Chapter Five : Enemies, Partners, or Something Else
726 Words
I didn’t sleep the night after the gala.
Not because of Killian’s words—I missed you—or the heat of his hand at my waist during the waltz.
And definitely not because I spent two hours staring at the black-sealed envelope on my desk, debating whether I should burn it.
No, it wasn’t any of that.
It was the fact that I hated feeling like I wasn’t in control.
And Killian Reyes was turning my entire world into chaos.
⸻
The next morning, I arrived at Saint Elysian fifteen minutes earlier than usual.
Control. Routine. Structure.
I slipped into the Student Council room, relishing the silence.
Until I heard a throat clear behind me.
“Morning, Lane.”
I didn’t scream.
But I did spin around so fast my clipboard almost flew out of my hands.
Killian was leaning against my desk like he belonged there.
He didn’t.
“Get out,” I said, enunciating each word like I was talking to a child.
He smiled lazily, folding his arms. “I would, but we have a meeting.”
I blinked. “No, we don’t.”
“Check your calendar.”
I pulled up my schedule on my tablet, and there it was. A brand new entry.
Joint Council Project: Reyes & Vale
“What. The. Hell,” I muttered.
Killian was already holding up a file folder, waving it like he was offering me a treaty.
“This is a joke.”
He shrugged. “Our parents are sponsoring Saint Elysian’s first Unity Summit. They thought it would be poetic if we handled it… together.”
I stared at him. “Poetic?”
“Or ironic,” he said, smirking.
I rubbed my temples. “And you agreed to this?”
He tilted his head. “Didn’t you?”
“No!”
“Well, then.” He glanced at his watch. “Looks like we’re stuck.”
I took a breath. Then another.
And then I snatched the folder out of his hand.
“Fine. But don’t talk to me unless absolutely necessary.”
He stepped closer, his voice dropping a notch. “You’ll find it’s always necessary.”
I glared up at him. “I hate you.”
His gaze flicked over my face, pausing on my mouth again before he smiled faintly.
“No, you don’t.”
⸻
The project was massive.
A week-long summit involving student leaders from other elite academies, diplomatic simulations, and presentations.
Killian was right—our families were pouring money into it, and failure wasn’t an option.
Which meant I was stuck with him.
We worked through the first part in near silence. Except for when we weren’t silent at all.
“Your proposal is too idealistic,” I said, crossing out half his plan.
“It’s visionary,” he corrected, snatching the pen from my hand. “Your version’s boring.”
“It’s practical.”
“It’s predictable.”
I huffed. “Not everything needs to be a gamble.”
He leaned in, resting his chin on his hand. “You play it safe because you’re afraid to lose.”
I bristled. “I don’t lose.”
Killian smiled, slow and dangerous.
“We’ll see.”
⸻
By the time Tala found us three hours later, we’d rewritten the entire agenda twice and nearly killed each other four times.
“You two are exhausting,” she said, dropping snacks on the table.
“We’re making progress,” I said stiffly.
Killian popped open a soda and offered it to me without looking.
I stared at it.
And took it.
His fingers brushed mine, warm and steady.
I pulled away too fast.
Tala raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
⸻
At the end of the day, I gathered my things and turned to leave.
Killian was already holding the door open.
“After you,” he said.
I paused.
“I don’t trust you,” I said.
He nodded. “You shouldn’t.”
And for some reason, that felt like the truest thing he’d said all day.
⸻
Later, in my room, I found another envelope on my pillow.
Same black wax seal.
This time, the message was shorter.
One will fall.
My hands shook.
And for the first time since Killian Reyes came back into my life, I realized something terrifying.
We might both lose
- Writer
