Chapter 4: know your place
Mariah's pov
Mariah hurried down the crowded school hallway, her heart racing as she tried to avoid any possible encounters with Klein. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him after what had happened between them. She needed to figure out a way to keep her distance from him at all costs.
As she turned a corner, she bumped into Natasha, Klein's favorite clingy human toy. Natasha's eyes lit up with excitement as she latched onto Mariah's arm, a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mariah," Natasha cooed, her voice dripping with faux friendliness. "I heard you've been getting a little too close to Klein lately. You should know better than to mess with what's mine."
Mariah felt a surge of anger rise within her at Natasha's possessive tone. She tried to pull away from the girl's grip, but Natasha held on tight, her nails digging into Mariah's skin.
"I don't belong to anyone, Natasha," Mariah said through gritted teeth. "And I certainly don't need your permission to talk to whoever I want."
Natasha's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure, her eyes narrowing in a dangerous glint.
"Listen here, Mariah," Natasha hissed, her voice low and threatening. "Klein is mine, and I won't let you or anyone else get in the way of that. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay far away from him. Otherwise, you'll just be another one of his conquests, used and dumped like the rest."
Mariah felt a surge of fear wash over her at Natasha's words. She knew the rumors about Klein's reputation, but she had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he was different with her. But now, faced with Natasha's warning, she couldn't help but wonder if she was just fooling herself.
As Natasha finally released her grip and walked away, Mariah was left standing in the hallway, her mind racing with thoughts of how to navigate the treacherous waters of high school drama. She knew she needed to tread carefully if she wanted to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of Klein and Natasha's toxic relationship. And as she made her way to her next class, she couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom that hung over her like a dark cloud.
Klein's pov
As Mariah made her way to her next class, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Natasha, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered within her. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Klein approaching her until he was right in front of her, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, Mariah," Klein said, his voice warm and friendly. "I was just thinking about you. How's it going?"
Mariah's heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. She knew she needed to stay away from him, but his presence was undeniably magnetic. She awkwardly avoided his gaze, her cheeks flushing as she mumbled a quick excuse before hurrying away.
Klein watched her go, a look of confusion crossing his face. He couldn't understand why Mariah was acting so distant all of a sudden. He had thought they had a connection, something special between them. But now, faced with her cold demeanor, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
Shrugging off the encounter, Klein decided to join his friends for lunch instead. As he walked through the crowded cafeteria, he tried to push thoughts of Mariah out of his mind. He couldn't afford to dwell on someone who clearly didn't want anything to do with him.
But deep down, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder what had changed between them. And as he laughed and joked with his friends, a nagging feeling of regret tugged at his heart, knowing that he had let something slip away without even realizing it.