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Arsyne Zervas sat in the lecture hall, the rich timbre of her professor's voice barely registering in her mind. The ambient light filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow over the polished wooden surfaces. Her fingers absentmindedly twirled a pencil, tapping it on the edge of her notebook. Her other hand scrolled down the page of notes she had saved from the year before on her MacBook Air. Arsyne's eyes scanned the room, moving from one face to another, searching for Akira. His cold dark eyes and midnight black hair did not stand out from the crowd which was unusual.
Since he was her partner on the project, his absence gnawed at her, even though the professor was recapping topics to help them with the basis of his students' project, she still craved to see him again. Especially after he dropped her home two days ago after the impromptu meeting with his mother.
'I only want to see him because of the project. Right.' She mumbled softly making the girl beside her turn towards her with a confused but concerned look. Arsyne ignored the look, a flush of embarrassment making her heart skip a beat.
His friends, a boisterous group known for their antics, were also missing. It was unusual for them to skip class; their fear of parental repercussions ensured their attendance. Even if they would show up a few minutes at a time. The absence of the rowdy group only intensified her unease.
Her fingers tapped restlessly against the wooden desk, her phone lying in front of her, screen dark. She turned her phone around so she could focus better on the lecture, the Polaroid of her friend and herself taunting her in her clear phone case. She had sent multiple texts to Asa, but there had been no response. Not since the morning after the party. A tumultuous thought rang in her head telling her that her friend was mad at her. Her only friend had finally had enough of her. A knot of worry tightened in her stomach, but she tried to push it aside, focusing on the lecture.
"Miss Zervas," the professor's booming voice cut through her thoughts. Arsyne's head snapped up, her attention immediately sharpening. "Can you explain the principle of diatonic harmony for us?"
Without missing a beat, Arsyne launched into a clear and concise explanation. "Diatonic harmony involves the use of chords built from the notes of a major or minor scale. These chords are derived from stacking thirds on each scale degree, resulting in a series of seven chords. The harmony maintains a strong tonal centre because it only uses the notes within the scale, creating a sense of cohesion and resolution."
The professor nodded, clearly impressed. "Well done, Miss Zervas. It's refreshing to see such mastery of last year's material."
She bowed her head respectfully to the professor. A murmur of admiration rippled through the class, but Arsyne barely noticed. Her thoughts were still with Akira and her unanswered messages to Asa. She tied her hair back in a claw clip, typing down more notes that were showcased on the large screen in the front of the lecture hall. The minutes ticked by, matching the pace of her leg shaking under the desk.
The lecture dragged on for another forty-five minutes, each second stretching into eternity. When it finally ended, Arsyne gathered her belongings and made her way out of the classroom, her eyes glued to her phone, refreshing her notifications once in a while.
As she walked, she didn't notice the figure approaching until she collided with them. "I'm so sorry-" she began, bowing her head slightly as an apology but a sharp grip on her arm stopped her short. Black Chanel loafers with a gold heart caught her attention first. Then came the Tweed Two piece which she also knew was Chanel due to the engravings on the buttons.
Mei Kimura stood before her, her nails digging into Arsyne's skin with a vicious intensity. Her eyes glinted dangerously as she dragged the girl outside the music building. "Where is Akira?" Mei demanded; her voice laced with venom.
"Hi. I'm doing well and yourself? Oh that's great, Kimura. What brings you here? Oh Akira? I don't know. Have you tried calling him? Oh right he has you blocked cause you're a psycho bitch!" She says with a fake upbeat and cheerful tone.
"Don't start with me," Mei huffs with annoyance at the girls antics.
"Are you even meant to be here?" Arsyne sighs.
The shorter girl's grip grows tighter on Arsyne's arm with each word she sneered, "Where. Is. He."
Arsyne met Mei's gaze calmly, her expression unchanging. "If Akira wanted you to know where he was, he would have told you," she replied with a cold voice. Her eyes, dark and piercing, bore into Mei's with a ferocity that was unsettling. She didn't bother to mention that she herself had no idea where he was.
Mei's eyes flashed with anger. "You think you're something special? Just because you're hanging around him. You're just a plaything until he comes back to me. You're not good enough to be in the presence of a Saito, even if you're an heir of the Zervas empire."
Oh god. Arsyne thought to herself, mentally face palming.
Her demeanor remained steady as she pried Mei's hand from her arm, ignoring the stinging sensation where the sharp nails had broken the skin. "I don't care about the games you and Akira are playing. I'm here to graduate, not to play rivals over a man. We're both too pretty for this nonsense."
Mei huffed, her face twisted with frustration, and strutted away, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. Arsyne rolled her eyes, lifting what she wore to examine the five crescent-shaped indents on her arm, tiny drops of blood oozing from the wounds, into her Prada cropped cardigan. She shook her head, irritation bubbling beneath her calm exterior.
She hated getting hurt. Ever since she was a child. There would be no one home to help her clean her wounds anyway.
Her phone vibrated in her hand, and without glancing at the display name, she answered. "Asa, you will not believe this. Mei Kimura just assaulted me and gave me some ridiculous warning, like a 'stay away from my man' warning. It's so sad to see such a beautiful girl be affected by the simplicity of a man, especially someone like Akira." she said, a laugh escaping her lips at the absurdity of it all.
A deep, husky voice responded on the other end, sending a shiver down her spine. "She hurt you?"
Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected to hear his voice, not now, especially since she just told him he's not that special for a girl to be acting this way. "Akira? Where have you been?" she said, her voice growing in volume. "Not that I care, it's just we have a project together so I would assume you'd be serious enough to show up as it counts for 24 credits, you fucking-"
"Something came up, baby," he urged huskily. The pet name made her gasp quietly. "I just need to take care of it, before I come into lectures, okay?"
"...okay." She fidgets with the edge of her skirt, agreeing breathlessly.
"I need you to do something for me, Arsyne," he requested charmingly. She nodded her head before realising he couldn't see her, then audibly agreed. "I need you to go home."
"What? Why? I still have Art History next-"
He sighs while interrupting her, "I know how much of a nerd you are but-"
"Oh, fuck off," she interrupted with a grumble.
"-but, I wouldn't ask you to do this, if it wasn't important right?"
"...right."
There was a pause on the other end, the sound of his breath heavy and longing. "I need you to trust me. You can do that for me right, baby?"
"Mhm." She swallowed, her mind shifting gears at the deep voice resonating down her spine.
"Words," He spoke gently, his head leaning against the wall, his eyes closed, listening to every breath she took in shock or contentment. "I need to know you understand me, Arsyne."
"...yes, I understand."
"Good."
The line went dead, leaving Arsyne staring blankly at her phone, her cheeks tinted a light red. A mixture of confusion, desire, and worry, churned within her. The cryptic message did nothing to ease her concerns. She looked around the campus, the usual hustle and bustle feeling strangely distant.
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𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐲𝐧
Teen Fiction"Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't think about me. Don't even breath in my direction." Akira said before walking away from her. She sighed loudly in exasperation, barely keeping up with his long strides. After a few minutes he suddenly stopp...
