Chasing Dreams

Caught (Chapter 17)

Sophia's POV:

The next morning, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, brushing my hair, trying to hide the evidence of last night's events. My fingertips brushed over my neck, and I winced. A couple of dark marks peeked out from under my collar, souvenirs from Christian. Great. Hickeys were not on the agenda for this week.

I pulled my hair forward, trying to cover them up. But with how low they were, it wasn't exactly working. Maybe I could find a scarf or something. I rummaged through my closet, but no luck.

As I walked into school, my nerves were on edge. It was like I was just waiting for someone to point them out. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I checked it quickly—Christian, with a teasing message.

Christian:
You sure you're good for school today? Thought maybe we could spend the morning at my place...

I smirked at the text, but before I could reply, Ariana's voice rang out from behind me.

"Girl, hold up!"

I turned to see her jogging up, her eyes bright like she had something juicy to say. I should have known.

"What's up?" I asked, forcing myself to stay calm as we started walking toward our lockers.

Ariana narrowed her eyes at me, a smirk creeping up her lips. "Don't 'what's up' me. What's that on your neck?"

My heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

Ariana stopped dead in her tracks, reaching out to pull my hair to the side before I could stop her. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw the marks, and a loud gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh. My. God. Are those... hickeys?"

I blushed furiously and swatted her hand away. "Shhh! Keep your voice down!"

She laughed, practically bouncing on her toes. "I knew it! You and Christian have been all over each other lately, but I didn't think you'd actually show up with receipts." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she wiggled her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. We were just... studying."

Ariana burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. "Yeah, studying anatomy, maybe!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculousness. "Okay, fine, but seriously, can you chill? I don't need the whole school knowing."

She shot me a mischievous grin. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. But come on, spill! How was it?"

I bit my lip, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It was... amazing. We've been spending more time together, and last night just... happened."

Ariana's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Girl, I need details! Over lunch, though. I promise not to embarrass you more in front of everyone."

I sighed, shaking my head, but I couldn't help the smile that crept up on my face. As embarrassing as it was, I was kind of glad someone else knew how things were heating up between Christian and me. It was nice to share it with someone, even if Ariana was bound to tease me about it for the rest of the day.

As we made our way to class, I kept adjusting my hair, hoping it would keep the hickeys hidden just a little longer. I wasn't ready for the whole school to see just yet.

Christian's POV:

I could already tell the day was going to be interesting. Walking through the hallway, I could feel eyes on me, whispers already starting. Not that I cared—it was the usual drama you'd expect at a place like Los Angeles Academy. But today, something felt different, more intense. I knew why, and the reason was standing right next to Ariana, probably trying to hide the hickies I left last night.

Bryce walked next to me, talking about some party later in the week, but I wasn't really listening. My eyes were locked on Sophia. She was standing by her locker, casually laughing with Ariana, but I could tell she was trying to play it cool. She looked incredible, of course, but that wasn't what had me smirking.

It was the fact that despite her best attempts to cover it up, I could still see the faint marks I left on her neck. She might've covered them with makeup, but they were still there, just barely visible under the soft light. And knowing that those were from me? Yeah, it gave me a feeling I couldn't quite explain.

As I got closer, I watched Ariana nudge Sophia with her elbow, no doubt teasing her about the marks. Sophia's face turned slightly red, but she kept her composure, shooting Ariana a playful glare. I chuckled under my breath.

Bryce finally noticed where my attention was. "Damn, man, you didn't waste any time, did you?" He grinned, clearly amused.

"Not even gonna lie about it," I replied with a smirk. "Sophia's got a way of making me lose control."

He clapped me on the back. "Well, good luck with that. Ariana's been talking nonstop about those hickies since she saw 'em. Bet half the school knows by now."

I didn't really care about the rumors. Let them talk. The only person I cared about was standing a few feet away, still trying to act like everything was normal. I made my way over, catching Sophia's eye as she looked up and spotted me approaching. Her lips parted in surprise, and for a split second, she hesitated, probably wondering what I was going to say or do.

"Hey," I said, my voice low but teasing, as I stopped in front of her. "Tried to cover 'em up, huh?"

Sophia shot me a look, half-annoyed, half-amused. "You're making it impossible to get through the day without someone noticing, Christian."

I grinned, stepping a little closer, so only she could hear. "Can't say I'm sorry. Looks good on you."

She rolled her eyes, but I could see her cheeks flush. "You're ridiculous."

I laughed, leaning against the locker next to her. "And you love it."

Ariana suddenly cleared her throat dramatically, drawing attention back to her. "Alright, lovebirds, can you save it for later? Some of us don't need to witness your PDA first thing in the morning."

Sophia looked like she was about to throw a comeback, but she just sighed instead, clearly choosing not to engage with Ariana's teasing. "I'm just trying to survive today without being gossiped about for once."

"Too late," Bryce chimed in from behind me. "Half the school knows by now. But hey, it's all good press, right?"

Sophia shot me a glance, and I shrugged, trying not to make it a big deal. "We'll survive."

Ariana crossed her arms, giving Sophia a mischievous look. "Well, if you guys need help with a better cover-up next time, let me know. I've got tips."

Sophia groaned, clearly exasperated, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. I could tell she was enjoying this, even if she didn't want to admit it.

After a few more teasing comments from Ariana and Bryce, the bell rang, signaling it was time to head to class. As we all started walking, I found myself falling in step with Sophia, close enough that my hand brushed against hers. I glanced down at her, and she gave me a quick smile, one that made something twist in my chest.

"Still meeting up later?" I asked under my breath, just loud enough for her to hear.

Sophia nodded, her voice quiet but playful. "Yeah, but try not to leave any more... evidence this time."

I chuckled, leaning in closer. "No promises."

She laughed, shaking her head, and we headed to class together, both of us pretending like nothing had changed, even though everything had.