The atmosphere was thick with unspoken words as the group continued deeper into the woods, their breath mingling in the cool night air. Seventeen walked at the front, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions. Every step felt like it was pulling her further from the person she used to be. The weight of the secrets she carried pressed heavily on her heart, and the tension that crackled between her and Draco felt like a live wire, sparking with every glance.
She stole a glance back at the others. Hunter and Amelia walked close together, their laughter faint but joyful, providing a stark contrast to her inner turmoil. Light was just a step behind, her gaze flickering between Claus and the path ahead. It was hard to ignore the way she lit up around him, a warmth that seemed to radiate from her every time he made a joke or flashed a smile.
Seventeen could see it now—the way Light looked at Claus when she thought no one was watching, the way her laughter would become just a little brighter, a little more genuine. It was a beautiful thing to witness, but it also filled Seventeen with a twinge of guilt. Light was falling for Claus, and Claus, with his hopes of being with Seventeen dashed, was beginning to look at Light differently too. The spark in his eyes when he glanced at her told a different story, one that Seventeen felt she had inadvertently kindled.
A quick laugh from Hunter broke through her reverie, pulling her focus back to them. "Come on, you two! You're missing out on all the fun!" he called, motioning toward Amelia and Sablina, who had fallen behind in their own conversation. The dynamic between them was complicated—an entangled web of feelings and confusion. Amelia was caught between her affections for both Hunter and Sablina, while Sablina seemed unsure about where she stood with either of them. Seventeen could sense the tension, the way their emotions intertwined like threads in a tapestry.
"Do you think they're ever going to figure it out?" Seventeen murmured to Light, who walked alongside her, lost in thought.
Light shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I don't know. It's complicated. But I think they care about each other, even if they're still sorting out their feelings."
"Like you and Claus?" Seventeen asked, her heart fluttering with a mix of hope and dread.
Light's cheeks flushed, and she looked down, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Maybe. He's… he's really something, isn't he?"
Seventeen felt a pang of envy, not for Light's growing affection for Claus, but for the uncomplicated way love seemed to flow between them. Meanwhile, her own heart was a battleground, and she felt like an intruder in her own life.
["No wonder Light had tried to confront me after it became obvious that Claus was falling for me. She's been into him this whole time."]
※※※
Draco kept his distance, his mind a storm of thoughts as he observed Serena from a few steps back. She was so lost in her head, the weight of the world resting on her shoulders, and it drove him wild with frustration. He wanted to reach out, to bridge that gap between them, but every time he got close, she would retreat further, as if her fear of being vulnerable was a physical barrier.
As they moved deeper into the woods, he caught glimpses of her stealing looks at him, only to quickly look away, as if she feared what he might see in her eyes. He hated it—hated that she felt the need to guard herself from him. He could see how the pressure of their situation affected her, how the guilt twisted her features when she thought no one was looking.
The glances exchanged between her and Claus were painful to watch. Draco could see the way Claus tried to suppress his disappointment every time Serena turned away, focusing instead on Light. It was a subtle shift, one that didn't go unnoticed by Draco. There was something blooming between them, a tenderness that wasn't there before, and it filled him with a mix of jealousy and guilt.
"What's going on with you and Blondie?" Hunter's voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him back to reality.
["I hate that nickname."] Draco sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. We had a moment, and then… I messed it up."
Hunter's brow furrowed. "You don't think she likes Claus, right? I saw her watching him earlier."
"Maybe," Draco muttered, frustration boiling just beneath the surface. "But it's not like that. She's complicated, and I can't tell what she feels half the time. One moment she's close, and the next she's pushing me away."
Hunter studied him for a moment, his gaze serious. "You know, the more you push, the harder she'll pull back. She's clearly dealing with something. If you want to be there for her, you might have to let her come to you."
Draco nodded, but the thought felt like a weight on his chest. How could he just sit back and wait when every moment spent away from her felt like an eternity? The truth was, he was losing himself in her—losing the ability to think rationally. Every glance, every moment spent together felt like a step toward a cliff, and he was terrified of what would happen if he fell.
As they continued through the dark woods, Draco couldn't shake the feeling that the stakes were higher than he realized. The burden of their families' legacies loomed over them like a shadow, tainting every budding connection. Serena was caught in the crossfire, and he hated that he was one of the sources of her torment.
※※※
The weight of their unspoken feelings hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Seventeen glanced over at Draco, who was lost in his thoughts, and her heart twisted with guilt. The closer they grew, the more it felt like a lie—like she was betraying not just her past but the very essence of who she was supposed to be.
She was building something beautiful, but it felt like a fragile tower made of glass, and every moment spent together felt like it might shatter it into a million irretrievable pieces. And all she could think about was how she was dragging them down with her.
Each laugh shared among her friends felt like a knife twisting in her gut, a reminder of the betrayal lurking beneath the surface. How could she let them in when her heart was bound to secrets that could destroy them all?
"Let's take a break here," she called out, stopping at a clearing surrounded by ancient trees, their branches intertwining like fingers in the dark.
As the others settled down, Seventeen felt the familiar coil of anxiety in her chest. She watched Light and Claus exchange smiles, and the sight made her heart ache. She was so afraid of ruining whatever bond they might have, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that the longer she kept her secrets hidden, the more she would ruin everything.
Seventeen drew in a deep breath, letting the cool air fill her lungs, but it did little to calm her racing heart. How could she reconcile the intense emotions she felt for Draco with the pain she harbored in her past? Would she be able to protect them, or would she only lead them to ruin?
In that moment, she realized something that sent a chill down her spine: The biggest danger of all was the truth, and she was running out of time to keep it buried.