know.
Xander storms in their direction, a fist clenching at his side.
He might be nicknamed War, but he’s not violent. Xander Knight is the type who kills you with kindness and with that dimpled smile.
Playful, albeit hateful.
This might as well be the first time I see him exhibit any sign of violence.
The hall is filled with countless onlookers – including the president of the school’s photography club who’s taking pictures of Kim in Aiden’s embrace.
Whatever happens now will be broadcasted all over RES in a matter of hours.
Wait.
Is this what Aiden wants? He planned this entire show, didn’t he?
Xander stops in front of both of them. His face is stone cold and his rigid shoulders strain against the uniform’s jacket.
His glare falls on Aiden’s hand around Kim’s back.
I find myself glaring at it, too.
I want to break that hand.
I want to burn it and feed it to dogs.
Neither Aiden nor Xander say a word. They stare at each other, having a conversation without words.
Conquest and War complement each other, but right now, they look on the verge of destroying one another.
Xander looks two seconds away from blowing up while Aiden wears that infuriating poker face.
Everyone else falls silent, barely breathing as if they’re waiting for a bomb to drop.
Xander hooks his fingers in Kim’s jacket and yanks her back. Her teary eyes widen when she meets Xander’s murderous gaze.
I run towards her, but before I reach them, Xander lets her go and she sprints in the opposite direction.
I should’ve followed her. Instead, I stop in front of Aiden. He’s watching me with keen interest even though Xander is almost throwing daggers into his face.
Aiden leans in to whisper so only I can hear him, “I’m still waiting for you to show me the mark.”
“You did all of this for that?” I hiss.
Poker face.
“I don’t even have words for you,” I whisper-yell.
“Say no, sweetheart.” His hot breaths send shivers along my skin. “I dare you.”
“After school,” I deadpan. “Meet me after school.”
Aiden raises an eyebrow as if wondering where I want to go with this. I don’t know either, but I need to stop him somehow.
From here to then, I’ll figure something out.
I leave him and a tense Xander.
Cole and Ronan, who missed the show, saunter out of the cafeteria.
“I’m telling you, Nash,” Ronan speaks animatedly to a calm Cole. “I’m having those bunny cake hookers for my birthday.”
Cole raises an eyebrow. “I thought that was last year’s fantasy?”
“Captain Levi killed my vibe last year.” Ronan hits his chest, laughing with mischief. “He won’t stop me this year.”
“Well, I’m your captain this year and I’m telling you that there won’t be any hookers.”
“Mais non!” Ronan’s face falls with dramatic disdain. “I thought we were friends, fucker.”
“The jury is still out on that.”
“That’s it. You’re crossed from my friends' list. Best of luck finding where to party because I’m banning you from my house and...”
Their chatter dies away as they reach the other two.
The reason I focused on their conversation was to distract myself from the unwanted attention at my back.
And it’s not from the gawking students.
No.
The back of my neck prickles and goosebumps cover my skin due to that annoying awareness.
That unbreakable connection.
It’s like he’s invading every part of me and engraving himself under my skin.
I find Kim hiding beneath the staircase in the corner. Her eyes are bloodshot and swollen, and her hands shake as she grips her backpack tighter.
Her hair is in disarray, the mint-coloured strands appear like a lab experiment gone wrong.
“Kim…?” I approach her slowly like she’s an injured animal.
A part of me wants to shout at her and demand why she let Aiden hug her.
It’s like I don’t know her after she returned from her summer camp. Kim didn’t only change physically, it’s like she’s been building a wall around her.
My chest aches. She’s slipping from between my fingers and I don’t know how to keep her or talk to her.
Her dark green eyes meet mine. They’re filled with so many emotions, but the most prominent of all is sorrow.
Deep sorrow.
She throws herself at me, and I can’t help but wrap my arms around her. A sob tears from her throat as she buries her face in my chest.
I feel like a horrible friend for not detecting her breaking point and not being there for her.
This is probably why she cried in Aiden’s embrace. She only wanted comfort.
Like a shark to the blood, Aiden must’ve smelled it and stepped in like a white knight.
If he planned to