𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 | 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 |
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 from the argument with my dad when there was a soft knock on my door. Before I could even say anything, it opened, and Sienna peeked her head in, her long hair falling over one shoulder.

"Hey," she said quietly, stepping inside.

"Why haven't you been down for dinner?" I asked, trying to push the irritation from my voice. "You just skipped it?"

Sienna shrugged, making her way to my bed and sitting down. "I wanted to eat in my room," she said, looking a little guilty. She glanced up at me, her big eyes filled with that kind of innocent concern only she could have. "I heard Dad yelling at you. He's so tough on you. I'm sorry."

That softened me instantly. Sienna was the only one in this house who didn't have an agenda, who didn't expect anything from me other than just being her brother. I pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tight.

"Don't worry about it, kid," I murmured, feeling her small frame relax against me. "It's just how he is."

When we pulled away, Sienna glanced down at my phone that was still lying on the bed beside me. Her eyes lit up when she spotted the picture of Catalina. It was just a random shot I'd saved from Catalina's insta, but Sienna noticed immediately.

"She's really pretty," she said with a sly smile. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Nah," I said, trying to brush it off, but a smile tugged at my lips anyway.

"Why not?" Sienna asked, her voice genuinely curious. "She looks like a princess."

"Because," I started, hesitating for a second. "I don't think she even likes me."

"Why?" She tilted her head, confused. "Are you mean to her?"

I let out a small laugh. "Yeah... just a little."

Sienna frowned, crossing her arms. "You can't be mean to a girl if you like her. She won't like you back if you do that. That's not how it works, Rafe."

Her matter-of-fact tone made me smile, but I just shrugged. "It's complicated."

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"So, what's going on with you?" I asked, leaning back against my headboard. "Any boyfriends I should know about?" I gave her a teasing grin, playing the role of the overprotective older brother.

Her eyes went wide as she shook her head quickly, looking horrified. "Ew, no! I'm only twelve, Rafe. Boys are gross."

I chuckled. "Good. Keep it that way." I raised a mock-serious eyebrow. "But if anyone even tries, you let me know. I'll take care of it."

She giggled at that,her eyes lighting up"Yeah, yeah. Like you'd be able to scare anyone."

I clutched my chest dramatically. "You wound me, Sienna. I could be a scary big brother if I wanted to. Ask anyone at school." I smirked, though I knew it was true. Most people knew not to mess with me—except Catalina, of course. She was the one who pushed every button, whether she meant to or not.

Sienna leaned back, the playful atmosphere easing some of the tension that had been building up in me since the fight with Dad. She was always good at that—making things seem less serious, less heavy. But when her gaze drifted back to my phone and the photo of Catalina, her curiosity returned.

"She's still really pretty," Sienna repeated, her voice a little softer this time.

"You're right," I admitted with a sigh. "still doesn't make it easy though."

Sienna gave me a long look before shrugging. "Whatever. You're always making things complicated." She stood up from the bed, stretching as she made her way to the door. "I'm going to sleep now."

I nodded, watching her leave. "Goodnight, Sienna. Don't let the gross boys get to you."

"Night, Rafe," she called back with a soft smile, closing the door behind her.

As soon as she left, the room fell into silence again. I stared at the picture of Catalina on my phone, thinking about what Sienna had said. Part of me knew she was right. I couldn't keep playing this game forever. But that didn't change anything. Not yet.

Catalina's POV

Alejandro was ranting beside me, going on about how much he missed the old Sofia. "She used to be so sweet, you know? Now, I don't even recognize her.
Rafe... he's messed her up."
I nodded, half-listening. I didn't care much about Sofia or her transformation. The girl barely mattered to me, but Alejandro had been in love with her for so long that I couldn't just ignore him. He always watched her from a distance, hoping she'd finally notice him, but she never did. Her attention was all wrapped up in other guys and now in Rafe.

Speak of the devil.

Rafe strutted into the classroom with Lucas trailing behind him, who was flipping through a book, probably cramming for the test next period. Rafe didn't look nervous, but I knew he wasn't prepared.

"Catalina," Rafe said as he reached my desk. His eyes were sharp, demanding. "Help me out with this test."

I didn't even bother looking up at him. "No," I replied flatly, going back to pretending to care about Alejandro's rant.
But then I remembered...fuck

I glanced at him, biting the inside of my cheek. "Fine. I'll help you."

Alejandro looked at me, confused.
"Why the hell are you helping him?" he asked, his voice low.
I shrugged. "Don't make a big deal out of it." Alejandro's suspicion hung heavy, but I didn't give him any more to go on. We swapped seats, and Rate sat next to me, smug as always.

The test began, and we were doing everything on tablets. I breezed through mine quickly, and then, without hesitation, I started Rafe's.

That's when I felt it—a light touch on my thigh. Rafe's hand. I froze for a moment, trying not to react. His fingers slowly moved, stroking my skin in a way that felt deliberate, almost like a silent taunt. My pulse quickened, but I kept my eyes on the tablet.

I should have shoved his hand off. I should have slapped him or made a scene. But I couldn't, not without getting caught. Not without drawing attention. Instead, I sat there, feeling the warmth of his hand on my thigh. I hated how it made me feel... hot, flushed. There was something dangerously comforting about his touch, something that I liked far more than I wanted to admit.
He wasn't rough or forceful. His touch was soft, teasing. And the heat it sent rushing through me was both infuriating and undeniable.

I finished his test as quickly as I could, trying to ignore the tension building between us, trying to ignore the way my body was responding to him. When the lesson ended, I grabbed my things and made a beeline for the door, wanting to escape before he could say anything.

But he was faster.

Rafe caught me just outside the classroom, his hand wrapping around my arm and pulling me back toward him. Before I could protest, he leaned in and hugged me, his mouth so close to my ear that I could feel his breath on my skin. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

I stood there, stiff, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down my spine.
"Don't push your luck," I whispered back, my voice breathy, before pulling away from him.