Torn Between Rivals

2

I was halfway to my next class when I saw him-devon, leaning against the lockers at the far end of the hallway. My heart immediately started racing, a sharp stab of anxiety pulsing through me. I hadn't spoken to him since I saw him again at break time, and I was hoping to keep it that way. But now, here he was, standing in my path like a ghost from a part of my life I wanted to forget.

I could've turned around. I should've turned around. But something in his gaze, that familiar intensity, pulled me in like it always had. Against my better judgment, I kept walking toward him, my steps slower with every second that passed.

As I got closer, devon's eyes locked onto mine, that same old smirk creeping onto his face-the one that used to make me feel special, but now just made my skin crawl.

"Hey, aurora," he said softly, like we hadn't been through hell. Like he hadn't torn me apart piece by piece.

I swallowed hard, gripping my books tighter against my chest. "What do you want, devon?"

He pushed off the lockers and took a step toward me, his presence suffocating. "We never really got to talk. You've been avoiding me."

I laughed bitterly, though it felt like a hollow sound leaving my lips. "Yeah, I wonder why."

His expression darkened, the familiar flicker of control slipping just beneath his charm. "Come on, don't act like that. We had something real, and you know it. You can't just pretend like it didn't happen."

I shook my head, my chest tightening with frustration. "Whatever we had, it's over. It should've stayed over. I'm not that girl anymore, devon. You can't" My voice cracked, and I cursed myself for letting him get to me. I hated that after everything, he still had this effect on me.

He stepped closer, and I instinctively backed up, my back hitting the lockers with a thud. My heart pounded in my ears.

"You think you're different now?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can just walk away from everything? From me?"

Before I could respond, I heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the hall. I turned my head just as cj rounded the corner, his usual swagger faltering for a split second when he saw us. His eyes flicked between devon and me, the tension in the air impossible to ignore.

"What the hell's going on here?" cj's voice broke the silence, and I could see the curiosity and something else flicker across his face. He crossed his arms, looking between us like he had just walked in on something far more personal than he'd expected.

devon, of course, didn't miss a beat. His whole demeanor shifted in an instant, the threatening edge melting away as he turned to face cj with that same casual smirk. "Nothing to worry about, man," devon said smoothly. "Just catching up with an old friend, that's all."

cj raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. His gaze shifted back to me, and for the first time since I'd met him, he didn't have a snide remark waiting on his lips. He just stood there, eyes narrowing slightly as if he was trying to piece together something he didn't fully understand.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything to get out of the situation, but the words caught in my throat. My skin burned with the pressure of devon's presence, of cj's watchful eyes. I hated feeling this exposed, like both of them could see right through me.

"Doesn't look like nothing," cj said finally, his voice flat. He glanced at me again, and this time, his tone changed, more pointed. "You okay, aurora?"

I nodded quickly, but it didn't feel convincing. "Yeah, I'm fine."

devon let out a short laugh, the sound grating. "See? She's fine. Told you, nothing to worry about."