His Beautiful Rival

6.RAGE

I leaned back in my chair, a smug grin plastered on my face as I watched Seraphina gather her things. The classroom was slowly emptying, but I wasn’t done with my fun yet. My antics had irritated her, and I found some satisfaction in that.

Mr. Thompson’s voice broke through the chatter as he stood at the front, arms crossed. “You two are constantly at odds, and it's disrupting the learning environment.”

I shrugged, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. “What? I was just having a little fun.”

“Blaze,” he warned, “your behavior today was unacceptable. Seraphina, while I understand your frustration, you need to find a way to deal with it constructively. Both of you will serve detention this afternoon.”

I blinked, my grin faltering. Detention wasn’t part of the plan. I opened my mouth to protest, but Seraphina shot me a look that could have melted steel. “You can’t just give us detention like that!” I exclaimed, bewildered.

“The world does not revolve around you, Mr. Hernandez.”

I clenched my jaw, my gaze locking onto Seraphina’s. I noticed her fingers twitching on her skirt, a telltale sign that I had pushed her too far. As we walked out, I glanced at her, guilt creeping in. “Sorry you got caught up in this. Didn’t mean for you to get detention too.”

She glared at me, her voice sharp. “Save it, Blaze. Your childish games are getting old.”

“Come on, I was just trying to lighten the mood,” I shrugged, trying to brush it off.

She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face me fully. “Is that what this is to you? A game? Do you have any idea how hard I work to maintain my grades, my reputation? And you’re treating it like it’s some sort of joke.” Her eyes were blazing, and I could see the hurt lurking behind her anger. It caught me off guard.

I stammered, “I didn’t realize it bothered you that much.”

“Of course it does. I take my studies seriously, Blaze. Maybe if you did too, we wouldn’t be in this mess.” She sounded exhausted, and I felt the weight of her words.

“Whatever,” I mumbled, but I could see her features hardening, her frustration bubbling just below the surface.

“f**k your tutoring. I am not doing this anymore,” she muttered under her breath, loud enough for me to hear.

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. “Oh, wait, wait, wait. You’re giving up just like that? I never knew it was that easy to get under your skin.” I tutted, trying to keep the mood light even as my heart raced.

“You know, I really thought we were hanging on the same rope. Our problems are the same, but guess what? I was wrong.” Her finger jabbed into my chest, and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks.

“I thought you’d be a little gentle towards me. But no, nobody in this world deserves my kindness, and you don't deserve even a drop of it.” With that, she pushed past me, wiping away a tear that had rolled down her cheek.

I stood frozen, watching her walk away. I never thought it would come to this. She’d never cursed, never shown this side of her. I had broken through her facade, shattering the wall of kindness she kept so carefully constructed.

As she stomped toward her next class, I followed, feeling a strange mix of regret and confusion.

“Where were you?” her literature teacher asked as Seraphina entered the classroom.

“I got my period,” she lied, and I was stunned at how easily the words slipped from her lips. The teacher, oblivious, patted her shoulder and welcomed her to her seat.

I trailed in behind her, my head held high despite the shame pooling in my stomach. The other students giggled as I slumped into a seat next to her.

“Blaze, sit in the front. I don't want your distractions,” the teacher commanded. I winced, the heat of embarrassment flooding my face.

Seraphina remained silent, her focus entirely on her notes as I shifted beside her, scribbling the unit name and date. It was impossible to ignore how dedicated she was, even if she was distracted. Each time the teacher passed by her seat, she’d pick at her nails or bite her lips, a clear sign that something was weighing heavily on her.

“Focus,” I muttered under my breath, but the words fell flat. I felt an odd sensation clawing at my spine, urging me to reach out, to comfort her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and students began filing out. I glanced over at Seraphina, ready to say something, but she caught my gaze from the corner of her eye and stood abruptly, walking away without a word.

“Hey!” I called after her, but she didn’t look back. The space between us felt heavier than ever, filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.