Aria couldn't focus during her next class. The note, now crumpled and stuffed in the bottom of her bag, weighed heavily on her mind. She had no doubt who had left it. Damien Carter wasn't the type to let anything slide, even something as insignificant as a coffee stain.
She glanced around the classroom, her eyes scanning the sea of students. Damien wasn't there, of course. He rarely bothered with showing up on time—if he showed up at all. That didn't stop her from feeling like his eyes were on her, though, watching her every move.
When the bell finally rang, Aria practically bolted from her seat, clutching her books tightly to her chest as she made her way to her locker. She didn't want another confrontation, especially not with him.
But as she turned the corner, she stopped in her tracks.
Leaning casually against her locker, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips, was Damien. His dark eyes glinted with something she couldn't quite name—amusement, maybe, or something far more dangerous.
"Looking for this?" he asked, holding up a textbook she had accidentally left in the library earlier.
Aria's heart sank. Of course, he would use something like this as leverage.
"Give it back," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Damien raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her tone. "Is that any way to thank me? I could have just thrown it in the trash, you know."
"Thank you," she muttered, reaching for the book.
But he didn't hand it over. Instead, he held it just out of her reach, forcing her to look up at him.
"You've got guts, nerd," he said, his smirk widening. "I'll give you that."
Aria swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how much he was unnerving her. "What do you want, Damien?"
His smile faded, replaced by a look that sent chills down her spine. "What do I want? That's a good question."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Let's just say… I don't like people messing with me. You owe me for what happened this morning."
"I already apologized," she said, her voice shaking.
"Not good enough," he replied smoothly. "You see, Aria, I believe in balance. You upset my morning; now it's only fair I return the favor."
Her eyes widened as his words sank in. "You can't be serious."
"Oh, I'm very serious," he said, finally handing her the book. "Consider this a warning. Stay out of my way, and maybe I'll forget about the coffee."
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her hands trembling as she clutched the book to her chest.
---
By lunchtime, the entire school seemed to know about the incident in the library. Whispers followed Aria wherever she went, students throwing curious glances her way as if they couldn't believe she had the nerve to cross Damien Carter.
Aria tried to keep her head down, but it was impossible to ignore the pointed stares and hushed conversations. Even Emma, her best friend, looked worried when she sat down at their usual table in the corner of the cafeteria.
"What happened, Aria?" Emma asked, leaning in close. "Everyone's talking about you and Damien."
Aria sighed, poking at her sandwich with little appetite. "It's nothing. I spilled coffee on him this morning, and now he's being… himself."
Emma's eyes widened. "You spilled coffee on Damien Carter? Are you insane?"
"It was an accident," Aria said defensively. "I didn't mean to."
"That doesn't matter," Emma said, lowering her voice. "You know how he is, Aria. He's not going to let this go."
Aria frowned. "What do you mean?"
Emma hesitated, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening. "There are rumors about him," she said finally. "About the things he's done to people who crossed him. I don't know if they're true, but… just be careful, okay?"
Aria nodded, but her mind was racing. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Avoiding Damien seemed like the best option, but she wasn't sure if he would even allow that.
---
Across the cafeteria, Damien sat with his usual group of friends, his eyes fixed on Aria. She was doing her best to ignore him, but he could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she kept glancing over her shoulder like she was waiting for him to strike.
Ryan Hayes, his closest friend, nudged him with a grin. "What's with you today? You've been staring at her for like five minutes."
Damien smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Just thinking."
"About her?" Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She's… different," Damien said, his tone thoughtful.
Ryan laughed. "Different? She's a nerd, man. What's so special about her?"
Damien didn't answer. He wasn't sure himself. All he knew was that she had gotten under his skin in a way no one else ever had, and he wasn't about to let it go.
"Leave it, Ryan," he said finally. "I've got this under control."
Ryan shrugged, but he didn't push the matter further.
Damien's gaze returned to Aria, a plan already forming in his mind. She had made a mistake by crossing him, and he wasn't about to let her forget it.
---
That evening, as Aria sat in her room trying to finish her biology assignment, her phone buzzed with a notification.
She frowned, picking it up to see a message from an unknown number.
"You didn't think I was done with you, did you?"
Her heart raced as she stared at the screen.
Damien.
She set the phone down, her hands shaking. She didn't know how he had gotten her number, but she wasn't surprised. Damien Carter had a way of getting whatever he wanted, and right now, he wanted her attention.
She didn't reply, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.