Forbidden Chemistry

The Detached Feeling

The next day Astrid walked swiftly through the school hallway, her mind racing as she thought about what awaited her after this final day of school before the weekend. Just one more day. That's all she had to get through, and then she could spend the next two days lost in her thoughts, attempting to sort through the mess that had formed in her mind. She wanted—needed—time to reflect on everything that had happened recently, especially the strange and confusing emotions swirling around inside of her.

Lucian Blackwood.

Her heart thumped a little harder at the thought of his name, which frustrated her beyond belief. What was wrong with her? That was the last thing she needed to focus on right now, especially after what happened in class yesterday. She was determined to avoid any more embarrassing encounters—especially ones that involved stupid questions like, "Would you kiss me if I asked you to?" Astrid cringed inwardly at the memory.

But as she turned the corner, her eyes locked onto the last person she wanted to see right now: Raven Hale.

"Hey, Astrid, is everything alright?" His voice cut through her thoughts, drawing her back to reality. "You aren't picking up my calls—"

Astrid, already on edge, didn't let him finish. "Listen here, Raven Hale," she snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. "From now on, you do not come anywhere near me. You're not going to call me or have anything to do with me!"

Raven blinked in surprise at her outburst, clearly taken aback by the sudden confrontation. "Astrid—why?"

Astrid scoffed, stepping closer to him. Her eyes narrowed as she dropped her voice into a harsh whisper. "So how much did you win on your bet?"

Her words hit him like a punch, and for a moment, Raven stood there, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected her to know, much less confront him about it. Before he could muster a response, Astrid bumped into him on purpose, walking away with her head held high.

Astrid Monroe wasn't the type to take anyone's nonsense, no matter how hurt or vulnerable she felt inside. And today was no exception. She walked past him without looking back, leaving Raven standing alone in the bustling hallway, confused and angry. His pride stung, but more than that, his ego. The bet wasn't over yet, and he wasn't the kind of guy to back down so easily. Raven clenched his jaw, deciding he would live up to his reputation no matter what it took.

As Astrid moved through the hallways, her mind still buzzing with the confrontation, she bumped into Chloe Anderson, her best friend and the one person she confided in about everything.

"What was that with Raven?" Chloe asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she caught the tail end of the scene.

Astrid shrugged, playing it off casually. "Nothing much. Just playing the field."

Chloe raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. "Well, alright then."

The two of them walked hand in hand toward their next class, but Chloe wasn't finished with her questions. "So, what's going on with you and Mr. Blackwood?" she asked suddenly, catching Astrid completely off guard.

The last thing Astrid wanted was to discuss Mr. Blackwood, especially after yesterday's humiliating incident. Her stomach churned at the mention of his name. "What about us?" she responded without thinking, and the second the words left her mouth, she froze.

Us?

Her heart skipped a beat as the realization hit her. She had said us—as if there was some kind of relationship between them. The idea sent a ripple of panic through her, and it must have shown on her face because Chloe immediately looked concerned.