DOWNFALL -HIERARCHY

Chapter 17: The Substitute

Narrator's POV:

Nabi woke up early the next morning, the events of the previous day still fresh in her mind. As she got ready for school, she couldn't help but glance at herself in the mirror, admiring the Cartier necklace that hung around her neck. She decided to bought the necklace from yesterday, and wear it today. As she put on her uniform and prepared her schoolbag, a small smile tugged at her lips, feeling a sense of satisfaction and elegance with the jewelry adorning her.

Nabi was about to put on her shoes, suddenly her phone buzzed beside her, indicating a new message had arrived. She glanced down at the screen, and saw that the message was from Ri-an.

She picked up her phone, and her breath hitched slightly as she read the message. He was already on the way to pick her up for school. Her mind raced, wondering if she should decline or go along with it. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to reply to his message, typing out a quick affirmative reply.

"Alright, I'll be waiting," she texted back, her fingers hovering over the send button for a second before hitting the button. With mingled excitement and nervousness, she put on her shoes and stepped out to wait for Ri-an outside.

Nabi stood outside their house, the cool morning air nipping at her skin. She could already hear the faint sound of Ri-an's car approaching in the distance. She fidgeted with the straps of her schoolbag, trying to distract herself from the knots forming in her stomach.

As Ri-an's car pulled up infront of her, Nabi's stomach fluttered with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. She watched as he stepped out of the car, his gaze locking onto hers. He smiled at her, gesturing for her to get in the car.

Nabi hesitated for just a moment before getting into the backseat, taking in the luxurious interior of the car. As Nabi settled into her seat, Ri-an also slipped into the backseat next to her. The space seemed smaller and more intimate with him sitting beside her. Ri-an's family driver was seated in the driver seat infront of them. The air inside the car was charged with a strange mix of tension and anticipation.

As soon as Ri-an sat down, he leaned over to Nabi and carefully reached across to buckle her seatbelt, his fingers brushing against her waist. The action sent small electric tingles through Nabi's skin, his touch almost unintentional yet charged with something electric.

"Safety first," Rian said, his voice low and soft as he secured the seatbelt, his hands lingering on her waist for a few seconds longer than necessary. His proximity to her was electrifying, his breath warm against her cheek.

Rian eventually pulled away from buckling her seatbelt, and put on his own. Nabi took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The scent of his cologne filling her nostrils and the entire car. The way he looked at her, his gaze intense and unwavering, sent small shivers down her spine.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Ri-an noticed the necklace around Nabi's neck. "That's a lovely necklace you're wearing," he commented, his voice casually admiring. "Is it new?"

Nabi's hand instinctively went to the pendant at her throat, her fingers touching the cool, smooth surface. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she looked over at Ri-an. "Yes, it is," she replied, a touch of pleasantness in her voice. "I got it recently."

"Why did you decide to pick me up for school today?" she asked, her voice soft, Ri-an slightly smile at her question, "I just thought it would be nice to spend some time together before school," he replied, his voice casual yet holding a hint of something more.

"Besides," Rian continued, a playful smirk on his lips, "I wanted to make sure you weren't planning on skipping class again today." Nabi let out a mock gasp of indignation.