we smile at the moon

SEVEN | THE BOYS OF WADSWORTH

  "LINA!"

Adelina didn't even hesitate, yanking on my arm and instantly speeding up her steps. "Do not turn back. Do not look back. Do not show him any indication we heard him."

I coughed. "I get that, but you don't need to drag me, you know."

"Please," Adelina said, sending me a pleading look. "Just, please. I do not need to deal with Withington right now."

"Lina!" James hollered again. This time, I turned my head to face him. Our eyes met, and he desperately gestured at Adelina, as if asking me to stop her. I replied with a helpless shrug.

Adelina yanked my arm again. "Hon! Don't make eye contact! Please! For once in my life I'm in a good mood, and I do not need him to ruin this for me!"

"Adelina, this is unnecessarily rude, I'm just saying. He hasn't really done anything to you."

"He has done everything to me. Everything. Which is why I'm not going to reply. Or acknowledge."

"Adelina Roche! Stop right there! I know you can hear me!" James was hurrying now, and there were more than one pair of footsteps hurrying besides us. I glared at Adelina before pulling her into a halt.

"Adelina!" James growled. "I was calling your name!"

Adelina finally turned, giving him the blankest stare in existence. "Didn't realise you were calling for me."

"I said your name!"

"You said Lina. My name isn't Lina."

"I called you Adelina afterwards!"

"Well, sorry then," she gave a slow, purposeful shrug. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, in fact." James crossed his arms and stepped forward, eyes narrowed into slits as he regarded Adelina. I exchanged a glance with Clark besides him, and he just very slowly shook his head.

Adelina replied, "Too bad. Solve it yourself."

Clark coughed to hide his abrupt bark of laughter. I shut my eyes to repress the sigh I wanted to release.

I've gotten used to these encounters in the past month I've been here. Every time the two crossed paths, sparks of war started. Screw those people who laughed that they were on the trajectory of an enemies-to-lovers story. These two were enemies, plain and simple, and they held nothing back. None of their friends wanted to be dragged into it, me included, but most of the time we had no chance.

Today, Clark Ford and I would be the unfortunate friends chosen to witness what was sure to be a ferocious battle between the two childhood archnemesis.

I had never hated my life more than in that exact moment.

"Nah, I don't think so," James said with a casual shrug, glaring at Adelina with some kind of clear malicious purpose that I was far too tired to decipher after a tiring day of school. I'd gone to the Duelling Club morning session today, and Coach had us doing drills for the entire duration. My limbs felt like jelly. Half my teachers asked if I needed to head to the health centre because of how tired I looked through the whole day.

"Get it over with," Adelina barked. "My time is precious."

"Is it, though?" James retorted. "It's like you never have anything to do when I see you around school. It's kind of pathetic, really."

"Do you need my help or not?" Adelina gritted out between her teeth.

I glanced at her. "I actually have a lot of prep to do, so I'll just..."