The Second Warning
1148 Words
If my first day at Ridgeview Academy felt overwhelming, the second day felt worse.
People weren’t staring because I was new anymore.
They were staring because of him.
Every whisper, every side-eye, every flinch when I walked past.
I knew exactly who to blame.
Jace Blackwood.
Stay away from me, Ariel.
His words echoed in my head like a warning I hadn’t asked for.
But my body clearly didn’t understand the assignment because the moment I stepped onto campus, my eyes scanned for him.
And that was the problem.
I shouldn’t care.
I didn’t even know him.
But something about Jace felt… inevitable.
Like he walked with gravity no one else had.
I shook the thought off and shoved my headphones in. Music always helped.
Maybe today would be quiet.
Normal.
Jace-free.
I should’ve known better.
THE COURTYARD
I found a bench under a tree, took out my notebook, and tried to focus on anything that wasn’t Jace’s dark eyes or the way he said my name like he owned it.
I had barely written a single word when I felt someone’s presence.
Not casual.
Not accidental.
Purposeful.
I turned and my heart stumbled.
Selena Cruz.
The girl every boy drooled over. Long dark hair, perfect skin, confidence sharp enough to cut. She crossed her arms and looked at me like I was dirt stuck to her shoe.
“You’re Ariel, right?” she said, voice sugary sweet with a sour undertone.
“Yes,” I said slowly.
“I’m Selena.”
She waited like I was supposed to gasp or bow.
I didn’t.
Her smile slipped. “So. Jace talked to you.”
Here we go.
“It was nothing,” I said.
“Everything Jace does is something,” she snapped. “He doesn’t talk to people. Especially not girls.”
“I didn’t ask him to.”
Selena’s eyes narrowed, studying every inch of my face like she was looking for a flaw to stab.
“Listen, transfer girl,” she said. “Jace and I have history. And while he’s… complicated, he’s not yours. Don’t get comfortable.”
My brows rose. “I’m not trying to—”
“Good,” she cut in. “Keep it that way.”
She gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and strutted away, flipping her hair over her shoulder dramatically.
I exhaled.
Great.
Now I had a jealous queen bee breathing down my neck because of a boy who didn’t even want me near him.
Perfect.
LATER — HALLWAY
I went to my locker, rotating the combination slowly.
I needed a quiet day, not… whatever this mess was.
A hand slammed against the locker beside mine.
I jumped, spinning around to find Jace.
My heart dropped, then soared in a stupid, chaotic way.
He looked… irritated.
More than irritated.
Almost angry.
“Why is Selena talking to you?” Jace asked.
Not “Did she bother you?”
Not “Are you okay?”
Just straight to the point, sharp as a blade.
“She came to talk,” I said carefully.
“And you talked back?” His jaw clenched.
I frowned. “What was I supposed to do? Run?”
“Yes,” he said flatly.
I blinked. “Are you serious?”
His eyes darkened. “Selena likes to start things. You don’t want to be involved in anything that has her name on it.”
“And what about you?” I whispered before I could stop myself.
“Do people need to avoid your name too?”
His expression flickered, looking pained, and real, but it vanished instantly.
“You shouldn’t say my name,” he muttered.
I swallowed. “Why not?”
“Because it sounds different when you say it.”
My breath caught.
What did that even mean?
His hand was still pressed beside my head, close enough that his body blocked most of the hallway. Not touching me. Not even leaning in. But somehow still too close.
I cleared my throat. “Jace, I don’t understand—”
“That’s the point,” he cut in. “You shouldn’t understand me.”
He stepped away slightly, giving me space but not distance.
“You need to stop looking for me,” he said quietly.
My chest tightened. “I wasn’t—”
“You were,” he said, eyes like cold steel. “You don’t hide it well.”
I felt my cheeks heat.
Great.
So he noticed.
Jace’s voice dropped, rougher now.
“I don’t want you in my world, Ariel.”
“Why?” I whispered.
His jaw flexed. “Because once you’re in… you can’t get out.”
A chill crawled up my spine.
Was he talking about danger?
Violence?
His reputation?
His secrets?
Before I could ask, a smooth voice interrupted.
“Bro, seriously?”
Mason appeared behind him, eyes flicking between us with amused disbelief.
“You’re cornering her at her locker? That’s not ‘staying away,’ genius.”
“Shut up,” Jace muttered without looking at him.
Mason smirked. “Morning, Ariel.”
“Morning,” I said, my voice embarrassingly soft.
Jace’s eyes snapped to me at the sound of my tone.
Mason nudged him. “You’re being weird again.”
“Go away,” Jace growled.
“Nope,” Mason said cheerfully.
Jace ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated as hell.
“This is exactly what I meant,” he muttered under his breath. “Stay. Away.”
He emphasized each word, like he needed to convince himself as much as me.
Then he turned and walked off.
Mason watched him go, shaking his head. “He’s a mess.”
“I noticed,” I whispered.
Mason grinned. “Don’t worry. He’s only like that with you.”
I frowned. “That’s… not reassuring.”
“It shouldn’t be,” Mason said. “But it means something.”
“What?”
“That you’re already under his skin.”
My heart dropped.
That wasn’t the plan.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
Not to him.
Not to me.
Mason started walking, then looked back.
“Oh—one more thing,” he added. “Whatever Jace’s reasons are, he’s right about one thing.”
“What?”
He held my gaze for a long second.
“His world? It’s not safe. And once you get close to him… you can’t unsee the darkness he carries.”
A shiver ran through me.
I didn’t know what Jace Blackwood was hiding.
I didn’t know why he watched me the way he did.
Or why he wanted me to stay away while pulling me closer at the same time.
But something told me I was already in deeper than I realized.
And Jace—
the boy everyone feared, the warning, the danger,
wasn’t planning to let me go.
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