Rival Offline (Anya Forger x Damian Desmond)

Chapter Three: Silence

Anya sat at her desk, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for the lesson to begin. Flicking through her math textbook, she scanned the pages, searching for the section they were going to cover that day. The crisp off-white pages slid smoothly beneath her fingertips, the faint rustle of paper filling the quiet classroom.

Damian entered the room, his bag slung over his back, exhaling an exasperated sigh as he finally escaped Emile and Ewen's antics in the hallway. However, his mood immediately soured when his gaze fell upon Anya.

"Forger," Damian muttered, his tone carrying a hint of irritation. Anya side-eyed him briefly, her focus returning swiftly to her work as she ignored his presence.

He rolled his eyes before taking his seat, his annoyance evident as he settled in. The Math teacher's entrance only exacerbated his mood, her enthusiasm grating on Damian's nerves.

"Oh, perfect! My superstars are here early. Can I ask a favor of you two?" the Math teacher exclaimed, her tone brimming with enthusiasm that grated on Damian's already frayed patience.

"I need you to take these to the storage room," the teacher pleaded, placing her hands together in a beseeching gesture. Anya glanced at Damian with a hint of disgust before relenting, "Fine, but I can do it alone," she said, her tone firm as she asserted her independence.

"Oh no, this is way too much to handle alone," The Teacher expressed her concern, her brows furrowing with worry. Damian, rolling his eyes at the situation, begrudgingly stood up and grabbed two boxes before striding out of the room.

As Damian left, the teacher rushed in, a flustered expression on her face. "Oh, he forgot the key. Here, Anya," she said, handing the key to Anya before hurrying off again, clearly preoccupied with her own tasks.

With a determined expression, Anya sprang out of her seat, her movements swift as she reached for the key handed to her by the teacher. She grasped it tightly in her hand, her fingers curling around the metal as she glanced around the room, her gaze settling on the remaining box waiting to be carried.

As Anya walked along, her eyes scanned the corridor until they landed on Damian, trudging along with a visible air of annoyance. She quickened her pace slightly, closing the distance between them.

"You forgot the key. Maybe think for a change," Anya said, her annoyance evident in her tone as she reached Damian.

Damian scoffed, his irritation very visible on his face. "You're talking? When was the last time you had a coherent thought?" he retorted, his words laced with sarcasm as he glanced at her dismissively.

Anya ignored him, deliberately averting her gaze as she continued down the corridor. However, she couldn't shake the feeling of his presence lingering behind her. 

They walked along in awkward silence until they reached the storage room. Anya quickly unlocked the door, her movements efficient as she placed the box inside. Without a word, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room as swiftly as possible, eager to put the encounter behind her.

she entered the classroom and slumped into her seat letting out a deep sigh as she opened her textbook again.