Aria paced her room, the biology assignment forgotten on her desk. Damien's text kept flashing in her mind, each word wrapping around her like a noose. She wanted to ignore it, but fear was a relentless companion, whispering doubts into her ears.
She considered telling Emma about the message, but something stopped her. Emma would only worry more, and besides, what could she do? Damien wasn't just another bully; he was someone who thrived on power and control.
Her phone buzzed again. Aria hesitated before picking it up, her fingers trembling as she unlocked the screen.
"Ignoring me now? Bad move, Bennett."
Her breath caught. How far was he willing to go? She didn't reply, instead turning her phone off and throwing it onto her bed. She couldn't let him get to her.
But deep down, she knew it wasn't that simple. Damien Carter wasn't the type to give up when he wanted something—or someone.
---
The next morning, Aria made her way to school with a heavy heart. She had barely slept, her dreams plagued by visions of Damien's piercing gaze and the note in her locker.
As she walked through the school gates, she felt the weight of countless eyes on her. Whispers followed her like shadows, but she kept her head down, determined to get through the day unnoticed.
Her resolve shattered the moment she reached her locker.
Scrawled across it in bold black letters was a single word:
"Nerd."
Aria's chest tightened as laughter echoed behind her. She turned to see a group of students watching her, their smirks filled with mockery.
"Looks like someone's got a fan," one of them jeered.
Aria ignored them, swallowing the lump in her throat as she opened her locker. Inside was another note, written in the same bold handwriting as before.
"This is just the beginning."
She clenched her fists, her fear slowly giving way to frustration. Why was he doing this? What had she done to deserve his attention?
---
Meanwhile, Damien leaned against the wall near the library, watching the scene unfold from a distance. He saw the way Aria's shoulders stiffened, the way her hands trembled as she read the note.
It should have satisfied him. He had meant to scare her, to remind her that no one crossed him without consequences.
But instead, he felt something else—a strange pull that he couldn't quite explain.
Ryan approached him, holding a basketball. "You coming? Game's starting in five."
Damien barely glanced at him. "Go ahead. I'll catch up."
Ryan frowned. "Still hung up on her?"
Damien's jaw tightened. "Just go, Ryan."
As his friend walked away, Damien's gaze returned to Aria. She was different from the others. Most people crumbled under his scrutiny, desperate to stay out of his way. But Aria… she was scared, yes, but there was something else—something that made him want to push her further, to see what would happen if she broke.
And yet, a part of him didn't want her to break.
That thought unsettled him.
Damien turned and walked away, his hands shoved into his pockets. He didn't like how she was getting under his skin, but he wasn't about to let her go. Not yet.
---
Aria sat in her biology class, her thoughts far from the lecture. She kept glancing at the door, half-expecting Damien to appear and cause more trouble.
When the bell rang, she gathered her things quickly, hoping to avoid him. But as she stepped into the hallway, she found herself face-to-face with the one person she had been trying to avoid.
Damien smirked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Going somewhere, Bennett?"
Aria's heart raced, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. "Leave me alone, Damien."
His smile faded, replaced by a look she couldn't quite read. "Is that any way to talk to someone who's just trying to help you?"
"Help me?" she repeated, incredulous. "You've been tormenting me since yesterday. How is that helping?"
Damien stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. "You think this is torment? You have no idea what I'm capable of, Aria."
Her breath hitched as he said her name, the sound of it on his lips sending an unwanted shiver down her spine.
"But," he continued, his tone softening just a fraction, "you might be worth the effort."
Aria stared at him, unsure whether to be insulted or terrified. Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the hallway, her mind racing.
---
That evening, Damien sat in his room, his fists clenched as memories from his past surfaced. His mother's harsh words, the constant pressure to be perfect, the cold, unfeeling walls of his home—it all came rushing back.
He had learned early on that power was the only way to survive. If you weren't in control, you were at the mercy of those who were. And Damien Carter refused to be weak.
But Aria Bennett… she made him feel something he hadn't felt in years. Vulnerable.
And that scared him.
Damien's phone buzzed on his desk. Picking it up, he saw a message from Ryan.
"You good? You've been acting weird lately."
Damien ignored it, his thoughts consumed by the quiet, defiant girl who had turned his world upside down.
He didn't know what his next move would be, but one thing was certain—he wasn't letting her go.