The confrontation on the track left Aria trembling. She had known Damien was intense, but seeing him face off against someone with such unrelenting fury was terrifying. Yet, deep inside, she felt a strange, disconcerting comfort in knowing Damien was there, standing between her and the unknown threats that loomed closer every day.
As the boy from the library—Jacob—fled into the shadows, Damien turned back to Aria, his jaw tight and his eyes darker than she'd ever seen.
"You need to stop doing this," he said, his voice rough.
"Doing what?" Aria shot back, her frustration boiling over. "Living my life? Breathing? This isn't my fault, Damien!"
"No," he admitted, his voice dropping, "but it's my responsibility now."
She blinked at him, confused and angry. "Your responsibility? What am I, your charity case?"
"No," Damien said firmly, stepping closer, his gaze piercing. "You're…" He stopped, clenching his fists at his sides. "You're in danger because of me. That makes it my problem."
Aria's heart thudded painfully in her chest, but she refused to let him see her falter. "You don't get to decide that for me."
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You think I want this? To care about someone who makes me this… reckless?"
The words hit her like a punch, leaving her speechless. Before she could respond, Damien shook his head, muttered something under his breath, and walked away, disappearing into the night.
---
The next morning, Aria found herself struggling to focus in class. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—Damien's cryptic words, the threats looming over her, and the ever-present whispers that followed her through the hallways.
Emma slid into the seat beside her during lunch, placing a hand on her arm. "Aria, are you okay? You've been a ghost all day."
"I'm fine," Aria lied, forcing a small smile.
Emma didn't buy it. "Does this have to do with Damien? Because I saw him outside the track last night. He looked…" She paused, searching for the right word. "Unhinged."
Aria sighed. "It's complicated."
Emma frowned. "Complicated how? Aria, you don't owe him anything. If he's dragging you into something dangerous, you need to walk away."
"I can't," Aria admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't think it's that simple anymore."
---
That evening, Damien paced the length of his room, his mind racing. He hadn't been able to shake the look on Aria's face after their argument. She was angry, scared, confused—and he hated that he was the reason for all of it.
His phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was Ryan.
"I have a lead," Ryan said when Damien answered.
"On what?"
"The email," Ryan replied. "It was sent through a proxy server, but I managed to trace it back to an account linked to Jacob."
Damien's blood boiled. "That little snake."
"There's more," Ryan continued. "I did some digging, and it looks like Jacob's not working alone. He's tied to a group—people you've pissed off before."
Damien cursed under his breath. "How bad is it?"
"Bad," Ryan said grimly. "They're not just looking to humiliate you, Damien. They want to ruin you—and they're willing to use Aria to do it."
Damien's grip tightened on the phone. "Not on my watch."
---
As the days passed, Aria found herself caught in a delicate balancing act. She tried to stay out of Damien's way, but he always seemed to find her, whether it was in the cafeteria, the library, or the parking lot after school.
One afternoon, as she was leaving the library, she felt a hand close around her wrist. She spun around to see Damien standing behind her, his expression unreadable.
"We need to talk," he said.
"About what?" she asked, pulling her arm free.
"Jacob," he said simply.
Aria's stomach twisted. "What about him?"
Damien hesitated, his jaw clenching. "He's not acting alone. There are others—people who hate me, who see you as a way to get to me."
Her breath caught. "Why would they hate you?"
"It's a long story," Damien said, running a hand through his hair. "But the short version is, I've made a lot of enemies over the years. People don't like being reminded of their weaknesses."
Aria frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"It means," Damien said, stepping closer, "that I've done things I'm not proud of. But right now, the only thing that matters is keeping you safe."
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. "Damien, I can't live like this—looking over my shoulder all the time."
"You won't have to," he promised, his voice low and intense. "I'll take care of it."
"How?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"By sending a message," Damien said darkly.
---
That night, Damien found himself standing outside Jacob's house. He knew it was risky, but he didn't care. If Jacob wanted to play games, Damien was more than willing to up the stakes.
When Jacob opened the door, his smug expression quickly faded at the sight of Damien.
"What do you want?" Jacob asked, his voice wavering.
Damien didn't answer. He stepped inside, forcing Jacob to backpedal into the living room.
"Listen," Jacob stammered, "I don't know what you think I—"
"Save it," Damien growled, cutting him off. "I know you sent the email. I know you're working with others. And I know you've been targeting Aria."
Jacob swallowed hard. "It wasn't personal, man. It's just… you've got a reputation, and some people want to see you fall."
Damien grabbed Jacob by the collar, lifting him off the ground. "If you or your little friends go near Aria again, I'll make sure you regret it."
Jacob nodded frantically, his face pale. "Okay, okay! I'll back off, I swear!"
Damien dropped him, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Remember this feeling, Jacob. Because if you cross me again, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
---
The next morning, Aria noticed a shift in the atmosphere at school. The whispers had stopped, and the stares had lessened.
When she saw Damien in the hallway, she hesitated before approaching him.
"What did you do?" she asked quietly.
"I handled it," he said simply.
Aria frowned. "Damien, you can't just—"
"I did what I had to do," he interrupted, his voice firm. "They won't bother you again."
She wanted to argue, but the look in his eyes stopped her. Instead, she nodded, a small part of her relieved that the immediate danger seemed to be over.
But as she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from the end.