library encounter lingered in Aria's thoughts like an unshakable shadow. Each step she took through the school hallways felt heavier, every whisper or glance around her pulling her deeper into unease. She couldn't focus on her studies, and her nerves were becoming painfully obvious to those closest to her.
"Aria, you've been out of it all day," Emma said during lunch, setting her juice carton down with a frustrated sigh. "Are you even listening? What's going on? Did Damien do something again?"
Aria's stomach tightened at the mention of his name. Emma's voice, though filled with concern, felt too loud. She glanced around the crowded cafeteria, her cheeks burning. She hated how the fear of Damien made her feel—small, cornered, weak.
"He's just…," Aria started, then stopped. How could she even explain what Damien Carter was doing to her? He wasn't just bullying her. He was playing some sort of mind game, slowly taking over her thoughts, her routines, her sense of safety. "It's fine. I can handle it."
"Fine?" Emma looked incredulous. "He's been tormenting you all week. This isn't fine, Aria."
"I know," she said quickly, keeping her voice low. "I know it's not fine. But what am I supposed to do? Run to the principal? That'll only make things worse. He's… different, Emma. He doesn't just bully people. He's smarter than that. He knows exactly how to get under your skin."
Emma frowned, her expression hardening. "Then don't give him that power. If he thinks he can break you, prove him wrong. He thrives on people's fear, Aria. Don't let him see yours."
Aria wanted to believe it was that simple. But it wasn't. How could she hide her fear when Damien seemed to read her so easily?
Across the cafeteria, Damien watched her from his usual spot near the back wall. He hadn't said a word to her today, but his presence was suffocating nonetheless. She could feel his eyes on her, burning into her skin, and when she finally dared to glance his way, their gazes locked.
Her pulse quickened. His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes betraying no emotion. She quickly looked away, hoping to regain some sense of control.
Damien leaned back in his chair, his lips curving into a faint smirk. She was scared. He could see it in the way her hands clenched the edge of the table, in the way her shoulders stiffened whenever she noticed him watching. And yet, she still tried to act brave.
That's what intrigued him the most. Most people would have crumbled by now, begging him to back off or to leave them alone. But not Aria Bennett. She was scared, yes, but she was also stubborn.
"Still on her, huh?" Ryan said, interrupting Damien's thoughts.
Damien shot him a glare. "Shut up."
Ryan chuckled. "Man, I don't get you. You've got half the school wrapped around your finger, but you're obsessed with some nerdy girl who probably hates your guts."
Damien didn't respond. Ryan wouldn't understand. This wasn't about Aria being "nerdy" or anyone else being afraid of him. This was about control, about the way Aria made him feel like he was losing his.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Damien stood, his smirk fading as he watched Aria leave the cafeteria with Emma. She walked quickly, her head down, as if she was trying to escape him.
But there was no escaping him.
Later that day, Aria found herself alone in the hallway, heading toward her locker. She had purposely stayed behind after class, hoping to avoid Damien. The halls were quiet now, most students having already left for the day.
She turned the corner and froze.
Damien was there, leaning casually against the lockers. Her locker.
"Bennett," he said, his voice calm and smooth, but with an edge that sent a shiver down her spine.
"What do you want, Damien?" she asked, forcing herself to sound braver than she felt.
He pushed off the lockers, closing the distance between them in a few strides. "I told you, we need to talk."
"About what?" she demanded, crossing her arms in an attempt to shield herself from his overpowering presence.
"You," he said simply.
Her stomach twisted. "I don't have anything to say to you."
He smirked, tilting his head slightly. "And yet, here you are."
Aria clenched her fists, willing herself to stay calm. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"Because you interest me," Damien replied, his smirk fading into something more serious. "You're different, Bennett. You're not like the others."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"No," he said softly, almost to himself. "It's not."
For a moment, they stood there in silence, the air between them thick with tension.
Then Damien stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But it's dangerous."
"Dangerous for who?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
A flicker of something passed through his eyes—something dark and conflicted. "For both of us."
Before Aria could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Damien stepped back, his smirk returning as he turned to leave.
"This isn't over, Bennett," he said over his shoulder.
Aria watched him go, her heart pounding. She didn't know what he meant, but the look in his eyes had told her one thing: Damien Carter was far more complicated—and far more dangerous—than she had ever imagined.
That night, Damien sat in his room, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't stop thinking about Aria—the way she had looked at him, the way she had stood her ground even when she was clearly terrified.
She was different. And that difference was driving him insane.
He picked up his phone, typing out a message he knew he wouldn't send.
"You're in over your head, Bennett. Stay away from me before it's too late."
He stared at the words for a long moment before deleting them. He didn't know what he wanted from her, but one thing was certain: Aria Bennett had become his obsession.