sinners of the night (dark romance) READ!!

Duo

Lila's POV
The next day feels different. It's subtle, but I can feel it the moment I open my eyes. The weight that's been pressing down on my chest isn't gone, not completely, but it's lighter. Easier to manage.
I sit up in bed, running a hand through my hair, and glance around the room. My dorm. Elodie's dorm. A part of me still hates being here, surrounded by everything that reminds me of her. But today... I don't feel as suffocated.
I get up and head to the mirror, staring at my reflection. The girl looking back at me is pale, underweight, her tan skin dulled and drained of the color that once made me look alive. I look tired. Not just physically, but something deeper, as if the exhaustion is seeping into my bones.
But for the first time in what feels like forever, I care. I actually care.
I move with purpose as I shower, scrubbing away the grime of the past week, the remnants of sleepless nights and broken memories. When I get out, I take my time getting dressed—my uniform fitting a little looser than it should, but I'll deal with that later. For now, I'm focused on feeling like myself again.
I brush my hair, applying a bit of makeup to bring some color back to my face, and by the time I'm finished, I almost look... normal. Maybe not the old Lila, but not the ghost I've been lately.
When I step out of the dorm, the chill of the morning air hits me, but it doesn't stop me. I walk through the halls with my head held high, my steps steady. The stares, the whispers—they're still there. I can feel them trailing behind me like shadows, but today, I don't care. Let them watch. Let them talk.
For the first time in a long time, I'm not ashamed. I'm not hiding.
The halls are buzzing with the usual chaos, but I move through them like I own the place. In some ways, I do. Or at least, I used to. Being the "it girl" was never something I asked for, but it was a title that came naturally. Girls hated me, boys adored me, and I wore that crown without even trying.
I've lost some of that, I know it. After Elodie, after the breakdown, everything changed. But today feels like the beginning of something new. Or maybe it's just me, putting the pieces back together.
As I walk, I catch a glimpse of Felix leaning against one of the lockers, his dark eyes scanning the crowd like he's waiting for something. Or someone.
When our eyes meet, something shifts between us. It's subtle, but I can feel it—the tension, the pull. He's still that cold, distant bad boy, but there's something more there now. Something unspoken.
I don't avoid him. I walk straight towards him, my head high, my steps confident. His eyes track my movements, dark and unreadable, but he doesn't say anything. Not at first.
"Look who decided to show up," he murmurs, his voice low and rough.
I stop in front of him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Disappointed?"
His lips twitch into something that almost looks like a smirk, but there's no humor in it. "Not yet."
I roll my eyes, but I don't let him get under my skin. Not today. I'm not in the mood for his games, and honestly, I don't think he's in the mood for them either. There's something different about the way he's looking at me—like he's waiting for me to break again. But I'm not going to. Not today.
"You look... better," he says after a moment, his eyes scanning my face like he's assessing every detail.
I shrug. "I feel better."
It's not a lie. I do feel better. Not perfect, not fixed, but better. I've been seeing Josh more, trying to reconnect with him despite the distance our dad's created. My friends... well, most of them are gone now. They tried to stay, but I pushed them away, too far for them to reach me. I don't blame them.
Felix studies me for a moment longer, his expression unreadable, and then he pushes off the locker, standing to his full height. "Good."
I don't know what I expected him to say, but it wasn't that. He turns and starts walking down the hall, and without thinking, I follow.
We don't talk much as we make our way through the halls, but there's a sense of ease between us that wasn't there before. Maybe it's because we've been through enough shit together to make this silence less uncomfortable. Or maybe it's because I'm finally not trying so hard to keep him at arm's length.
By the time we reach the cafeteria, I'm feeling more like myself. Not the fragile, broken girl I've been lately, but the Lila who doesn't back down. The Lila who can handle the whispers, the stares, and the rumors.
We walk in, and the buzz of conversation fills the air, but it doesn't bother me. I grab a tray, loading it up with food—not because I'm particularly hungry, but because I know I need to eat. Felix watches me, his expression unreadable, but he doesn't say anything as I sit down at one of the tables.
Grayson joins us a few minutes later, sliding into the seat across from me. His icy blue eyes flick over me, assessing, judging. He doesn't say anything at first, but I can feel the weight of his gaze.
"You're back," he says finally, his voice cool and detached.
"I never left," I reply, my tone just as cold.
He smirks, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "You sure about that?"
I glare at him, but I don't rise to the bait. Grayson's always been like this—calculated, sharp, always knowing exactly where to hit to get a reaction. But I'm not playing his game today.
"I'm here now," I say instead, my voice steady.
Felix glances between us, but he stays quiet, letting the tension simmer. He's always been good at that—letting things boil just beneath the surface without ever tipping them over.
Grayson leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Good."
The rest of breakfast passes in relative silence, but I don't mind. I'm focused on keeping myself grounded, on staying in control. Every step today feels like I'm reclaiming something I lost, and I'm not going to let anyone take that from me—not Felix, not Grayson, not anyone.