Rebel Hearts

Clashing Currents

The party had come to an end, but the tension between Brooklyn and Taryn lingered long after the last of the guests disappeared. The night had faded into a quiet calm, but St. Augustine's halls were never fully silent. Brooklyn could still hear the distant sound of laughter from a few stragglers in the dorms, though the moonlit corridors she walked were nearly empty.

Brooklyn was in no rush to get back to her room. Her mind was too wired, and her heart still raced from the strange, electrified connection that had pulsed between her and Taryn all night. It wasn't just anger, and it wasn't just competition—there was something more, something neither of them could quite figure out.

She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and wandered toward the outdoor courtyard, the cool night air a welcome relief. There was something peaceful about the open space, something that let her clear her head after the crowded party. She needed the quiet to sort through what had happened.

Brooklyn paused by the stone fountain in the middle of the courtyard, staring down at the rippling water. Her reflection wavered, and for a moment, she felt like it mirrored how she felt inside—unsteady, uncertain.

But before she could dive too deep into her thoughts, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind snapped her out of it.

"Thought I'd find you here," a familiar voice called out, cutting through the quiet night. Brooklyn didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

Taryn.

Of course, it was her. Brooklyn's shoulders tensed, but she didn't move. She wasn't about to let Taryn see how much she affected her.

"You stalking me now?" Brooklyn muttered, her voice carrying a sharp edge as she turned around slowly, eyes locking onto Taryn's figure as she stepped closer. Taryn was dressed in her usual effortlessly rebellious style—leather jacket, ripped jeans, and that perpetual smirk that seemed to be permanently etched onto her face.

"Please," Taryn scoffed, leaning casually against the fountain, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You're not that interesting."

Brooklyn raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a half-smile despite herself. "Right. That's why you've been keeping tabs on me all night."

Taryn shrugged, nonchalant, but there was something more in her gaze, something Brooklyn couldn't quite place. "Just making sure you're not getting yourself into trouble. It's my job to keep the new girl in line."

Brooklyn crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly as she stepped closer to Taryn, challenging her. "I don't need a babysitter."

Taryn's smirk only widened, but Brooklyn caught the brief flicker of something darker behind it. "Could've fooled me, considering you've already landed yourself in detention more than once."

Brooklyn's jaw tightened. She didn't talk about the detentions, didn't feel the need to explain herself. But Taryn was pushing, and Brooklyn wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

"Detention's nothing new for me," Brooklyn said, her voice low. "Guess I just have a knack for breaking rules."

Taryn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Breaking rules? That's cute. What are you in for this time?"

Brooklyn leaned back against the fountain, pretending to be casual, though her pulse quickened at the sudden intimacy of the moment. "Skipping classes, sneaking out, getting into it with some of the staff. Take your pick."

Taryn's eyes flickered with amusement, but there was something deeper there too, a recognition that Brooklyn wasn't just some naïve new girl playing at being rebellious. Brooklyn had her own fire, and it wasn't one to be easily contained.