Chapter 7
1559 Words
Rein’s POV
I was bouncing slightly on my feet as I waited in line with Alex, both of us holding steaming cups of coffee from the school café. The smell of roasted beans and cinnamon swirled around us like a cozy blanket. I took a big sip, sighing dramatically.
“Ah, coffee—the one true love of my life.”
Alex snorted. “You say that until you’re strapped to a parachute at 15,000 feet. Skydiving is the real thrill.”
I nearly choked. “Are you trying to kill me? Roller coasters are perfectly chaotic and exhilarating, thank you very much.”
She raised a brow. “Roller coasters are baby rides compared to skydiving.”
I placed a hand over my chest. “Excuse you, ma’am. I’ll have you know my soul left my body on the ‘Death Twister’. Twice.”
Alex rolled her eyes and reached out to ruffle my hair.
“Stop that!” I swatted her hand away with a glare before plopping next to Keith, who gave me a grin like he’d just witnessed something entertaining.
“So, what’s going on with you, Rein?” Rachel asked, sitting down with Christine beside her.
I gave a shrug and a casual smile. “Nothing much. You know, same old. Then Christine said “I’m coming over to your place tonight, by the way. Keith and Sophia make me want to hurl.”
Alex immediately raised her coffee cup like she was toasting. “Amen, sister!”
Keith scoffed. “You love us.”
Sophia turned to me with narrowed eyes. “Hurl? Really, christine? That’s the best you’ve got?”
“You know I speak from love.” She winked.
“Barely,” Sophia muttered, flipping her hair.
The usual chaos of our little group rolled on, the kind that made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. I laughed as Adam tried to shove a cookie into Keith’s mouth and got slapped away like a fly.
In the middle of the teasing, my eyes wandered over the crowd. I spotted Kael leaning against a tree, deep in conversation. I waved brightly, and he caught it, sending back a lopsided grin.
But then… my gaze shifted.
Hunter.
He was seated across the field, effortlessly commanding attention even without trying. Zach was beside him, cool and collected like always. But it was Hunter’s stare that hooked me like a fish on a line.
He was staring right at me.
I instantly looked away, cheeks heating. I could practically hear the dramatic soundtrack playing in the background of my life.
Girls hovered around his table, all batting lashes and twirling their hair. I caught snippets of giggles and whispers like, “He’s so hot,” and “Is he single?”
Ugh.
Of course he was everyone’s favorite eye candy. Tall, gorgeous, brooding like a hero in a vampire novel. But still… I didn’t like how close those girls were leaning. It shouldn’t bother me, right?
Except it did.
My brain screamed, We’re just friends! But then again, my cheeks betrayed me with every flush. The thought popped in my head—only Christine and I were single in our group. That was fine. Totally fine.
Then my mind—my ridiculous, traitorous mind—added a third name.
Hunter.
I practically hissed at myself in my head. “Shut up, brain.” But of course, that only made me blush harder.
Suddenly, a guy I vaguely recognized from chem class came over and started talking to me. I smiled politely, giving short answers while mentally begging him not to make it weird. He laughed at something and—oh no—hugged me.
It was a quick hug, nothing dramatic, but when I peeked past his shoulder, Hunter was no longer sitting still.
He was standing, face stone cold, eyes locked on me like lasers.
“Uh-oh,” I mumbled.
Hunter took a single step forward. Zach immediately caught his arm, whispering something I couldn’t hear. Hunter clenched his jaw, shooting a death glare at the poor guy who just hugged me. Thankfully, Zach pulled him back into his seat before he went full Alpha mode in public.
Jeez. It wasn’t like I kissed the guy.
I sat down quickly, pretending I didn’t see any of it. But my heart was thumping loud enough to drown out the crowd.
The school match was already underway, the field buzzing with energy. I forced myself to focus on the game. My favorite team was playing, and it was tense from start to finish.
When Enzo scored the final goal, the stands erupted. I jumped up, screaming, “Yessss!” like a lunatic. Keith lifted me off the ground in celebration before Adam tackled us both into a laughing heap.
By the time the game ended, my voice was gone, and my stomach hurt from laughing.
Keith ruffled my hair again on purpose, and I slapped his hand away like a ninja. “You touch my hair one more time and I swear—”
“Okay, okay!” He chuckled, dodging my swipe.
The cheers from the crowd still echoed in my ears as I made my way down the steps from the bleachers. My heart was still racing from the excitement of the match. Enzo had scored the winning goal, and the entire school had erupted. I didn’t realize how much I had missed this kind of thrill.
“Rein!” Enzo jogged up to me, all sweaty and glowing with pride. “Did you enjoy the game?”
I smiled up at him. “You were amazing out there. That last goal? Perfection.”
He grinned. “Glad you noticed. Hey, are you coming to the party tonight? A little celebration never hurt anyone.”
I hesitated. A party didn’t sound like a bad idea. I could use some fun, and besides, it had been a while since I let loose with Rachel and Christine.
“I might—”
Before I could even finish my sentence, a shadow loomed beside me. A tall, familiar presence. My stomach dropped the moment I looked up and saw Hunter standing next to me, expression as cold as ice, eyes hard as steel, and glued to Enzo.
“She’s not coming,” he said flatly.
Enzo blinked. “Oh—I didn’t realize she was taken.”
“I’m not,” I said quickly, cutting in before Hunter could open his mouth again.
But of course, he did anyway.
“Yes, she is,” he said at the same time.
I turned toward him, shocked. “Excuse me?”
Enzo awkwardly stepped back, clearly wanting nothing to do with whatever weird tension had sparked between us. “Uhh… right. I’ll just… see you guys later.”
I watched him walk away, then whirled on Hunter. “Why did you do that?”
He looked unfazed. “He was trying to ask you out.”
“So? I can handle myself.”
“He was flirting with you,” he said through clenched teeth.
“I know,” I snapped. “And I was answering him. I didn’t need you stepping in like some territorial caveman.”
That word again.
“I’m not letting guys like him get near you.”
“I’m not yours, Hunter!”
He took a step closer to me, jaw tight, eyes blazing. “Tell me that again. Say it.”
I stood my ground, glaring up at him. “People are watching,” I hissed, trying to keep my voice low.
“I don’t care,” he said, even as he pulled me into his arms.
My breath caught at the sudden warmth of his body. My hands rested on his chest as I tried to push him back gently. “Let go of me.”
“Tell me you’re mine,” he challenged softly, voice low against my ear. “Tell me, Rein.”
I looked up into those intense eyes, eyes that burned into me like wildfire. “No.”
His brow twitched. “No?”
“Yes,” I said, lifting my chin stubbornly. “You’ll have to work for it. I’m not just going to fall into your arms.”
He gave a smirk that shouldn’t have made my stomach twist. “I won’t have to do anything. You’ll fall for me on your own.”
I pulled back, my face hot. “Keep dreaming.”
With that, I turned around and walked away from him, heart hammering in my chest like a drum.
I spotted Keith, Rachel, and the rest already waiting by the car, chatting away like nothing had just happened. I didn’t think any of them saw what went down between me and Hunter—and honestly, I hoped they hadn’t.
I plastered a smile on my face. “Sorry, guys! Let’s get out of here.”
Keith opened the door for me with a teasing grin. “About time, superstar.”
I gave him a playful shove as I climbed in. “Shut it, Keith.”
As we drove off, I glanced out the window just once, only to catch Hunter standing exactly where I left him—staring after me.
And for some reason, that image stayed with me the whole ride home.
- Writer
