torn between hearts

chapter 3

After lunch, Mona and I walked through the halls, still buzzing from the chaos that had just gone down.

“Did you see Sienna’s face when Kyle said they weren’t dating?” Mona said, almost breathless from laughing. “She looked like someone canceled her birthday and stole her Birkin.”

I chuckled, but my mind wasn’t fully on the conversation. Something about the way Kyle said it… like he meant it. Like he wanted out. Still, I shook the thought away.

Then a pair of girls rushed past us, whispering.

“Did you see the new guy?”

“Oh my God, he’s so hot.”

“He’s in the admin block right now!”

Mona’s eyes lit up. “Wait—new guy?”

I raised a brow. “Already?”

“Apparently he just transferred,” Mona said, practically bouncing. “No one knows where from, but they say he’s… like movie-star level hot.”

I laughed. “I feel like people say that about every new guy.”

“No. This sounds different,” she said, grabbing my wrist. “Andria. Come on. I have to meet him. As drama club president, it’s my duty to welcome him with flair.”

“Mona—”

“You’re coming with me!”

Before I could protest, she was dragging me down the hallway. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help the smile forming on my lips. Mona was unstoppable.

We turned the corner near the admin block, and that’s when I saw them—a small crowd gathered around someone I couldn’t see yet.

“Ugh, look at them fawning already,” Mona muttered. “Let me handle this.”

She straightened her posture, smoothed her hair, and pushed through the group.

And that’s when I saw him.

Tall. Lean. Messy dark hair that looked effortlessly perfect. He wore the school blazer like he was modeling for a magazine, and his expression… calm. Mysterious. Like he didn’t care that everyone was staring.

Then he looked up—and our eyes locked.

My breath hitched.

For a second, everything blurred. The noise of the hallway dulled, the air thinned. His gaze was intense—quiet but electric. Like he could see right through me.

My heart thudded.

Something inside me shifted.

It wasn’t like the butterflies I sometimes got when Kyle teased me.

This was different.

This felt like a storm was coming.

I didn’t even realize Mona was introducing us until she nudged me.

“Andria,” she whispered. “Say something.”

But I couldn’t.

Because in that moment, I felt it.

Something inside me stirred—a pull, a spark, a warning.

Like this boy wasn’t just a boy.

He was about to change everything. "Hiii" she called out, her excitement evident. "I’m Mona, president of the drama club," she said with a dramatic flair, then added, “And this is Andria, my best friend.” I hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, feeling that familiar unease settling in my stomach. Asher turned to us, his expression cool but not unkind. He offered Mona a small, polite smile. When his eyes met mine, the intensity of his gaze caught me off guard. My breath caught in my throat, and I fought the urge to look away. “Hey,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “Nice to meet you both.” Mona, ever the extrovert, quickly moved to the next part of her mission. “So, Asher, you should totally join the drama club! We’re doing a big production this year, and trust me, you’d be amazing in it.”

"You’ve got that whole mysterious vibe going on. Perfect for the lead role, right, Andria?" she winked at me. I blinked, trying to catch my breath, then nodded slightly. “Yeah, definitely. You should think about it.” He glanced at Mona, then back at me, his gaze lingering a moment too long. “I’ll consider it,” he said, his smile turning into a soft, knowing smirk. Then, just as quickly, he extended his hand toward me. “Nice to meet you, Andria,” he said, his voice sending a ripple of warmth through me. For a second, everything around me slowed. The noise of the hallway faded into the background. My heart raced as I reached out, shaking his hand. The moment our palms met, an electric jolt shot through me—like a spark igniting under my skin. My breath hitched in surprise, and I froze for a split second, trying not to let the feeling show on my face. Asher’s smile deepened, but there was something unreadable in his eyes. “Take care,” he said, still holding my hand for a beat longer than necessary before letting go. I quickly pulled my hand back, trying to act like nothing had happened, but my pulse was still racing. "Uh... you too," I said, almost stumbling over my words. Mona, who had clearly noticed the awkwardness, laughed softly. “Okay, okay, enough of this teasing. We’ll catch up with you later, Asher. See you around!” “Yeah, see you,” he said, giving us both a nod before turning to leave. I watched him walk away, the feeling of his touch lingering on my skin. Something about him didn’t sit right, but at the same time, I couldn’t shake the magnetic pull he had over me. My mind raced, and I barely registered that Mona was already pulling me away. “That was... intense,” Mona said, her voice teasing. “So, what do you think?” I tried to focus on her, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Asher. “Uh, he’s cool, I guess,” I said, shrugging, trying to downplay the reaction I was having. “But I’m not looking for a distraction right now. Geography is about to start, and I have enough to think about.” I forced a smile, though my thoughts were still swirling. Mona raised an eyebrow, not buying it. “Uh-huh, sure. Keep telling yourself that.” Later, during geography class, I sat near the front, trying my best to ignore the fact that Asher was sitting two rows behind me, my mind kept wandering to him. Every time I caught a glimpse of him, I felt a flutter in my stomach, and that strange energy from earlier returned. He seemed so calm, so collected, while I was a bundle of nerves just trying to get through the lesson. I had to admit, there was something about him I couldn’t quite place. Something magnetic. After class, I quickly gathered my things, wanting to avoid running into Asher again. But, of course, I wasn’t that lucky. “See you later, Andria,” he said, catching my attention just as I was about to walk out. I looked over my shoulder to find him looking at me, his expression unreadable but his voice casual. “Bye,” I managed, barely able to keep my voice steady. As I walked out, my mind was spinning. What was it about Asher that made me feel this way? I had no answers, just a growing sense of unease—and something more. --- Later that afternoon, I ended up at Mona’s house, where we collapsed onto her bed with snacks and gossip magazines, letting the rest of the world slip away for a bit. “So, tell me, what do you think about Asher?” Mona asked, a grin creeping onto her face as she nudged me. I groaned, throwing a pillow at her. “Not this again,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I already told you, I’m not thinking about it.” “Oh, come on!” Mona laughed, clearly enjoying herself. “You two were practically sparking when you shook hands. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel that.” I sighed. “Mona, stop. It was just a handshake. Nothing more.” She raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Sure, sure. But seriously, Andria, are you sure there’s no chemistry there?” I bit my lip, trying not to let my thoughts wander back to that electric moment with him. “I don’t know. I mean, he’s nice, but—” “But?” Mona prompted, leaning in closer. I pulled back, not wanting to say too much. “But nothing. I’ve got other things to focus on right now.” Mona seemed satisfied with that answer, though I knew she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Okay, whatever you say,” she said, rolling her eyes playfully. “But mark my words, you’re going to get very familiar with Asher pretty soon.” I didn’t know what to say to that, so I changed the subject. “What about you and Xander?” I teased, waggling my eyebrows. “Are you two secretly plotting something?” Mona’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself. “Uh, I don’t know what you mean,” she said, her voice a little too casual. “Xander’s cool. But, you know... he’s your brother.” I didn’t catch the hint, of course. “Uh-huh. Sure,” I said, laughing. “Whatever you say, Mona.” That evening, after Mona dropped me off at home, I headed inside to find my siblings already in the middle of their usual bickering. I ignored and went to my room to get ready for dinner, today was exhausting!

Dinner was always the same at the Knight household—chaotic but comforting. My little brother, Henry, was slurping his soup way too loudly, while Talia was complaining that her mashed potatoes were touching the chicken. The usual.

“Mom! Henry’s not using his spoon properly again!” Talia whined, pushing her plate away in disgust.

Henry, his mouth full, glared at her. “I’m eating, okay? You’re just mad because you can’t get your potatoes to stay on the fork.”

“I’m not mad! You’re just annoying,” Talia shot back, her face scrunched in irritation.

“Enough!” Dad said, his voice firm but amused. “Can we all just eat without the drama for five minutes?”

Xander, sitting next to me, rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. “Is it too much to ask for a peaceful meal?” He grumbled, looking over at me. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Maybe it’s karma for being such a pain,” I teased, nudging him with my elbow.

He groaned dramatically. “Karma’s a real pain in the neck.”

Just as I was about to throw another joke at him, Dad cleared his throat. “Alright, everyone, enough of the chatter. I’ve got something to tell you all. Tomorrow, we’re going to visit the Blackwood family. They’re long-time family friends, and we haven’t seen them in ages.”

The mention of the Blackwoods immediately caught my attention. “Wait, tomorrow?” I asked, trying to process the sudden change in plans. “I thought that was next weekend.”

“Nope, tomorrow’s the day,” Dad confirmed, taking a bite of his food. “We’ll leave by dawn, so be ready.”

Xander’s face twisted into a frown. “Great. Another day spent with weird people. Just what I needed.”

“Stop complaining,” I shot back, rolling my eyes. “They’re nice people. You’ll survive.”

Xander leaned forward, crossing his arms. “I’d survive better if I didn’t have to do the dishes after dinner.”

I stifled a laugh. “It’s your turn, Xander,” I reminded him, smirking as I took another bite of my food.

“Ugh, I’m supposed to do them? But you—” He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. “You should be the one doing it tonight.”

“I already did them last time, remember?” I shot back. “Your turn.”

"No you didn't" he groaned, but then an idea seemed to strike him. “Hey, Henry,” Xander said, his voice suddenly sweet, “I’ll give you five bucks if you help me with the dishes.”

Henry, wide-eyed and hopeful, considered the offer. “Five bucks?” he repeated slowly. “Deal!”

I watched in disbelief as Henry jumped up from the table, eagerly heading toward the kitchen, leaving Xander sitting back in triumph.

“Really, Xander?” I said, shaking my head in amusement. “You’re bribing our brother to do your dirty work?”

Xander just shrugged, a smug smile spreading across his face. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Mom, who had been silent until then, chuckled. “Well, I hope you two aren’t too distracted with your bribery when it’s your turn again.”

“At least we know who’ll be doing the dishes next time.”

Dad leaned back in his chair. “Let’s not start a new tradition, alright? It’s just one night.”

we all laughed.