Chapter 18: Boundaries Blurred
756 Words
Chapter 18: Boundaries Blurred
Kael Veyra’s POV
By the next morning, I felt like I was unraveling.
The fake-dating plan had always felt like walking a tightrope, but now I was dangerously close to falling off. The whispers, the stares, the nonstop posts on the gossip page—it was too much. And the worst part? It wasn’t just the outside pressure getting to me.
It was Draven.
It wasn’t just the gossip or the whispers—it was Draven himself. The way he teased me, the way his eyes lingered just a little too long, like he knew exactly what I was thinking. It was driving me crazy. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep pretending.
Draven slid into the seat beside me, his presence impossible to ignore. He didn’t say anything at first, just leaned back casually like he belonged there.
I shot him a wary glance. “You’re early.”
“What can I say?” He shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Guess I couldn’t resist annoying you first thing in the morning.”
My face heated instantly, and I ducked my head, pretending to look for something in my bag. “You’re enjoying this too much.”
“Maybe,” he teased, leaning in slightly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “But you’re blushing, and that’s kind of adorable.”
I glared at him, but it didn’t help the fact that my cheeks were probably bright red. “You’re insufferable.”
After class, I bolted for the door, hoping to get some space. But, of course, Draven was right behind me.
“Kael, wait up,” he called, falling into step beside me as we headed down the hallway.
“I need to get to my next class,” I said, avoiding his gaze.
“You’ve got ten minutes,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Plenty of time.”
I sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to let this go. “What do you want, Draven?”
“To check in,” he said, his tone softer than I expected. “You seemed off today.”
“I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that, but I’m not buying it,” he said, stepping in front of me and blocking my path. “Talk to me, Kael.”
I hesitated, my throat tightening as anxiety bubbled to the surface. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”
His brows furrowed. “Do what?”
“This,” I said, gesturing between us. “The fake dating, the rumors, the constant attention—it’s too much. I feel like I’m losing grip on everything.”
Draven’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might snap. But then he surprised me.
“Do you want to stop?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “Part of me does. But another part—”
“Part of you doesn’t,” he finished for me, his eyes locking onto mine.
I nodded, feeling my chest tighten. “I just don’t know what to do anymore, Draven. What if we’re making things worse?”
“We’re not,” he said firmly. “And I don’t want to stop, Kael.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the intensity in his voice. “Why?”
“We said we’d fake it, but it’s starting to feel different,” he said, stepping closer, his tone steady but unreadable. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
My breath hitched, and I felt my heart racing in my chest. “Draven—”
“I’m not stopping, Kael,” he said, his jaw tightening slightly. “I don’t care what anyone else says. I’m not walking away from this.”
I stared at him, my mind racing as I tried to process his words. Did he really mean it, or was this just another layer to the act?
Before I could figure out what to say, he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering like he wasn’t ready to let go.
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Kael,” he said, his gaze sharp and unwavering. “I’m staying, whether you like it or not.”
I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion. “Okay,” I whispered.
He smiled, and for the first time in days, it didn’t feel like an act.
- Writer
