The day after the library incident began with a strange, almost palpable tension. Even before I walked into Crescent High, I could feel it—a weight in the air, a subtle, vibrating energy that made my chest tighten. I had no idea whether it was anticipation, dread, or something I refused to name.
It didn’t take long to find out.
I was in the cafeteria, quietly sipping my coffee and trying to ignore the chatter around me, when Damian appeared. Not just casually walking by, but intentionally, like a predator moving through the crowd with purpose. And my pulse jumped—not from fear, not entirely—but from that inexplicable mix of frustration and curiosity he always seemed to stir in me.
He stopped at the edge of the table, smirk faint, eyes scanning the room as if calculating his next move. T
