Crimson Ivy

Pretty Things Break First

By lunchtime, Kylie Jonson had become Blackthorn Academy’s favorite obsession.

Every hallway conversation stopped when she walked past.

Every phone screen seemed to carry the same photo.

Her standing between Adrian Devereux and Dante Reyes in the rain.

Like a girl stupid enough to stand between two hurricanes.

Kylie slammed her locker shut harder than necessary.

“This school is pathetic,” she muttered.

“You’re only noticing that now?”

Serena Laurent appeared beside her effortlessly, balancing an iced coffee in one manicured hand.

Kylie recognized her immediately from social media and elite family galas.

Fashion royalty.

Untouchable social queen.

Dangerously observant.

Serena smiled slightly.

“Hi. I’m Serena. I’d say welcome to Blackthorn, but honestly? You’re already trending harder than half the students here.”

Kylie sighed. “Wonderful.”

Serena leaned casually against the lockers.

“For what it’s worth, I like you already.”

“Because?”

“You look like you’d survive a murder trial.”

Kylie stared at her for two seconds.

Then laughed unexpectedly.

Serena grinned triumphantly. “There it is.”

For the first time that day, Kylie relaxed slightly.

Until whispers suddenly erupted nearby.

“Oh my god…”

“They’re here.”

Kylie frowned.

Serena looked genuinely exhausted. “Of course they are.”

The hallway shifted unnaturally as students moved aside.

Dante Reyes walked down the corridor first, hands in his pockets, black tie loose around his neck like rules physically offended him.

And beside him—

Adrian Devereux.

The contrast between them was absurd.

Dante looked like chaos.

Adrian looked like control.

But both were terrifying in completely different ways.

Girls openly stared.

Guys immediately stepped out of their path.

Kylie crossed her arms.

“Do they always travel like emotionally damaged bodyguards?”

Serena nearly choked on her coffee.

Dante heard that.

His grin appeared instantly.

“You talk a lot for someone new here.”

“You keep appearing in front of me. It feels rude not to respond.”

Dante stopped directly in front of her.

Close.

Too close.

“You smell good,” he said casually.

Kylie blinked once.

“…What?”

“Vanilla.” His eyes dragged lazily over her face. “And expensive perfume.”

Serena whispered under her breath, “Jesus Christ.”

Kylie looked unimpressed.

“You flirt like a man who’s been hit in the head repeatedly.”

Dante laughed again.

Adrian remained silent beside him.

Watching.

Always watching.

It unnerved her more than Dante’s shamelessness.

Adrian’s gaze lowered slightly toward her wrist.

Then—

Without warning—

He reached out.

His fingers brushed lightly against her sleeve.

The hallway froze.

So did Kylie.

Adrian’s expression stayed calm as he removed a tiny piece of crimson thread from her blazer.

“You had something there.”

The touch lasted maybe two seconds.

Still—

Kylie felt it.

A strange heat crawling up her spine.

The students around them looked horrified.

One girl whispered, “He touched her.”

Dante noticed the reactions immediately.

Jealousy flashed across his face before amusement replaced it.

“Well now everyone’s gonna think she belongs to you.”

Adrian looked at him calmly.

“They already think that.”

Something sharp passed through Dante’s eyes.

Not anger.

Something darker.

Possessive.

Kylie stepped back before the tension could suffocate her.

“I’m going to class.”

Dante smirked. “I’m in your next class.”

“Tragic.”

“And I sit behind you.”

Kylie stared at him blankly.

“…I’m transferring schools.”

—

The advanced literature classroom looked more like a university lecture hall than a high school course.

Black marble desks.

Floor-to-ceiling windows.

Students with last names worth billions.

Kylie sat near the center row, opening her notebook quietly.

For almost thirty peaceful seconds—

No chaos happened.

Then Dante dropped into the seat behind her.

“You look cute when you’re annoyed.”

Kylie didn’t turn around.

“You look annoying all the time.”

“I’m taking that as flirting.”

A few nearby students snorted nervously.

Kylie ignored him.

Until another chair moved beside her.

Adrian.

Of course.

Dante leaned back in his seat dramatically.

“You stalking her now?”

“Yes,” Adrian replied calmly.

The classroom went silent.

Even Kylie turned toward him.

Adrian met her gaze without embarrassment.

There was no teasing in his expression.

No humor.

He sounded completely serious.

Dante stared at him for a second before laughing under his breath.

“You’re insane.”

“Probably.”

The professor entered before Kylie could process that answer.

Class began.

Or at least attempted to.

Because Dante kept kicking the back of Kylie’s chair every few minutes.

Finally she snapped.

“If you do that again,” she whispered sharply, “I’ll break your leg.”

“Promises already?” Dante whispered back.

Adrian spoke without looking up from his book.

“She means it.”

Dante smirked.

“That’s why I like her.”

Kylie rubbed her temple slowly.

How were these two real people?

The professor suddenly called her name.

“Miss Jonson.”

Kylie looked up.

“Since you’re new here, perhaps you can answer.” He adjusted his glasses. “What is the central theme of obsession in gothic literature?”

Several students smirked.

Testing the transfer student already.

Kylie closed her notebook slowly.

“Obsession in gothic literature usually reflects emotional imprisonment,” she answered calmly. “Characters become consumed by desire, fear, revenge, or love until it destroys them psychologically.”

The room quieted.

She continued.

“The interesting part is that obsession is almost never portrayed as entirely negative. Gothic stories romanticize destruction. The characters know they’re ruining themselves and continue anyway.”

Silence.

The professor blinked once.

“…Excellent answer.”

Kylie leaned back casually.

Then noticed both Adrian and Dante staring at her.

Dante looked impressed.

Adrian looked—

Interested.

Dangerously interested.

“You really are interesting,” Adrian said quietly.

Something in his tone made her heartbeat stumble slightly.

And she hated that.

—

Lunch at Blackthorn resembled a royal gathering more than a school cafeteria.

Students sat according to status.

Power.

Influence.

Fear.

Serena pulled Kylie toward a quieter table near the windows.

“You survived half a day,” Serena said. “That’s honestly impressive.”

“Do Adrian and Dante always act insane?”

“Yes.”

“Fantastic.”

Serena lowered her voice.

“You should know something.”

Kylie looked up.

“Most people here are terrified of Adrian.”

“Why?”

Serena hesitated.

“He’s… different.”

Before Kylie could ask further, sudden shouting erupted across the cafeteria.

A boy near the center tables laughed loudly while holding his phone.

“Hey Reyes!” he called mockingly. “Your girlfriend’s famous already!”

The screen showed edited photos of Kylie with humiliating captions beneath them.

Cheap.

Gold digger.

Attention w***e.

The cafeteria erupted in laughter.

Kylie’s expression went cold instantly.

Serena muttered, “Oh no.”

Because Dante Reyes was already standing.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

The entire cafeteria quieted.

The boy swallowed nervously. “Relax, man. It’s just a joke—”

Dante grabbed him by the collar violently.

His chair crashed backward.

“You think she’s yours to talk about?” Dante asked softly.

That softness was somehow worse than yelling.

The boy panicked immediately. “I-I didn’t mean—”

“You posted it?”

“No!”

Dante looked ready to hit him anyway.

Then—

“Dante.”

Adrian’s voice cut through the cafeteria sharply.

Everyone turned.

Adrian stood near the entrance, expression unreadable.

“Let him go.”

Dante’s jaw tightened. “Why?”

“Because if you hit him,” Adrian said calmly, “Kylie becomes the scandal instead of him.”

The entire room went silent.

Kylie stared at Adrian.

He wasn’t protecting the boy.

He was protecting her.

Dante realized it too.

After a tense second, he shoved the boy backward.

“Delete it,” Dante said coldly.

The boy nodded frantically.

“Now.”

Hands shaking, the student erased the post.

Dante looked ready to kill him anyway.

Kylie stood slowly.

The cafeteria watched her carefully.

She walked directly toward Dante.

Most people expected fear.

Instead, Kylie grabbed the front of his loosened tie and pulled him down slightly.

Close enough that only he could hear her.

“You don’t get to lose control over me.”

Dante’s breathing slowed instantly.

The room stared in complete shock.

Kylie released him calmly.

Then looked at the terrified boy.

“If you post another picture of me,” she said softly, “I’ll make sure your family remembers my name during every business deal for the next twenty years.”

The boy went pale.

Serena whispered from the table, “I’m obsessed with her.”

Dante looked stunned for half a second.

Then he smiled.

Not mocking.

Not playful.

Genuine.

And across the cafeteria—

Adrian watched Kylie with an expression almost nobody had ever seen on him before.

Fascination.

Pure, dangerous fascination.

But deep beneath that calm exterior—

Something else inside him had awakened too.

Something smiling in the dark.

And it whispered only one thing.

Mine.