The next morning, the atmosphere in the classroom buzzed with the usual hum of chatter and laughter. Faerie, however, sat apart from it all, engrossed in a novel as she lounged in her seat near the back. Her expression was calm, but her mind was racing with thoughts she couldn't quite settle. The events of the previous evening lingered in her mind, but she pushed them aside, focusing on the familiar comfort of the words on the page.
As the bell chimed and students settled in, Felix entered the room, his usual confidence dimmed by a hint of hesitation. He caught sight of Faerie and made his way over, his smile brightening when he reached her desk.
"Hey, Faerie!" Felix greeted, his voice filled with a cheerful warmth that turned a few heads in the classroom.
But Faerie didn't look up. Her eyes remained fixed on her book, turning a page slowly as if he hadn't spoken at all. Not even a glance in his direction. The silence that followed was palpable, stretching awkwardly as Felix's smile faltered, confusion flashing across his face.
"Um, good morning?" he tried again, this time his voice quieter, tinged with uncertainty.
But Faerie still didn't respond, her face an impassive mask. The whispers began to spread through the class like wildfire, students exchanging curious looks and murmuring to one another. The spectacle of Faerie openly ignoring Felix, who had become the center of so much attention lately, was too good to pass up.
"She's ignoring him?" a girl in the front row whispered to her friend, barely concealing her smirk. "Did something happen between them?"
"Yikes, I'd hate to be in Felix's shoes right now," another boy snickered, his voice carrying just enough for Felix to catch.
Felix's face reddened as he became acutely aware of all the eyes on him, the stares that seemed to burn holes into his back. He could feel the weight of the entire class's curiosity pressing down on him, turning what should have been a simple greeting into an ordeal. He shifted on his feet, an awkward smile tugging at his lips as he tried to laugh it off, but the sound came out strained.
"Well, I'll... see you later, then," he muttered, taking a step back from her desk, trying to maintain a shred of his composure. He turned and made his way to his seat, all too aware of the quiet snickers and the eyes that tracked his every move.
Faerie remained motionless, her gaze still fixed on the words of her book, but beneath her cool exterior, a flicker of satisfaction sparked in her chest. She knew exactly what she was doing, and the effect it had on Felix was just another piece in her game. He had gotten too comfortable, too close—time to remind him that Faerie was not as simple as she appeared to be.
Felix sat at his desk, unable to tear his eyes away from Faerie. He watched her with an intensity that he couldn't quite place, his mind swirling with confusion, frustration, and a strange ache he couldn't name. Her cold dismissal earlier had left a hollow, burning sensation in his chest, and he didn't know what to make of it. They'd been getting closer—he'd thought they were finally moving past all the tension. But her icy demeanor this morning had shattered that illusion, leaving him feeling exposed and unsure.
Just as the tension in the room seemed to settle, the door creaked open, drawing the attention of the entire class. It was none other than Aaron Blackwood, striding into the room with his signature air of authority and cool detachment. Felix's brows furrowed in confusion. Aaron had no reason to be here, in their class—unless there was something he needed.
The murmur of curious whispers grew louder as Aaron made his way directly to Faerie's desk, his presence like a gust of icy wind cutting through the warm chatter. He stopped right in front of her, his gaze locked on hers, a dark glint in his eyes.
"Later, meet me at our spot," he commanded, his tone flat and unyielding.
Faerie didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, tilting her head slightly as she regarded him with a mocking smile. "Weren't you the one telling me yesterday to keep my distance? Interesting... and where's that spot of ours again?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, her words carefully chosen to needle him.
Aaron's jaw clenched, his patience clearly thinning. "It's where we were yesterday, genius," he shot back, his voice low but firm. "Better see you there." Without waiting for her reply, he turned on his heel and strode out of the classroom, leaving a wave of stunned silence in his wake.
The moment the door swung shut behind him, Faerie let out a small, amused laugh, as if she found the entire exchange absurdly entertaining. Her laughter cut through the hush that had fallen over the class, adding an almost surreal edge to the moment.
Felix's heart clenched as he watched the scene unfold, a bitter twist of emotion curling inside him. He didn't even realize how tightly he was gripping the edge of his desk, his knuckles white with the strain. Why was Aaron speaking to Faerie? What did he want with her, and why did she seem so unbothered by his presence?
The whispers around them grew louder, buzzing with speculation as students tried to piece together the strange interaction they had just witnessed.
"Did you see that? Aaron Blackwood talking to Faerie—what's going on there?" one student murmured to a friend, their eyes wide with curiosity.
"I thought he hated her, what's up with that?" another voice whispered, adding to the growing chatter.
Felix barely registered the conversations around him, too consumed by the unfamiliar, gnawing feeling twisting inside him. It took him a moment to recognize it for what it was—jealousy. A sharp, irrational jealousy that burned through his thoughts, making him clench his fists even tighter.
Why should it matter to him if Aaron was interested in Faerie? Why did it make his chest feel tight, his mind clouded with a possessive anger he couldn't shake? As much as he tried to push the feeling away, it clung to him, leaving him unsettled and more confused than ever.