Never Your Girl

Chapter 8: Tangled Hearts in the Shadows

The auditorium at Westbridge High held its breath, the stage lights casting a golden glow on Elara Wulf and Cassian as their lips hovered, mere inches apart. The Romeo and Juliet rehearsal had turned electric, their chemistry a living thing, pulsing between them. Elara’s heartbeat thundered, a rhythm Cassian could feel where his hand rested on her waist, his thumbs brushing her lower lip, the touch sending a shiver down her spine. He pulled her closer, their bodies pressed tight, his breath warm against her skin, his gray-blue eyes dark with a hunger that wasn’t just for the scene. Their lips were about to meet, the air crackling with anticipation—

A loud crash shattered the moment, the auditorium doors slamming open with a force that echoed through the room. Brielle stood in the entrance, her glossy hair still flecked with glitter, her blue eyes wide with shock, then narrowing into slits of pure fury. The students turned, whispers erupting like wildfire, but Zara and Chloe sprang into action, sensing their queen’s unraveling. “Hey, everyone, look at this!” Zara called, holding up her phone with a fake laugh, while Chloe waved her arms, “Come on, let’s talk about the set design!” Their voices overlapped, a desperate distraction, pulling attention away from Brielle’s frozen rage.

Elara’s breath hitched, her body tensing as reality crashed over her. She shoved Cassian away, her hands trembling, her dark eyes wide with panic. Without a word, she bolted backstage, her sneakers pounding against the wood as she disappeared through the side exit, the door swinging shut behind her. Cassian stumbled back, his heart racing, his gaze locked on the spot where she’d vanished. He took a step to follow, his instinct screaming to chase her, but Zara’s voice cut through the haze. “Brielle’s back, so she’ll continue as the original Juliet,” she said loudly, her tone dripping with venom as she added, “Not like that video girl could ever compare.” The insult landed like a slap, and Cassian froze, his jaw tightening as the rehearsal resumed around him, Ms. Carver calling for the actors to reset.

Elara burst into an empty classroom down the hall, her chest heaving, her hands shaking as she grabbed her bag from a desk. The auditorium’s chaos felt miles away, the school eerily quiet with everyone at rehearsal or prepping sets. She stuffed her books inside, her movements frantic, the memory of Cassian’s touch burning her skin—his thumbs on her lip, his body against hers, the way his eyes had devoured her. She couldn’t let this happen, couldn’t let him get close. Her phone buzzed, a message lighting up the screen: Everything okay? Need anything? She stared at it, her throat tight, the weight of the past day—Brielle’s humiliation, the viral video, the rehearsal—crushing her. After a beat, she typed back, All good, though the lie tasted bitter. Another message came: We’ll come pick you up. Her fingers flew across the screen, her reply sharp: No, I have my cycle. I’ll go to the apartment and call. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this, not now.

Voices drifted through the open door, students passing by on their way to the auditorium. “That scene was so bad,” a girl said, laughing. “Brielle thinks she’s some queen, but her and Cassian together sucked.” Another chimed in, “Shakespeare would’ve killed his Romeo and Juliet sooner if he saw that mess.” A third voice added, “The video girl was better, though—there was actual chemistry.” Their laughter faded as they walked on, oblivious to Elara’s presence. She slung her bag over her shoulder, her dark eyes focused, her resolve hardening. The parking lot outside was empty—perfect. She slipped out, her sneakers silent on the tile, and darted across the lot toward the cycle stand near the edge of campus, the cool air hitting her flushed cheeks.

She was halfway there when a hand grabbed her arm, yanking her aside into the shadow of a tall oak tree near the parking lot, its branches shielding them from any passerby’s view. Elara gasped, her bag slipping to the ground, her body tensing to fight—until she met familiar gray-blue eyes. Cassian. Her heart lurched, and she shoved against his chest, her voice sharp. “Let me go!” But he didn’t budge, his grip firm, his body pinning her against the tree, his presence overwhelming. This wasn’t the Cassian she knew—the golden boy, the untouchable star. This was something raw, something out of character, his gaze intense, his lips curling into a flirty smirk that made her pulse spike.

“Running away again?” he murmured, his voice low, teasing, as he leaned closer, his breath warm on her cheek. “You can’t keep doing that.” He trapped her with his arms, his fingers grazing the hem of her hoodie. She tried to move, but he held her firm, his body a wall she couldn’t escape. He tilted his head, his eyes searching hers, sensing the way her pulse raced under his touch. “You’re not as unaffected as you pretend,” he said, his voice a velvet challenge. “What happened at rehearsal today—don’t tell me you didn’t feel it.”

Elara’s breath caught, her dark eyes flashing with defiance as she struggled against him. “It was just for drama,” she replied, her voice firm, but her body betrayed her, trembling under his touch. Cassian’s smirk deepened, his hand sliding up her arm, his fingers brushing her neck, feeling the softness of her skin. “Lies,” he whispered, his voice a dark promise as he caged her closer, his chest brushing hers, his lips hovering near her ear. “I can feel it Princess. Tell me I don’t affect you.” His thumb traced her jaw, his touch igniting sparks she couldn’t ignore, his boundaries pushing further with every word. “Tell me you don’t feel this.”

She couldn’t get a word out, finding herself leaning in involuntarily towards him, as his gaze bore into hers, his body so close she could feel his heat. Cassian chuckled, low and dangerous, his hand cupping her cheek, his thumb brushing her lower lip again, the memory of the rehearsal flooding back. “I knew you were the other type,” he said, his tone mocking, “playing hard to get. I’ve seen all this before.” Then, abruptly, he pushed her away, stepping back, his expression shifting to something colder, more guarded.

Elara’s breath caught, her dark eyes blazing with fury, but she bit back her words, her body trembling as she glared at Cassian. He smirked, his gray-blue eyes glinting with mockery as he leaned closer, his voice a low taunt. “You’re exactly as I thought—pretending to be all innocent just to get my attention, huh?” Elara’s expression shifted, her eyes widening in disbelief at his arrogance, her lips parting in silent shock at how full of himself he was. Cassian’s smirk deepened, catching her reaction, his tone still mocking but laced with a dark interest. “No need for pretense now, Princess—I’ve been interested too, you know. Just a little. You’re not as bad looking so.. I wouldn’t mind…” He leaned in, his face inches from hers, his intent clear as he went for a kiss—

Elara’s hand flew up, her palm connecting with his cheek in a sharp slap that echoed in the quiet. Cassian froze, his head snapping to the side, shock flashing across his face. Elara’s chest heaved, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and defiance, and then she saw them—Jett and Rylan, standing a few feet away, their mouths open in disbelief. She didn’t wait—she grabbed her bag and ran, her sneakers pounding the pavement as she fled toward the cycle stand, her heart a mess of rage and humiliation.

Jett burst out laughing, clutching his stomach as he nudged Rylan. “Dude, what just happened?” Rylan joined in, his laughter sharp, but it died as he saw Cassian’s face—dark, furious, his jaw clenched tight. “Whoa, man, you okay?” Jett asked, sobering up as he realized it was serious. Cassian didn’t answer, his gray-blue eyes fixed on the spot where Elara had disappeared, his cheek still stinging, his pride wounded deeper than he’d admit. Humiliation burned through him, a rage he couldn’t shake. In that moment, he marked her in his mind—not as a curiosity, not as a challenge, but as something he wouldn’t let go. Not anymore.