Him OR Her

8. The Descent

Riya

I barely made it out of the library before the walls started closing in. My breath came in shallow gasps as I sped down the corridor, the fluorescent lights overhead flickering like some kind of sick omen. My heart pounded, a relentless drumbeat echoing in my ears, drowning out everything but the rising tide of panic.

Jeet knew too much. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. The way he said "win" wasn't just about the grades, the competition-it was something more sinister, something that made my skin crawl. And the worst part? He was right.

He was right about me.

I was scared–terrified, actually. But it wasn't just fear of losing, of falling behind in the race I'd been running my whole life. It was fear of what I'd become, what I was capable of. The lengths I'd go to just to prove that I was better, smarter, stronger.

And now, it was fear of him.

Because Jeet wasn't just my rival anymore. He was something darker, something I couldn't control or predict. He was inside my head, worming his way into my thoughts, my dreams. I couldn't escape him, couldn't stop thinking about him.

That night, as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, I could feel him–his presence like a shadow in the corner of the room, always watching, always there. The air felt thick, suffocating, as if the darkness itself was closing in around me.

Sleep wouldn't come, no matter how hard I tried to block out the images that kept flashing through my mind–Jeet's eyes, his smirk, the way he looked at me like he could see right through me.

I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up. The facade was cracking, and I could feel myself slipping, teetering on the edge of something I couldn't name.

Something I didn't want to name.

But as much as I wanted to run, to escape the web we were tangled in, I couldn't. Because there was a part of me, a dark, twisted part, that didn't want to run at all. That wanted to see just how far I could push, how deep I could go.

How much I could take before I broke.

Jeet

I watched Riya from a distance, her panic evident in the way she nearly ran from the library. It was intoxicating, the way she tried to maintain control even as she unraveled before my eyes. I could see the cracks in her armor, the fear she tried so hard to hide. And it made me want her even more.

I'd always been good at controlling my impulses, at keeping the darkness inside me in check. But with Riya, it was different. She brought out something in me, something I couldn't quite understand, but couldn't resist either. It was like a hunger, a need that grew stronger every time I saw her, every time I pushed her buttons and watched her squirm.

I wanted to break her.

I wanted to see just how far I could push before she shattered completely. But it wasn't just about breaking her–it was about breaking her down and putting her back together the way I wanted. The way I needed

But I had to be careful. I couldn't let her see how deep my obsession went, how much I craved her, needed her. Not yet. I had to keep her guessing, keep her on edge. I had to make her come to me.

And she would. I could see it in her eyes, in the way she looked at me like she hated me, but couldn't look away. She was just as trapped as I was, caught in this twisted game we were playing.

But this wasn't just a game. Not anymore.

It was late, the campus nearly deserted, when I finally left the library. The night was cold, the air biting against my skin as I walked through the empty streets. I should have gone back to my dorm, but something pulled me in another direction.

I found myself outside her dorm, staring up at the window that I knew was hers. The light was still on, a faint glow in the darkness. I could see her shadow moving behind the curtains, pacing back and forth.

She was thinking about me. I knew it.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, a thrill of satisfaction that made me clench my fists. I wanted to be inside that room, to be closer to her, to feel her fear and her desire, to see how far she'd go to keep up the charade.

But I had to be patient. I had to wait for the right moment.

As I turned to leave, I felt a pair of eyes on me, watching from the shadows. I stopped, my heart racing, as I scanned the darkness for the source. But there was nothing, just the cold night and the empty street.

Shaking it off, I walked away, forcing myself to stay calm. But the feeling lingered, a gnawing sensation at the back of my mind. Maybe it was just paranoia, the result of the games we were playing. Or maybe... maybe someone else was watching too.

But who? And why?

The thought unsettled me, but I pushed it aside. I couldn't afford distractions, not now. I had to focus on Riya, on what was happening between us.

Because whatever this was, it was spiraling out of control.

And I wasn't sure if I wanted to stop it.