Why Don't You Want Me?

A Dangerous Game

Chapter 2:

Riaya--

I barely slept. Over and over, I replayed the scene in my head—By the time the sky began to lighten, my nerves felt like frayed wires, sparking at the slightest thought of him.

When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I chose my clothes carefully: a plain hoodie and jeans. Nothing special, nothing to draw attention. I wanted to fade into the background at school. The last thing I needed was Angel bringing up those rumors again.

As I stepped outside, I stopped dead. Angel leaned against his car, arms crossed, looking for all the world like he was waiting for someone. My heart stuttered, panic setting in. Was he waiting for me? I tried to slip past quietly, head down, but I should’ve known better.

“Morning, Yaya.” His tone, painfully cheerful, made my stomach twist.

I cringed. “Morning,” I muttered, focusing on the pavement as I hurried toward the sidewalk. Maybe he’d let me go this time.

“Whoa, slow down,” he said, sliding in front of me with practiced ease. His grin was lazy, confident, a look that used to make me feel special but now only set my nerves on edge. “You’re avoiding me already?”

“Always,” I wanted to say. Instead, I forced a tight smile. “No. I’m just... late.”

“Right,” Angel replied, not bothering to hide his skepticism. “So, about last night—”

My heart clenched. “What about it?”

He raised an eyebrow, smirk still in place. “You seemed pretty worked up about those rumors.”

I could practically hear my pulse in my ears. Why was he pushing this? What did he expect me to say?

“I’m not worked up,” I lied, trying to keep my voice steady. “People believe stupid things all the time. It’s not my problem.”

Angel studied me, his blue eyes too intense. Then he stepped closer, bridging the space like he had no concept of personal boundaries. My breath caught.

“Well, you know me,” he said softly. “I had to see if there was any truth to this.”

My chest tightened. Was this some twisted game?

“Riaya!” A car horn cut through the tension, and I tore my eyes from Angel’s face. Kaya’s sleek convertible rolled up beside us, her blonde hair catching the sunlight, blue eyes coolly assessing the scene. The girl who once stood by my side through everything now seemed more like a stranger.

“Need a ride?” she asked, voice overly bright. Her gaze slid between me and Angel, and I swore I saw a flash of annoyance there. Before Angel could say anything else, I hurried to the passenger side.

“Yeah, let’s go,” I blurted, my voice shaky.

As I slammed the door shut, I refused to look back. I felt Angel’s eyes on me, felt the unspoken words hanging in the morning air. Kaya pulled away, and I tried to steady my breathing.

“You okay?” Kaya asked without warmth, her eyes on the road. The Kaya I grew up with would’ve teased me gently, asked a thousand questions, or at least tried to make me laugh. Now her tone was detached, as if I were a distant acquaintance. Something in her had changed this past year. She hung out with the Reginas more often, leaving me to fend for myself. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d had a genuine laugh together.

“Long night,” I managed. It wasn’t entirely a lie.

“Hmm.” Kaya drummed her manicured nails on the steering wheel. No follow-up, no playful jab about me overthinking everything. Just silence. Once, that would have prompted me to ask what was wrong, but now I just stared out the window, feeling the wedge between us grow.

By the time I reached my locker, the halls were filled with whispers. I caught snatches of conversation: my name, Angel’s name, and words like “obsessed” and “pathetic.” Every syllable sank into my skin like tiny needles. My cheeks burned, but I forced myself to keep my head high. They wanted a reaction, and I wouldn’t give them one.

Kaya stepped up beside me, arms folded, one eyebrow raised. “So, that little scene with Angel this morning... you want to fill me in?” Her tone was casual, but there was an edge to it. The kind of edge that said she already had her own story in mind.

I shrugged, fiddling with my books. “Nothing to fill in.”

She let out a humorless laugh. “Right. Because it looked like nothing. You two were practically sharing secrets with your eyes.”

My throat tightened. Since when was Kaya so... hostile? We used to share everything—clothes, crushes, late-night confessions. Now, her words felt like knives.

“Just Angel being Angel,” I said, keeping my voice light. “You know how he is. Loves to stir the pot.”

Kaya narrowed her eyes. “Interesting choice of words. Stir the pot? Or maybe he’s just enjoying the rumors, seeing you squirm.”

My stomach twisted. “If that’s what he’s after, he’s wasting his time.”

Kaya gave a short, mocking snort. “Is he? Because from where I’m standing, you looked pretty rattled. It’s not like you’ve ever hidden your feelings for him.”

My heart hammered. So she was going to throw that in my face now?

“That was a long time ago,” I snapped. “I was a kid.”

Kaya shrugged, leaning closer, her voice low. “Feelings don’t just vanish. Especially not when you’re still blushing like a schoolgirl whenever he’s around.”

I bristled, anger flaring. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem?” she repeated, her smile thin. “Don’t act innocent. You know exactly what’s happening. The entire school’s talking, and let’s face it, it’s not flattering.”

I clenched my jaw. “Is that why you spend so much time with them lately? Are you done pretending to be my friend?”

Her eyes flashed. “Oh, grow up, Riaya. Maybe I’m tired of your drama. Maybe I prefer hanging out with people who know what they want and don’t sit around pining for a guy who clearly isn’t interested.”

That stung. We used to talk for hours about our dreams and fears. Now her words cut like glass. There was no warmth, no gentle teasing, just acid.

“Fine,” I said quietly, meeting her gaze. “If you’re so done with me, why bother asking about Angel? Go join your new friends and gossip about me from afar. You’re good at that.”

Kaya’s jaw tightened, but before she could retort, a trio of familiar voices approached. The Reginas—Samantha, Tiffany, and Rachel—arrived in a flurry of designer perfume and designer sneers. Samantha looked me up and down, a cruel smile dancing on her lips.

“Aw, look at this,” Samantha cooed. “Kaya’s actually chatting with the girl of the hour. Should we applaud?”

Tiffany giggled, and Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically. “I heard Angel’s caught in a real-life soap opera: poor boy, and the desperate admirer.”

My cheeks flamed. “Shut up,” I muttered, trying to push past them, but Samantha stepped in my path.

“Now, now,” Samantha said, voice dripping with faux concern. “We’re just curious. Everyone’s talking about how you’re saving yourself for Angel. Such a... traditional approach.” Her giggle was vicious, and Tiffany joined in with a snort.

I gritted my teeth. “Believe whatever you want. I don’t owe you explanations.”

Kaya stood off to the side, arms folded, watching silently. Once upon a time, she would’ve stepped in. Now, she seemed to enjoy the show, or at least had no intention of stopping it. The betrayal settled like a stone in my chest.

Rachel smirked. “Relax, Riaya. We’re just having fun. Isn’t that what you’re all about? Fun, quiet little crushes, never daring to do anything about them?”

My pulse pounded in my ears. I wanted to lash out, to hurl insults back, but anger and humiliation tangled my tongue.

“Back off,” I managed, voice rough. “I’m not playing this game.”

“Oh, but you are,” Samantha said, stepping even closer. “You just don’t know the rules.”

“Enough,” I snapped, shoving past them. They let me go this time, their laughter echoing behind me.

As I hurried down the hall, I risked a glance back. Kaya lingered with them, her posture relaxed, even amused. The look on her face wasn’t pity or worry—it was satisfaction, as if seeing me squirm validated something inside her.

Anger and hurt warred in my chest. Kaya knew about my feelings for Angel better than anyone. She’d been the one I cried to when he drifted away in middle school. She’d been the one who always said “He’s not worth your tears.” Now, she stood with my tormentors, enjoying my discomfort. Was she jealous? The realization stung. She’d always been beautiful and confident. Did she have feelings for Angel? She never once told me she was into him. After everything, she saw me go through with him.

I reached class with seconds to spare. The day dragged on, and at every corner, I felt eyes on me, heard whispers trailing in my wake. When the final bell rang, relief coursed through my veins. I hurried out, determined to go straight home and lock myself in my room, away from prying eyes and judgmental sneers.

But fate had other plans.

Just outside the school’s entrance, Angel leaned against a wall, arms crossed, watching the crowds disperse. My heart lurched. I considered slipping out through another door, but he spotted me almost immediately.

He didn’t move, didn’t call out. But his gaze was intense, challenging me to look away. Part of me wanted to face him, to demand answers. Another part wanted to run and never look back. I couldn’t show weakness, not now.

I took a steadying breath and marched forward, pretending not to see him. As I passed, he spoke softly, just loud enough for me to hear. “There are just rumors?”

I paused, my back to him, hands clenched into fists at my sides. The air between us crackled. I could end this now, tell him I didn’t care, tell him to leave me alone. But I couldn’t find the words. My throat felt tight.

He stepped closer, the scent of his cologne drifting over me. “Riaya...”

“Go home,” I whispered, voice strained, not daring to turn around. “Pretend I don’t exist, just like you did for years.”

I expected him to argue, to push further, but he said nothing. The silence pressed against my ears, heavy and charged. I forced myself to walk away, each step feeling like I was walking in quicksand.

Behind me, I swore I heard him exhale sharply, as if frustrated, but I refused to look back. I had enough on my plate: battling the Reginas’ cruelty, enduring Kaya’s withering stares, and navigating rumors that tasted like poison. Angel’s confusion or regret or whatever it was he felt—well, that was just another burden I didn’t need.

As I made my way off the school grounds, the sinking realization of how alone I’d become set in. Kaya, my so-called best friend, had distanced herself, siding with girls who thrived on tearing me down. Angel hovered in the background, stirring up old feelings I’d tried to bury. And me? I was caught in the middle of this vicious circle, unsure how to break free.

Something had to give. If I was going to survive this, I’d have to learn to fight back—or learn to mask my hurt so well that no one would dare question my composure. Either way, the days of quietly hoping everything would fix itself were over.

I paused, letting the late afternoon sun bathe my face, inhaling the scent of distant flowers and freshly cut grass. The world kept turning, indifferent to my drama. Maybe tomorrow I’d find a way to turn things around. Maybe I’d find a way to confront Kaya, to understand how my confidante became an accomplice to my downfall. Maybe I’d finally figure out what Angel wanted, what I wanted from him, and what I could bear to lose.

But for now, I walked home with my head held high, refusing to let them see me break. The game had begun, and I’d have to learn its rules fast if I wanted to come out intact.