𝖲𝖫𝖸𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱𝖨𝖭 𝖡𝖮𝖸 𝖮𝖭𝖤𝖲𝖧𝖮𝖳𝖲

𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗢- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘁 (𝗔𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁)

Mattheo strode down the corridor; his gaze caught yours, and with a confident smile, he made his way toward you, the world around him fading into a blur. "Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?" he inquired, his voice laced with a hint of urgency.

"Yes, sure. Is everything okay?" You narrowed your eyes and aimed a fierce glare at him.

Hurt began to swell within him as you approached, your footsteps echoing softly in the silence that surrounded you both. "Yeah, everything's fine," Mattheo replied. "Can we go somewhere a bit more private?" he asked quietly.

"You are starting to worry me, Mattheo," you confessed, a hint of anxiety lacing your voice. Mattheo let out a soft chuckle—a playful attempt to mask the flutter of nerves stirring within him.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad... Just...trust me?" He said and with a subtle nod, you fall in step behind him, curiosity piquing as he guides you into the dimly lit, forgotten classroom.

He cast his gaze downward for a moment, then lifted it to meet yours, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine.

"I have something to confess," he murmured, his gaze locking onto yours.

He inhaled deeply once more, the air filling his lungs as he edged a fraction closer to you.

The tension between you was palpable.

His gaze lingered on you, a silent tension hanging in the air, before he finally broke the silence with his words. "I... I made a bet with Theo that I could make you fall in love with me by the end of the year..."

Every emotion surged within you.

He shifted restlessly, his gaze locking onto yours, searching for any hint of your thoughts and feelings.

"Please... hear me out," he implored, stepping closer, the distance between you shrinking with each heartbeat. "I never should have made that bet. I never should have used you like that..." He inhaled deeply once more, the air filling his lungs as he steadied himself for what lay ahead. "But... please listen. I have genuine feelings for you Y/N."

Conflicted emotions surged within you, a tempest of fury and disbelief.

You longed to unleash a scream, to strike him across the face, yet your body betrayed you, leaving you paralyzed in that moment.

His gaze lingered on you, eyes searching your expression, attempting to unravel the thoughts that danced behind your gaze. With a tender touch, his fingers brushed against yours as he intertwined your hands.

"Please... say something," he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with a desperate longing that hung in the air between them. "What do you expect me to say, Riddle?"

He flinched at the weight of your words, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features. He inhaled deeply once more, the air filling his lungs as he steadied himself for what lay ahead.

"You... have every right to be angry.. I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to talk to me ever again..."

He stepped a fraction closer, his gaze locking onto yours with an intensity that made your heart race. With a tender grace, he reached out, his other hand enveloping yours, fingers intertwining in a delicate dance of connection.

"But... I need you to know that... what I feel for you is real... it's not just part of the bet..."

Your eyes narrowed with a fierce glare directed at him as the pain within you began to spill over; tears cascaded down your cheeks. "Who else is aware of this bet?"

His eyes widened in shock, and a wave of guilt crashed over him, striking him with the force of a freight train. "It's just Theo. He's the only one who knew..." He spoke softly, his thumb gently brushing away the tear that had escaped down your cheek.