As the culture festival neared, Damian found himself overwhelmed by the amount of attention from his female classmates. Every day seemed to bring a new interaction that felt like a rerun of the last.
"Hey, Damian, wanna walk around the festival with me?" one girl asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with hope.
Damian sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, Do I even know this person? He forced a polite smile and rejected the offer, as he had done countless times that week. It was becoming unbearable, the constant barrage of attention, all of it feeling empty and meaningless.
The festival hadn't even started, and already, it felt more like a chore than something to look forward to. Only one person's company seemed to make sense to him these days, but she was probably the last person he could ask.
Anya threw herself wholeheartedly into the event planning, working closely with Becky on all the details for their anime cosplay café. Becky had quickly dubbed her the "anime expert" because of her extensive knowledge on the subject. From costumes to decorations, Anya was determined to make the event a success. She barely had time to think about anything else, much less the idea of walking around the festival with someone.
While many of the other girls giggled and gossiped about who they hoped to spend time with, Anya remained focused, her mind running through a list of anime references they could incorporate into the café. She was in her element, and the excitement of dressing up as her favorite characters far outweighed any thoughts of romantic festival plans.
"Anya-chan" becky sang songed, "I appreciate you working hard, but shouldn't you take it easy?" She asked
"Yeah, sorry, i was really into it, i really like anime" Anya blushed embarrassed
"On the day I'll make you have time to go around with Damian" Becky smirked as she leaned closer to Anya teasingly
"Why Damian? Why not you?" Anya asked
"Because I have a date" becky said, Anya's head perked up curiously "You have a date? With who?" She asked
"This really cute guy in the basketball club" she said grinning excitedly
Anya blinked in surprise, "Wait, what? Since when?" she asked, still trying to process the news.
Becky giggled, clearly enjoying Anya's reaction. "Since a couple of days ago! He asked me after practice. I figured the festival would be a perfect time to hang out."
Anya grinned, happy for her friend but also trying to deflect the teasing about Damian. "That's awesome! But seriously, why Damian? He is my friend, but Why do you always have to push him on me?"
Becky leaned in with a knowing smirk. "Because, Anya-chan, it's obvious. You two have that spark."
"I have no idea what you're talking about" she muttered as she stormed off.
Anya sighed, her breath visible in the chilly air as she stood outside, trying to shake the lingering thoughts. "He's just my friend," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms tighter over her chest. Yet, no matter how much she tried to convince herself, there was a small part of her that couldn't let go of the idea that Damian was different. He wasn't the arrogant scion of the Desmond family anymore, but even without his prestigious background, he still seemed leagues ahead of her—smart, composed, and always just out of reach.
Why did that bother her so much?
"Just Friend's," she told herself again, though the words felt weak.
"That sounds so wrong..." Anya thought, glancing over at Damian, who looked apologetic as yet another girl spoke to him. A knot formed in her chest, tightening as she watched the exchange. She couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling, even though she tried to convince herself it didn't matter.
As she watched him, the girl he was speaking to walked away with a disappointed look. Damian ran a hand through his hair and started toward the classroom, where Anya was standing. Her heart skipped a beat as he approached. He wasn't just a friend—not anymore, and maybe he never was, he wasn't her rival, but that didn't sound right.
She tried to play it cool, but her mind raced. He had always been more than just a classmate, and now that realization hit harder than ever.
—
She sat down at her computer, her fingers hovering over the keys as she searched for an explanation for the knot in her chest. She typed in things like "feeling anxious around someone" and "can't stop thinking about a person," but each search led her to the same result: "You're in love."
Anya groaned, slumping back in her chair. It must be true then, she thought, a mixture of frustration and resignation settling in. There was no point in denying it anymore—she had feelings for Damian. She stared at the screen for a few more seconds before shaking her head.
Well, I should at least console Becky first, she decided, pushing herself up from her desk. It wasn't fair to leave her friend hanging, especially when Becky was so adamant on them getting together.
YOU ARE READING
Rival Offline (Anya Forger x Damian Desmond)
FanfictionCOMPLETED Anya couldn't stand how Damian always dominated the school exam leaderboard. She vowed to beat him, fueled by her frustration. Meanwhile, Damian loved to tease her, but was there more to his behavior than just ego? Online, as Sakura and K...
