm, leather jacket slung over one shoulder, a smirk etched into his flawless face. The kind of smirk that said he knew exactly how dangerous he was and that you liked it.
Girls whispered about him. Teachers sighed when they saw his name on their class lists. Security guards knew his motorcycle's engine growl by sound alone.
He was a rich boy who never studied and the reason behind more than a few suspension meetings. Dyed hair that wasn’t supposed to be allowed on school grounds. Lips that tasted like rebellion. And eyes that saw everything, especially what you were trying to hide.
But Aira Delos Reyes was not impressed.
She had come to Elarion on a scholarship. A full ride. The kind given to those with top scores and impeccable discipline. She wore her hair in a neat ponytail, never left her dorm without her ID, and always kept a pen in her uniform's left pocket. Her uniform was ironed, her shoes polished, and her heart protected.
So when Raze strutted into the principal’s office barefoot, twirling his car keys around one finger and wearing that signature devil-may-care grin, Aira didn’t flinch.
She was there to drop off a budget report for the student council.
He was there because he had parked his matte-black sports car, complete with custom rims and tinted windows, right in the middle of the faculty parking lot, squarely between the Vice Principal’s and the Guidance Counselor’s assigned spots.
Horizontally.
The entire morning class schedule had been delayed while security tried to locate him.
“I thought reserved meant reserved for me,” he said with a shrug, sinking into the seat across from the principal like it was a throne.
Aira kept her eyes on the folder in her hand, pretending not to notice the amused glance he threw her way.
“Morning, Council Girl,” he said under his breath.
She sighed quietly and took a step to the left, just far enough to signal she wasn’t interested.
He chuckled to himself. “Playing hard to impress. Cute.”
Principal Reyes rubbed his temples like it was déjà vu.
Aira left the folder in the tray, nodded politely, and turned to go.
Behind her, she could still hear Raze’s voice: smooth, amused, and unbothered.
“So... is it too late to request a valet service?”
Then she left and closed the door while Raze slightly turned around to glance at her.
"Principal Reyes," he said, without taking his eyes off the door, "who was that?"
The principal sighed at him. "Aira Delos Reyes. Honor student. Smartest girl in this school. And completely out of your league."
Raze leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head.
"We’ll see about that."
It drove him insane.
“She didn’t even blush,” Raze muttered later that afternoon, slumped across a table in the campus courtyard. He was with his usual crew: Lance, Theo, and Max, who were sharing snacks and watching girls jog past.
“Maybe she’s immune to your pretty boy's face,” Max laughed.
Raze threw a chip at him. “No such thing.”
“Then prove it,” Lance said, slapping down a soda can like it was a challenge.
Raze narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying?”
“I dare you to make her fall for you,” Lance said, his tone casual but teasing. “The girl who doesn’t look twice at you. What’s her name again? The nerdy one?”
“Aira,” Theo replied. “She’s top of the class. I heard she corrected Mr. Del Rosario in calculus.”
“Oof,” Max said. “No wonder she’s single.”
Raze leaned back, tongue in his cheek. “You want me to flirt with that?”
“No,” Lance grinned. “We want you to lose.”
Raze smirked. “Then you’re gonna be disappointed.”
---
The next day, Aira’s life became... strange.
First, there was the sudden appearance of Raze Velasquez in her Literature class, where he’d never shown up before. He strolled in late, plopped into the empty seat beside her, and shot her a wink.
“You’re sitting in the wrong row,” she said flatly, not even looking up from her notes.
“I was hoping your intelligence might rub off on me,” he replied.
She slid her chair an inch away.
Second, he followed her into the library. Not discreetly either. He strolled through the aisles, humming loudly, and then dropped into the seat across from her.
“Want to help me with my homework?” he asked.
“I’m busy.”
“I’ll pay you.”
“I’m not for sale.”
He whistled, impressed. “Cold. I like it.”
Aira exhaled and focused harder on her textbook. "He’s just trying to get a reaction," she told herself. Ignore him and he’ll go away.
But Raze didn’t go away. Not on Day 2. Not on Day 3.
By Day 4, he was bringing her coffee. “I asked the barista what the smartest drink was,” he said, sliding it onto her desk. “Apparently, it’s a flat white with extra brain cells.”
“Thanks,” she said, “but I don’t take bribes.”
“Too bad. I don’t take no for an answer.”
She paused, met his gaze for a beat too long. “Then maybe it’s time someone teach you.”
Raze grinned.
Challenge accepted.
---
Aira tried to ignore the flutter in her chest every time he leaned too close. The way his cologne lingered on her sweater after he brushed past her. The stupid way he smiled like the world was a joke he was in on.
But what bothered her most was that, slowly... the smirk was slipping.
By the end of the week, Raze had stopped playing games and started showing up with real questions. He asked her about her favorite books. He sat through her tutoring sessions without interrupting. He even walked her to class when it rained, holding an umbrella over her head without saying a word.
And one day, when they sat together beneath a blooming tree on the back lawn, Raze turned to her and asked, “Do you really think I’m just a joke?”
Aira looked at him, really looked.
He wasn’t smiling.
“No,” she said softly. “But I think you want people to think that. It’s easier than being real.”
Raze blinked, stunned into silence.
She stood, brushing grass from her skirt. “If this is still part of your dare, Raze... end it
now.”
And she walked away.
Leaving him with only the sound of the wind and the first painful c***k in his armor.
- Writer
