Chapter 10: Stirring the Fire
818 Words
Chapter 10: Stirring the Fire
Kael Veyra’s POV
The buzz around me felt heavier than usual as I walked onto campus the next morning. It wasn’t just the lingering stares or the occasional giggles I was getting after the gossip about Draven and me exploded online—it was something else, something I couldn’t put my finger on.
Livia caught up with me outside the lecture hall, her expression half amusement, half concern.
“Just a heads-up,” she said, leaning in conspiratorially. “Draven’s already inside, and he’s acting weird.”
“Weird how?” I asked warily.
“Weird like he keeps checking the door, like he’s waiting for someone. And he has that look.”
“What look?”
“You know. The one he gets when he’s planning something.”
Great.
I braced myself and stepped inside. Sure enough, Draven was already there, lounging in his usual seat near the back. His eyes lit up the moment he saw me, and that familiar, infuriating smirk curved across his lips.
“Morning, Kael,” he drawled as I slid into the seat beside him.
“Morning,” I muttered, trying to ignore the way my pulse sped up when his knee brushed against mine under the table.
“You sleep okay?”
“Fine.”
“Hmm.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “You’re still blushing. Dream about me, Kael?”
I shot him a glare, but it didn’t seem to faze him. If anything, it only made his grin widen.
Before I could retort, the door opened, and in walked Sera Langford, looking like she owned the place. She wasn’t even in our class, which made her sudden appearance all the more suspicious. Rumor had it she’d been angling to join this lecture series for weeks, supposedly to "expand her academic profile," but everyone knew she was really here to keep tabs on Draven. Her icy blue eyes zeroed in on me almost immediately, and I felt my stomach twist.
She sauntered over to the seat directly in front of us, flipping her hair dramatically as she sat down. Draven didn’t even glance her way, but I could feel the tension ratchet up another notch.
“Wow,” Livia whispered from behind me. “This is going to be fun.”
Fun was not the word I would’ve used.
The lecture dragged on, but I barely heard a word of it. I was too aware of Draven beside me—too aware of the way he kept leaning in just a little too close, whispering comments that were equal parts teasing and infuriating.
“Pay attention, Kael,” he murmured at one point, his breath warm against my ear. “You’re going to miss something important.”
“Like what?” I whispered back, my voice sharper than I intended.
He smirked, his eyes dark and gleaming. “Like me.”
I stared at him, my heart racing, and for a split second, I forgot how to breathe. But then Sera shifted in her seat, tossing her hair again, and the spell was broken.
I clenched my jaw and turned back to my notes, determined to ignore him for the rest of the class.
After class, I gathered my things quickly, hoping to escape before Draven could corner me. But, of course, he was faster.
“Where’s the fire, Kael?” he asked, falling into step beside me as we headed down the hallway.
“I have things to do,” I said curtly.
“Like what?”
“Like not talk to you.”
He chuckled, and I hated the way the sound sent shivers down my spine.
“Come on,” he said, his tone softer now. “Let me walk you to your next class.”
“I don’t need an escort.”
“Maybe I just want an excuse to spend more time with you.”
I stopped walking and turned to face him, my heart pounding. “What is your deal, Draven? One minute you’re teasing me like it’s your life’s mission, and the next you’re... being all sweet and confusing.”
He tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “Maybe I like keeping you on your toes.”
“Yeah, well, it’s exhausting,” I said, trying to ignore the way my chest tightened at the way he was looking at me.
Draven stepped closer, his gaze locking onto mine. “You’re the one who gets under my skin, Kael. Not the other way around.”
I swallowed hard, my breath catching in my throat. For a moment, I thought he might actually kiss me. But then, just as quickly as it had come, the moment was gone.
“See you later, Veyra,” he said with a wink before turning and walking away, leaving me standing there, breathless and completely confused.
- Writer
