Cassandra's words echoed in my mind like a haunting melody. Ciara flirted with me. It shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did. After all, Ciara was known for her flirtatious nature, her bad attitude, her sharp tongue.
But somehow, hearing it from Cassandra felt different, felt like a dagger twisting in my chest.
Why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like the ground had been pulled out from under me?
My thoughts spiraled, a chaotic whirlwind of doubt and confusion. Had I misread everything between Ciara and me? Those tender moments, the stolen glances, the way she held me close was it all just a game to her? Just another notch in her belt?
No, I told myself, shaking my head slightly as if to physically dispel the doubts. Ciara wasn't like that with me... right? She wasn't just playing around. But the way Cassandra had spoken, so confidently, so nonchalantly, it made me second-guess everything.
Cassandra's voice cut through my thoughts. "She was really flirty, you know," she said, her tone almost too casual. "Touchy too. Always finding reasons to get close, to brush against me. I didn't mind it, of course." She gave me a sly smile, as if sharing a joke I wasn't in on.
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "What are you trying to say, Cassandra?" My voice came out quieter than I intended, a tremor betraying my emotions.
Cassandra tilted her head, studying me with those sharp eyes. "Just that you might want to be careful, Aeliana. Ciara has a... reputation. I mean, she's fun and all, but you know what they say a player stays a player."
Her words stung, each one like a lash against my already frayed nerves. I didn't know if I should believe her, didn't know if this was just some twisted attempt to get under my skin. But the uncertainty gnawed at me, eating away at the trust I had in Ciara.
"I don't think you understand Ciara," I managed to say, though my voice lacked the conviction I wanted it to have. "She's... she's not like that."
"Isn't she?" Cassandra pressed, stepping closer. "You know, I thought the same thing at first. She's charming, right? Makes you feel like you're the only one she's interested in. But then, she does the same thing with the next girl, and the next. It's just how she is."
I stared at her, a mix of anger and despair swirling in my chest. I didn't want to believe her, but her words had planted a seed of doubt that was quickly taking root. I felt vulnerable, exposed, as if everything I had felt for Ciara was now being called into question.
I couldn't take it anymore. The walls of the room felt like they were closing in on me, the air too thick to breathe. Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked out, my mind a mess of emotions. I didn't even know where I was going—I just needed to get away, to clear my head.
The castle's corridors were dimly lit, the only sound the echo of my footsteps against the cold stone floor. My thoughts raced, my heart heavy. I wanted to believe in Ciara, to trust that what we had was real, but Cassandra's words had left a scar. Was I being naive? Was I setting myself up for heartbreak?
As I stepped outside into the crisp evening air, the cool breeze did little to calm the storm inside me. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the courtyard. I wrapped my arms around myself, seeking comfort that wasn't there.
I didn't know how long I had been standing there, lost in my thoughts, when I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up to see Nathaniel coming towards me, his usual charming smile in place, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes.
"Aeliana," he called out as he neared, "what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I forced a smile, though it felt hollow. "Just... thinking."
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Thinking? About what? You look like something's eating you up inside."
I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to confide in him, but the turmoil inside me was too much to bear alone. "It's Ciara," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nathaniel's expression shifted, his smile fading as a more serious look took over. "What about her?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "Cassandra said some things... things about Ciara. I don't know if I should believe her."
Nathaniel's eyes darkened slightly, a frown tugging at his lips. "Cassandra, huh? What did she say?"
"She said Ciara was... flirty with her during the mission. That she was touchy, acting like it didn't mean anything." I shook my head, feeling foolish for even voicing it out loud. "I don't know if it's true, but..."
"But it's got you worried," Nathaniel finished for me. He sighed, stepping closer, his hand resting on my shoulder in what I assumed was meant to be a comforting gesture. "Aeliana, listen. I've known Ciara for a long time. She's... well, you know how she is. She's not exactly the relationship type."
I bristled at his words, even though a part of me knew he was right. "She's different with me," I argued, though my voice wavered with uncertainty.
Nathaniel gave me a sympathetic smile, though there was something almost pitying in his eyes. "I'm sure she is. But a player stays a player, Aeliana. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
His words struck a nerve, the doubts Cassandra had planted now growing into full-blown insecurity. Was I just another one of Ciara's conquests? Another girl she could charm and then discard when she got bored?
"I... I don't know," I muttered, my gaze dropping to the ground. I felt lost, caught between what I wanted to believe and the harsh reality that was being presented to me.
Nathaniel's hand moved to my back, gently rubbing in what I knew was meant to be a comforting gesture. "You deserve better, Aeliana. Someone who will treat you right, who won't play games with your heart."
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. "I don't want to believe that Ciara would do that to me."
"Maybe she wouldn't," Nathaniel said softly, "but can you really be sure?"
His words lingered in the air, each one weighing heavily on my mind. I wanted to believe in Ciara, to trust that what we had was real. But with every word Nathaniel spoke, the doubt grew stronger, eating away at the foundation of that trust.
Nathaniel pulled me into a hug, and I let him, though it didn't bring the comfort I thought it would. Instead, it only amplified the ache in my chest, the uncertainty that had taken root.
"It's okay," Nathaniel murmured, his voice soothing. "You don't have to go through this alone."
But as he held me, the comfort I sought remained elusive, the doubts swirling in my mind refusing to be quelled.
Suddenly, I felt a presence, an energy so familiar and intense that it made my heart skip a beat. I pulled back slightly from Nathaniel's embrace, turning just in time to see Ciara approaching us, her eyes blazing with a fire I hadn't seen before.
Her gaze was locked onto Nathaniel, and for a moment, I could feel the tension crackling in the air, like a storm about to break.
Ciara's movements were deliberate as she closed the distance between us, her fists clenched at her sides. The sight of her so fierce, so unmistakably dangerous sent a shiver down my spine.
Nathaniel seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere too, his hand dropping from my back as he turned to face her.
"What the hell are you doing, Nathaniel?" Ciara's voice was low, a growl that reverberated through the courtyard. There was no mistaking the threat in her tone, the unspoken warning that hung between them.
Nathaniel raised his hands in a gesture of peace, though his posture remained relaxed. "Just comforting a friend, Ciara. No need to get worked up."
Ciara's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. She took a step closer, her presence towering over him. "You don't get to decide what Aeliana needs," she spat, her voice laced with venom.
Nathaniel didn't back down, but I could see the uncertainty flicker in his eyes. "She's not just your—"
"Do not touch what's mine," Ciara cut him off, her voice cold and unyielding. The words hung in the air, a declaration that left no room for argument. Her gaze never wavered from Nathaniel, daring him to challenge her.
I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest, caught between the two of them as the intensity of the moment washed over me. What is going to happen now.