Between two kops

Chapter eight

Christina

When I looked up, his eyes were right there waiting for me. They weren't just dark. They were like spilled black ink. Raw, heavy, and deep. I could feel that gaze marking me, like a stain on my skin I'd never be able to wash off.

"So where's your boyfriend? Why are you alone?" he asked out of nowhere.

He dropped the burnt filter onto the concrete and crushed it violently under his sneaker. He smoked cheap, basic cigarettes, totally different from my Nick. Nick always had to buy the most expensive stuff, whether it was a vape or a box of imported cigarettes, didn't matter. He always had to have something in his mouth.

"Haven't heard from him all day. Asshole," I muttered through my teeth, not even bothering to hide my rage. "I feel like strangling him."

He was honestly getting on my nerves lately. That habit of not calling and just vanishing whenever he went out with his boys, like I was the very last person on earth he'd ever think of. But from me, he expected an instant reply the second he hit me up. Even earlier in class, he didn't even give me a proper wave, just looked at me in passing, like we barely knew each other.

Steven let out a short, cynical smirk. "So hit him with the same energy."

Yeah, like I could ever do that... I'm way too soft when it comes to Nick. I guess I love him so much that I'm terrified of losing him, so I just swallow things I really shouldn't.

"Yeah, I know... But I'm just not built for mind games like that," I shrugged.

Instead of answering, Steven just shifted his gaze toward the main entrance. Right then, the doors flew open and a swarm of students started pouring out into the yard. Only then did it hit me. The bell had rung for the end of period one.

Nick, Michael, and Nadia were among the first out, and of course, they spotted me immediately, sitting on the bench right next to Steven. In a split second, they veered off and headed straight for us. Great. What now? What am I even supposed to tell them to avoid their stupid questions and twisted conclusions?

Nick was stomping over with fast, sharp steps, and even from this distance, I could clearly catch the jealousy and rage in his eyes. Classic Nick Petrović. Whenever he catches me anywhere near another guy, he looks at me like I've just committed the worst crime on earth.

Before I even got a chance to stand up, Steven was already on his feet. Without a single word, he turned around and walked off in the opposite direction. Didn't even drop a "bye." Just stood up and left. Awesome. I've got two delusional idiots in my life now. Could it get any better, Christina?

"Christina! What the f**k is he doing with you?!" Nick barked the second he reached me, completely out of his mind. His voice was so loud and aggressive that a few people around us instantly turned to see the drama. I felt my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"We were just talking, Nick. He was keeping me company so I wouldn't sit here like a total idiot."

"Just talking?" he sneered, getting right in my face. "I saw the way you two were smiling at each other from all the way over there."

I couldn't believe he was publicly humiliating me like this and basically painting me out to be a cheat. I would never in my life cheat on him. I love Nick more than anyone, and Steven... With Steven, I was just sitting on a damn bench having a totally normal conversation. We're just friends. I guess. Or maybe not even that. We were just f*****g talking! What did I do that was so bad for him to attack me in front of everyone?

"Nick... Stop screaming at me. Everyone's watching," I said sharply, pointing a finger right in his face to snap him back to reality.

"Why shouldn't I scream? The dude attacked me, stole my spot in our desk, and now you're just chilling and chatting with him. What the f**k, Christina?!"

I grabbed him tight by the elbow and pulled him aside, around the corner of the school building, away from curious eyes. What hurt the most was that he made a scene in front of Nadia and Michael. I hate when he does that in public. A knot of pure hatred was forming in my stomach from his attitude that I was his private property he had to control.

"Nick, I have absolutely nothing going on with Steven, get that through your head already! The guy sits next to me in class until the end of the year. Isn't it normal for us to exchange two sentences without it being the end of the world?!"

I saw his jaw tighten to the breaking point. Rage was literally boiling beneath the surface, and that blue vein on his forehead popped out dangerously. A sign I knew all too well.

"He's dangerous, babe. He'll hurt you," he muttered, his voice sounding more like a threat and an order than genuine concern.

"We're at school, Nick, for God's sake! He's not going to do anything to me and you know it. Plus, I think I can take care of myself," I cut him off.

I was furious, but I knew I was telling the truth. Nobody in their right mind would start trouble in the middle of the schoolyard. The conversation with Steven was completely harmless... until Nick showed up acting like the sheriff.

"I don't care, babe. I don't want to see you anywhere near him, and even less talking to that idiot."

Now he's starting to tell me who I'm allowed to speak to? Well, that's enough. He crossed every single line. Where does he get the right to boss me around and throw jealous tantrums for no reason at all? I did absolutely nothing wrong.

"Speaking of which... Where were you yesterday, Mr. Mysterious?"

"I was with Michael. I already told you. We had some stuff to deal with," he answered coldly, his face shifting back into that impenetrable mask of his. Still expertly dodging telling me the truth.

"What kind of stuff, Nick?" I wasn't planning on backing down this time. What could be so important and top secret that his own girlfriend isn't allowed to know?

"I can't tell you. We already talked about this, Christina."

"Oh, really? That you can't tell me? But you can crucify me in front of the whole school just because I said two words to Steven!"

"Christina..." he tried to grab my hand, but I snatched it away. I don't know what got into me, but everything I'd been bottling up and swallowing inside for days finally exploded and poured out.

"You were gone all day yesterday! You didn't send me a single, f*****g text! You didn't even bother to hit me up this morning either. You just waited for me to get to school so you could make a scene! Not to mention Saturday. We had plans for you to come over to my place, but no... You went to a party to get high instead!"

"You're getting mad at me over nothing," he shrugged, completely unbothered.

"We had business, I didn't have time to text you. We saw each other today anyway, we're looking at each other right now. Bro, I don't get what the problem is."

"The problem is I can't do this anymore, Nick. I'm done," I said, my voice cracking with rage and pain.

"Christina, f*****g wait!"

"I think it's best if we take a break," I said, and those words sounded amazingly heavy, but freeing at the same time.

"We're fighting way too much, Nick. I need a little space to think about everything."

"Are you actually serious right now, Christina? You're breaking up with me over Steven, aren't you?!"

In his eyes, you could see pure, wounded male ego.

"How can you even say something like that?" I looked at him with sheer contempt.

"I was always there for you, put up with all your outbursts, and you're still accusing me of cheating on you. Enough is enough."

I spun on my heel and walked away furiously toward the sports hall, leaving him standing there alone on the grass behind the school. Tears were stinging my eyes badly, but I grit my teeth because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. He'd been consistently humiliating and walking all over me for a while now, like it had become a daily habit of his, and I'd never seen even a shred of remorse in those eyes of his.

I simply can't be with a guy who puts me in the same category as the worst kinds of sluts every time I say two words to another guy. I didn't want everything to end like this, on a damn bench in the middle of school... but maybe a break really is the best thing for both of us.

It was ridiculously stuffy in the girls' locker room. Not because of gross smells, but because of a thick cloud of mixed expensive perfumes and cheap spray deodorants clashing in the air while the girls were changing. Most of them were already geared up in their sports stuff and out in the main sports hall. I, of course, was running super late. Thanks to Nick and our stupid fight.

Nadia was the only one left inside. She was sitting on a wooden bench, silently watching me, clearly clocking right away from my face that some s**t had gone down.

"He's exhausting, Nadia," I sat next to her and buried my face in my hands. "He's suffocating me. Always bossing me around, checking up on me, and accusing me of s**t I never did."

"I know... He can be unbearable when he gets some crazy idea stuck in that dumb head of his," Nadia sighed, then reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

"But... realistically, you're not gonna find a better catch than him in this city. He's rich, Christina. Once he turns nineteen, his dad's handing over the whole firm and factory to him. You can't just throw away an opportunity like that, girl."

"Ugh, you're just like my parents," I rolled my eyes, feeling my stomach turn.

"They're constantly brainwashing me with that same f*****g story, too."

With a sigh, I took off my Nike t-shirt and pulled my sports gear out of my bag. White t-shirt and black shorts, the school rules were crystal clear and super strict. No sports gear meant no entering the sport hall, which automatically meant an unexcused absence.

I unclasped my white lace bra and quickly swapped it for a black, cotton sports bra. The kind that fits snug against your body and keeps everything locked down while running. It's way more comfortable for P.E., especially knowing we had a brutal warm-up coming up with a teacher who doesn't tolerate laziness. After class, I always do a full outfit change anyway, because I usually sweat way more than I'd ever publicly admit.

As I pulled the white t-shirt over my sports bra, I tried to quiet the thoughts racing through my head. The fight with Nick was still painfully echoing in my ears.

"So what's going on with the new guy? Spill everything, girl!"

Nadia suddenly spun toward me, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"Nothing is going on!"

"You can't lie to me, girl," she laughed and nudged me with her elbow.

"I saw you two talking during class, and now outside on the bench. There's definitely something going on there."

"There is absolutely nothing, for real. Stop talking crazy, Nadia," I said, trying to sound as convincing and unbothered as possible.

Even though deep down inside, I knew my claim wasn't completely true. Something weird was hanging between Steven and me, something I couldn't even define myself.

I grabbed the black shorts and pulled them up over my long legs. They were pretty tight and form fitting, made of that stretchy material that literally sticks to your skin. As I pulled them up and adjusted the waistband, I felt them fit perfectly against my hips. The shorts hugged my waist insanely well and maximally contoured my ass, accentuating every curve with my every move. I knew I looked more than good in them and that it was impossible not to notice me, but right then, under a surge of rage because of Nick, I wasn't in the mood for male attention at all.

I packed my stuff into my bag, threw it in the locker, and headed toward the sports hall. Nadia was walking beside me like a shadow, still grilling me about Steven as if that were currently the most important topic in the world to her.

God, why does everyone in this school instantly have to assume something's going on the second they see me around a guy? Why does everyone think there's something between us?

"Too bad," Nadia said with a calculating smile.

"Honestly, I'd gladly mess around with him a bit. He's ridiculously hot, what with the stubble and that scowling, dangerous attitude."

"And I see stubble instantly sets you on fire, huh?" I poked at her, trying to shift the topic away from myself.

"Girl, don't act all innocent. You can't say he isn't attractive when he is. Half the school is already checking him out."

I paused for a second right in front of the hall door, hand on the doorknob. Attractive? I don't really know if that's the right word for him. But... that gaze of his, so deep, cold, and kinda tired, like he's constantly carrying some heavy load inside... That somehow stayed etched in my mind. And that barely noticeable smile from earlier, the one only I got to see on him. Ugh, get it together, Christina!

You have a boyfriend, you lunatic. How I'd love to slap myself right now over my own crazy thoughts.

"Okay, fine," I said at last, trying to sound as unbothered as possible as I opened the door.

"He is... a little bit interesting."

Nadia raised her eyebrows immediately, and you could see in her eyes that she'd just gotten confirmation for all her theories.

"Interesting, huh?"

"I mean... A little mysterious," I added quickly, rushing into the hall as if that could justify why I'd even noticed him in the first place. And why, for some stupid and completely wrong reason, he was still running through my mind.

I ran out onto the court and instantly joined the rest of the girls, who were already running laps around the volleyball court. I tried to focus solely on my breathing and the rhythm of my steps, just to avoid Nadia's grilling look and the new questions that would definitely follow. This whole thing is just some stupid nightmare. It'll pass. It has to pass. Right?

The guys and us had separate activities during class. They were outside on the field playing soccer, more for fun than out of obligation, while the teacher had us doing volleyball inside the gym.

Honestly, I adored that sport. I loved that pure energy on the court, the teamwork, the strategy, and that split second moment when the ball clears the net after a solid spike, and the whole team explodes with adrenaline.

If I were the daughter of normal parents, I'd probably sign myself up for volleyball without a second thought. Maybe I'd even train seriously. But my parents would never allow that.

With us, there had only ever been one set path. School, grinding hard, university. Everything else was a complete waste of precious time, as my mom loved to put it so often. "You must never waste the precious time ahead of you on foolishness."

"Come on, girls! Three more laps, then we move on to the balls!" the teacher yelled from the middle of the court, clapping his hands to speed us up.

I picked up my pace, feeling my heart pounding faster in my chest as I tried to keep up with the rest. Maybe volleyball and that physical exhaustion would actually help me purge all these toxic thoughts from my head, at least for an hour.

***

I sat in the backseat of the Audi and shut the door a bit harder than I'd planned. Oops. The thud echoed softly in the silence of the car, and I just rested my head against the leather headrest, closing my eyes for a moment. How I hate this day.

"Rough day at school, miss?" the driver asked briefly, watching me through the rearview mirror with his usual professional neutrality.

"Yeah... Something like that," I muttered, not looking up.

The car smoothly and silently pulled out of the parking lot, and I leaned my forehead against the cold window. Everything was piling up in my head. Nick, our stupid fight, his judgmental words cutting like a razor... and then, completely uninvited, Steven.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, more out of habit than any actual need. My finger automatically went to the i********: app. Dumb posts, stories, pictures... all the same as every other day. Nothing held my attention for more than two seconds.

Some weird urge drove me to type Steven's full name into the search bar. The profile popped up instantly. Steven Stajić. A private account, no profile picture. A quote in Russian in his bio.

"Некоторая любовь проходит, а эта на всю жизнь."

Nothing special. And yet... enough to make me pause.

What are you doing, Christina? Staring like a complete fool at his profile, going back and forth on whether to send him a request or not. Have I really fallen this low? Where did all that courage suddenly vanish to? What am I even scared of?

Every time I try to tap the blue button, my conscience won't leave me alone. Words echo in my head. You have a boyfriend, Christina. Control yourself, please.

But that didn't stop me. I tapped the "Follow" button with the corner of my fingernail.

Panic instantly washed over me. Before i********: even had time to refresh Steven's profile, I slammed my finger onto the lock button, turned the phone over, and tossed it to the other side of the seat.

My heart beat harder than it should have over such a dumb thing. You idiot... you're digging your own grave. I don't even understand my own actions anymore.

I'm literally following the guy... who's my boyfriend's enemy.