His Beautiful Rival

11.FORCED

Blaze’s father loomed over him, his stern gaze unyielding.

“You’re going to Seraphina’s house for your tutoring session, and that’s final.”

After coming back from school, Blaze retired to his bed for a good nap session, but his father destroyed his sleepy dreams with his constant nagging about tutoring.

Blaze clenched his jaw, a wave of frustration washing over him. “Dad, we—”

“No excuses, Blaze,” his father interrupted sharply. “I’ve had enough of your arguments and slacking off. You need those grades, and Seraphina is the best student you can get help from. Now go.”

The unspoken threat of another beating hung in the air, and Blaze knew he had no choice. His father’s temper was nothing to trifle with. Reluctantly, he grabbed his bag and headed out the door, each step feeling heavier than the last.

The walk to Seraphina’s house was a blur of resentment and dread. He replayed their argument in his mind, the harsh words and accusations. They had agreed—no, demanded—that they would no longer tutor each other. But now he had no choice but to face her again, under the watchful eye of his father’s expectations.

When he arrived at Seraphina’s front door, Blaze took a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation. He knocked, and after a moment, the door opened to reveal Seraphina’s surprised face. Her expression quickly shifted to one of annoyance when she saw him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice cold.

Blaze sighed. “My father is forcing me. I had no choice.”

Before Seraphina could respond, a voice from inside the house called out, “Who is it, Seraphina?”

Blaze’s heart sank as Felix appeared beside Seraphina, his friendly smile turning into a slight frown when he saw Blaze. “Oh, hey, Blaze.”

Seraphina crossed her arms, glaring at Blaze. “We don’t need you here. Felix and I were just about to start a study session.”

Blaze felt a pang of jealousy again, but he pushed it down, focusing on the necessity of the situation. “Look, I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be. But my dad will kill me if I don’t show up. Can we just get this over with?”

Seraphina exchanged a glance with Felix, who shrugged slightly. She sighed, stepping aside to let Blaze in. “Fine. But don’t think this changes anything.”

Blaze nodded, stepping into the house and following them to the living room. Felix settled into a chair, watching the interaction with mild curiosity. Blaze couldn’t help but notice how comfortable and natural L Felix seemed around Seraphina, and the burning sensation in his gut flared up again.

Seraphina sat down across from Blaze, her eyes hard and distant. “Let’s start with Economics,” she said curtly, pulling out her textbook. “I know you’re struggling with that.”

Blaze nodded, trying to ignore the tension in the room. He opened his book, but his mind kept wandering to Luca’s presence, to the ease with which Felix interacted with Seraphina. It was infuriating.

They worked in silence for a while, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken words. Blaze’s focus wavered, his frustration mounting. He glanced up to see Felix whispering something to Seraphina, making her smile. The sight made his chest tighten with a mix of anger and something else he didn’t want to name.

Finally, Blaze couldn’t take it anymore. “Do you two need some privacy?” he snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Seraphina looked up, her eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”

Blaze leaned back, crossing his arms. “I mean, if you’re going to whisper and laugh the whole time, maybe I should just leave.”

Felix raised an eyebrow, sensing the tension. “We’re just trying to help each other out, Blaze. No need to get defensive.”

Seraphina’s glare intensified. “If you have a problem, you can leave. No one’s forcing you to stay.”

Blaze’s temper flared. “My dad is forcing me, remember? I’m here because I have no choice. But it’s clear you’d rather be alone with Felix.”

Felix shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them. “Guys, this isn’t helping. Let’s just focus on the study session, okay?”

Seraphina took a deep breath, her expression softening slightly. “Felix’s right. Let’s just get through this. For now.”

Blaze nodded, though his anger still simmered beneath the surface. He forced himself to concentrate on the material, determined not to let his emotions get the better of him. But as they worked, he couldn’t shake the feeling that things were only getting more complicated. And the presence of Felix, always close to Seraphina, only made the situation more unbearable.

Blaze couldn’t take it anymore. The tension, the jealousy, and the sight of Seraphina and Luca’s easy camaraderie were too much. Slamming his book shut, he stood up abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor.

The last straw of his patience broke when Felix kept his hand on her shoulder, making Seraphina hide her giggle with her palm. Grinding his teeth, he looked out of the window and sighed, seeing his father's car driving out of his mansion.

Clenching his fist tightly, he snapped his pencil into two pieces as his lips stretched into a lopsided grin.

"Awe, smash! My pencil broke, I have to get a new one." He reasoned out loud and stood up from the couch drawing Seraphina's and Felix's attention towards him.

"Wait, I got an extra one." Seraphina reached out for her stationary pouch.

“I’m done,” he muttered, grabbing his bag, he waved her off and jogged to the entrance as if the house walls were closing on him.

Seraphina looked up in surprise. “Blaze, what are you doing? We haven’t finished the session.”

Blaze didn’t answer. He stormed out of the living room, ignoring Felix's concerned calls behind him. He could hear Seraphina calling his name, but he didn’t stop. He needed to get out of there, to escape the suffocating atmosphere. He tried to gulp down his raw emotions, but his dull eyes were the clear show of how he felt inside.

As he stepped outside, the cool evening air hit him like a splash of water, but it did little to soothe his frayed nerves. He began walking, not caring where he was going, just needing to put as much distance as possible between himself and Seraphina’s house.

He could still hear their voices calling out to him, but he tuned them out, quickening his pace. He turned the corner and finally felt the world fall silent, leaving only the sound of his own footsteps on the pavement.

Blaze whistled a tuneless melody, trying to distract himself from the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind. His head ached with the effort to suppress his emotions, the mix of anger, jealousy, and confusion. Why did he care so much about what Seraphina did? Why did Felix's presence bother him so intensely?

He kicked a loose stone on the sidewalk, watching it skitter away. The evening was growing darker, the streetlights casting long shadows. Blaze felt the weight of the day pressing down on him, each step doing little to alleviate the turmoil inside him.

He wandered aimlessly, his mind a tangled mess. He couldn’t shake the image of Seraphina’s smile when she was with Felix or the way they whispered to each other, oblivious to his presence. The more he thought about it, the more his headache intensified.

Stopping by a park bench, Blaze sat down heavily, burying his face in his hands. He needed to clear his head, to figure out why he felt so conflicted. But every time he tried to sort through his emotions, they only seemed to get more jumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Blaze looked up at the darkening sky. The stars were beginning to appear, tiny pinpricks of light in the vast expanse. He wished he could find some clarity, some way to understand what was happening inside him.

But for now, all he could do was sit there, alone with his thoughts, and hope that the answers would come eventually. Until then, he had to keep moving, keep pushing forward, even if it meant walking aimlessly through the night.

"Even if I tried, I know I would never compete with Seraphina." He muttered out loud in the air, feeling the cold breeze tickle his bare face.

"It's so hard to be perfect. I wish I was born with smartness and a long memory so that I can remember any word I read." He sighed with his breaking voice and lowered his eyes, feeling his eyes burn with his emotions.

"Blaze," Felix's quiet voice startled him, he huffed out a loud breath and cursed under his breath.

"I can't even be alone." Groaning, he turned around to see him, who just patted his back with pity.