Roommate Badboy - Wicked Academy

17

Jason watched her reaction carefully, his expression unreadable. He was enjoying this, by the way he let the mystery hang in the air, teasing her with just enough information to keep her questioning.

Instead of answering, Jason pushed himself off the bookshelf and turned away. "Come with me," he said, his voice suddenly serious.

Stella hesitated for only a second before following.

Jason led her deeper into the abandoned section of the library, past rows of dust-covered bookshelves and forgotten relics of the past. The further they went, the heavier the air felt–like something unseen was shifting around them, watching. Stella's heart pounded, but she forced herself to keep moving.

Finally, Jason stopped in front of an old wooden bookshelf, one that looked no different from the others. But as he reached out and placed his hand on the edge, Stella felt it again–that pull, the strange energy in the air, humming just beneath her skin.

Jason glanced at her, amusement flickering in his expression. "You feel it, don't you?"

Stella didn't answer. She couldn't.

Jason smirked, then with a slow, deliberate motion, he pushed against the bookshelf.

A soft click echoed through the air.

Before Stella could react, the bookshelf shifted, revealing a hidden passage behind it.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Jason stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter first. "After you, princess."

Stella stared at the dark entrance, her pulse quickening. This was insane. Completely insane. But something in her–something deep, instinctual–wanted to step forward.

She turned back to Jason, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's in there?"

Jason's smirk didn't fade, but his eyes darkened, a shadow passing over his features. "The truth."

Stella's fingers clenched into fists at her sides. She knew this was a game to him–he was enjoying watching her hesitate, watching her battle with herself.

But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her back down. With a final breath, she stepped into the darkness.

Jason followed, and the bookshelf slid shut behind them.

The air inside was colder. Heavier. For a moment, there was only silence.

Then, dim light flickered to life, illuminating the space.

Stella's eyes widened. The room was nothing like the library outside. The walls were lined with old books and strange symbols carved into the stone. In the center of the room stood something she never expected to see–

A mirror.

But it wasn't just any mirror. Its surface shimmered, dark and endless, like a pool of water untouched by light. A faint glow pulsed from its edges, casting eerie shadows along the walls.

Stella's breath hitched. She didn't know why, but looking at it made her chest tighten.

Jason stepped beside her, watching her closely. "Still think this is a joke?"

Stella swallowed hard. "This is it?"

Jason's gaze never left the mirror. "The portal."

Stella's fingers trembled at her sides. Jason turned to her then, and for the first time since she'd met him, there was no smirk. No teasing glint in his eyes.

Stella couldn't tear her gaze away from the mirror. The way it shimmered, shifting like liquid yet remaining perfectly still, sent a chill down her spine. It was unlike anything she had ever seen–unnatural, almost alive.