Aella had always found solace on the rooftop of their school. It was her escape-a place where the world below faded away, and she could breathe freely, far from the prying eyes of her classmates. But today was different. The usual calm of the rooftop was punctured by a low, unfamiliar sound.
As she stepped onto the concrete, Aella froze, her heart racing. There, slouched against the fence, sat Grayson. The light of the fading sun cast long shadows across his face, but it was the blood dripping from his cheek and nose that stole her breath away.
"Grayson?" she called out, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
He looked up, his expression a mix of surprise and defiance. The cigarette between his fingers glowed faintly, smoke curling into the air as if to escape the tension brewing between them. Aella took a tentative step closer, instinctively reaching for her phone, ready to call for help.
"Don't," he snapped, his voice rough but steady. "I don't need you to play the hero."
The sight of him like this stirred something within her-a cocktail of anger, concern, and the inexplicable pull that had always drawn her to him, even when she wanted to resist. "You look like you need help, Grayson. What happened?"
He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Just a little fight. Nothing I can't handle."
Aella's gaze narrowed, taking in the bruises beginning to form around his eyes and the way he held his head at an awkward angle, as if even the slightest movement would send a shock of pain through him. "That doesn't look like nothing."
Grayson raised an eyebrow, his smirk tinged with pain. "And here I thought you hated me."
"I do," she shot back, but her voice lacked the conviction she intended. There was something disarming about seeing him vulnerable, something that made her defenses waver. "But I can't just ignore you bleeding out here."
He took a long drag from his cigarette, the ember brightening as he exhaled slowly, watching the smoke swirl away. "Funny how that works, huh? One moment you can't stand someone, and the next, you're worried about them."
Aella's heart raced, caught in a dangerous loop of frustration and curiosity. "I'm not worried about you," she insisted, though even she could hear the lie in her words.
"Sure, Aella. Whatever you say."
The rooftop felt smaller, the air charged with an unspoken tension. She could either turn away, retreat back into the safety of her own world, or she could confront the complicated mess that was Grayson. With a deep breath, she chose the latter, stepping closer until she could see the storm brewing in his eyes.
"Why do you keep pushing me away?"
His gaze softened, just for a moment, before the walls slammed back down. "Maybe it's easier that way."
As she stared into his eyes, a familiar question echoed in her mind: How was it possible to hate someone so much yet feel a part of herself slip away when he was out of reach? Aella had never been one to shy away from confrontation, and today, she felt a spark of something else-a flicker of hope amid the chaos.
"Let me help," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Grayson held her gaze, the tension thick between them. "Why would you want to?"
Aella didn't have an answer, not yet. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, she felt the weight of their rivalry shift.
Because I don't want my enemy to get beaten up by anyone else excpect me so yeah that's how it work aella replied trying to cover up her care.
Grayson stared at her, disbelief flickering in his eyes. "Is that really your excuse? You don't want anyone else to do the job for you?"
YOU ARE READING
RIVALS IN THE HALLWAYS
Romance"Aella and Grayson were inseparable as kids, the perfect duo-until middle school hit. What once was friendship turned into fierce rivalry, with both determined to outshine the other at every turn. Now in high school, their competition has only heate...
