A Clash in Silence
776 Words
If money was power, then Lila Monroe had an endless supply of it.
Everyone in school knew her name—not just because she was rich, but because she carried herself like she owned the place. It wasn’t just about wealth; it was about control. Even the smallest details of her life were perfectly curated. Like her drivers—out of two hundred applicants, only one got selected. They had to drive at the exact speed she preferred—not too slow, not too fast.
That’s how precise she was. That’s how dominant she was.
But Marianne Madison?
She never cared about dominance.
She wasn’t the type to fight for power in some invisible social hierarchy. People could whisper about her all they wanted—about her looks, her attitude, her heavy makeup—but she never gave them the satisfaction of a reaction.
And maybe that’s why she and Lila had always been on opposite sides of an invisible war.
Not because they hated each other.
But because neither of them ever backed down.
—
Marianne made her way through the hallway, barely acknowledging the students who stepped aside as she passed. She didn’t have time for meaningless drama today. All she wanted was to grab her books and move on.
Lila Monroe, however, had other plans.
She was leaning casually against the lockers, her arms crossed, watching Marianne like she was waiting for something.
Marianne ignored her.
She walked straight to her locker, spun the dial effortlessly, and pulled the door open. She took out her books, tucked them under her arm, and slammed the locker shut.
Lila still didn’t move.
Marianne turned to leave—
And that’s when it happened.
A sudden splash of cold liquid drenched her sleeve and seeped down her torso. The scent of overpriced caramel coffee filled the air.
Marianne inhaled sharply, freezing in place.
For a second, there was nothing but silence.
Then, Lila clicked her tongue. “Oops.”
Marianne exhaled slowly, setting her books down on the locker beside her. She turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable.
Lila smiled—not apologetically, but knowingly.
Because they both knew she hadn’t done it on purpose.
But she was going to act like she had.
Marianne glanced down at her ruined shirt. Then back at Lila.
A long pause.
Then, she simply wiped her hands on her now-sticky sleeves, picked up her books, and turned away.
Lila watched her leave, her smile deepening.
She didn’t stop her. Didn’t call her back.
Because Marianne walking away wasn’t surrender.
It was a reminder.
That Lila’s games only worked when the other person played along.
—
Later…
Valerie muttered under her breath as she drove toward the school.
She didn’t know what had happened, but she knew Marianne well enough to guess. If she was calling for something as trivial as a spare shirt, then it meant she had gotten into some kind of mess. And if that was the case, there was only one possible cause—
Lila Monroe.
Valerie sighed. Sisters.
She was still caught up in her thoughts when—
BAM!
Her car jolted violently.
She slammed the brakes, her breath hitching.
A man lay sprawled on the pavement, groaning.
Her heart stopped.
No. No way.
Then he moved, pushing himself up with a look of pure irritation. The streetlights illuminated his face.
And that was when Valerie felt her stomach drop.
Leo Bennett.
He turned his gaze to her, and the glare he shot could’ve melted steel.
Valerie swallowed.
Leo dusted himself off, rolling his shoulders like he was trying to decide whether or not he was actually injured.
Then he slowly walked up to her car window, leaned in, and stared.
"You hit me," he said flatly.
Valerie blinked. "...You were in the middle of the road."
Leo raised a brow. "And you were driving like a lunatic."
Valerie scowled. "If I was driving like a lunatic, you wouldn’t be standing right now."
Leo let out a humorless laugh, tilting his head. "Oh? So you meant to hit me?"
Valerie gritted her teeth. "That's not—ugh, never mind! Just—are you fine or not?"
Leo stretched his arms like he had all the time in the world. "No broken bones." Then he placed a hand on the hood of her car. "But… I might be emotionally traumatized. Might need some compensation."
Valerie exhaled sharply. "Get out of my way, Leo."
Leo smirked. "See, now you sound guilty."
Valerie clenched her jaw, gripping the steering wheel a little too hard.
She was going to be late.
And this i***t was enjoying wasting her time.
- Writer
