"THE GIRL HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HATE"

Nobody at Veritas Academy had ever seen Kael Valencia fail. Not once. Not during debates. Not during entrance examinations. Not during national competitions. Not even during simple classroom recitations where professors intentionally tried making students crumble under pressure. Kael Valencia always won. And everyone hated him for it. The auditorium erupted into applause as Principal Herrera stepped toward the stage, holding the gold medal meant for this year’s Academic Excellence Champion. “Once again,” the principal announced proudly, “Veritas Academy congratulates Kael Valencia.” The applause grew louder. Kael stood from the front row with the same calm expression he always wore. Cold. Unreadable. Untouchable. His polished black shoes echoed softly against the wooden stage. Girls whispered. Students stared. Professors smiled with approval. Kael ignored all of it. Because none of it mattered anymore. Winning had stopped feeling rewarding years ago. As the medal settled around his neck, camera flashes lit the auditorium. Another achievement. Another perfect moment. Another expectation to maintain. “Speech!” someone shouted. The crowd agreed immediately. Kael stepped toward the microphone. Silence swallowed the room. He glanced briefly at the audience before speaking. “Success,” he said calmly, “is simply discipline repeated every day.” Short. Precise. Emotionless. The audience applauded again. Except one person. From the fifth row, Seraphine Castillo watched him with crossed arms and visible irritation. Kael noticed immediately. Of course he did. He always noticed her. Seraphine Castillo. The only student in Veritas Academy reckless enough to challenge him publicly. The only person who looked at him like he was something human instead of something impossible. Her dark eyes narrowed slightly. “You forgot arrogance,” she muttered loudly enough for nearby students to hear. Several people gasped. Kael stared directly at her. There it was again. That familiar tension. That irritating spark. That feeling that every room became smaller whenever Seraphine Castillo entered it. The principal cleared his throat awkwardly. But Sera didn’t look away. Neither did Kael. And somewhere deep beneath years of rivalry, competition, and carefully buried emotions… something dangerous quietly began unfolding. The ceremony ended twenty minutes later. Students flooded the academy hallways while teachers continued discussing rankings and university endorsements. Veritas Academy thrived on achievement. Every hallway carried pressure. Every classroom carried expectations. Every student carried exhaustion hidden beneath polished uniforms and practiced smiles. But nobody carried pressure like Kael Valencia. “Congratulations, Valencia.” Kael barely glanced at the professor walking beside him. “You’ll represent the academy again for the national symposium next month.” “I understand.” “You should be proud.” Kael gave a polite nod. Pride. That emotion had become difficult to recognize. The professor eventually walked away, leaving Kael alone near the east hallway. Or at least he thought he was alone. “You could at least pretend to sound human during speeches.” Kael stopped walking. Sera leaned casually against the nearby window, arms crossed. Rain poured heavily outside behind her. She looked exhausted. Not physically. Emotionally. Kael noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes. The slightly trembling fingers gripping her notebook. The way her shoulders seemed tense despite her confident expression. “You stayed just to insult me?” he asked calmly. “You make it very easy.” “You came second again.” Her eyes narrowed instantly. “And there’s the arrogance.” Kael stepped closer. Not enough to invade her space. Just enough to make her heartbeat visibly falter. “You hate losing to me.” “I hate your personality.” “That wasn’t my statement.” Sera scoffed softly. “You know what your problem is, Valencia?” “I’m sure you’re about to tell me.” “You think being emotionally constipated makes you mysterious.” Kael almost smiled. Almost. That alone irritated him. Nobody else affected him this way. Nobody else managed pulling reactions from him so easily. “You seem unusually interested in my emotions.” “Trust me,” Sera said dryly, “I’d rather analyze a brick wall.” For a moment, silence settled between them. Rain tapped against the glass. Students passed by in distant hallways. And despite years of rivalry, something about this moment felt strangely quiet. Different. Kael noticed bruising near her wrist. Faint. Barely visible. But enough. His gaze sharpened. Sera immediately pulled her sleeve downward. Too quickly. “Who did that?” The question surprised both of them. Sera blinked. Then laughed once. “Why do you care?” Kael didn’t answer immediately. Because the truth felt dangerous. Because he didn’t understand why anger suddenly crawled beneath his skin. Because seeing marks on her wrist made something violent awaken quietly inside him. “I asked a question.” “And I’m not answering it.” She pushed away from the window. For a second, Kael almost grabbed her wrist. Almost stopped her. But he didn’t. Sera walked past him calmly. Then paused beside him. “You know what’s funny?” she said softly. Kael glanced toward her. “Everyone thinks you’re untouchable.” Her eyes met his. “But honestly?” She smiled faintly. “You just look lonely.” Then she walked away. Kael remained motionless long after she disappeared. Rain continued pouring outside. And for the first time in years… Kael Valencia lost focus.