𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 | 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤 |
𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆, Adriana and I headed straight to my car. We settled into the plush leather seats, and my chauffeur waited for the go-ahead, though we were both too absorbed in the latest bit of school drama to give it. Adriana was animated, her hands waving around as she recounted the latest gossip.
It was one of those days when I was content to just listen, letting her voice fill the car.

Just as she was diving into the juiciest part, there was a sudden knock on my window. I glanced over, surprised. Adriana and I exchanged a look, both a little annoyed at the interruption. I gave a slight nod to my chauffeur, who rolled down the tinted window to reveal Rafe and Lucas standing there.

Rafe looked entirely too pleased with himself, as if he knew he'd disrupted something on purpose.

"Catalina," he drawled, leaning against the door casually. "Just thought l'd let you know-you and your parents are coming to my place for dinner tonight."

I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms. "And they couldn't tell me that themselves?"
Rafe shrugged, feigning
indifference. "I don't know. My parents just told me to pass the message."

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to hide my irritation. "Whatever."

Rafe and Lucas seemed ready to walk away when Adriana, with a sudden spark in her eyes, turned to them. "Hey, you two want to come with us to the mall?"

I shot her a silent look, screaming, What the fuck are you doing? But she ignored me, her eyes already on Lucas. It was clear she was hoping he'd say yes.

Lucas, apparently thrilled at the invitation, nodded immediately.
"Sure, sounds fun," he said, grinning as he slid into the front seat across from her.

Rafe glanced at me, then back at Adriana, looking slightly reluctant but finally giving in with a sigh, joining Lucas up front.

With everyone settled, I nodded to my chauffeur, who pulled out of the parking lot. As the car glided onto the road, Lucas and Adriana immediately started talking and laughing, completely at ease.
Meanwhile, Rafe was close enough that his presence felt impossible to ignore, despite the silence between us.

𝜗𝜚

The mall was bustling, but Adriana and I breezed through the stores, pointing out dresses and accessories, while Rafe and Lucas trailed behind us like loyal bag carriers. To my surprise, Rafe was... well, actually helpful. No sarcastic comments, no digs, just him carrying my bags and, once or twice, offering his opinion on some of the dresses I tried on. When I slipped into a sleek, pink dress for tonight's dinner, Rafe's nod of approval felt strangely genuine.
I wasn't sure what to make of it.

Meanwhile, Adriana and Lucas were still on their own mission to find a bag Adriana had been obsessing over. While they scoured yet another store, I took the chance to pull Rafe toward a little cafe tucked away in a quieter part of the mall.

Inside, the atmosphere felt surprisingly relaxed. It was like we weren't Catalina and Rafe, the two people who had been practically at each other's throats. I found myself laughing at his surprisingly tame comments, but I kept reminding myself—this was the same guy who'd threatened to ruin me just days ago. But what if Adriana was right? What if he did it because he was obsessed with me? Was that even a good thing?

We browsed the small menu, though I already knew what I wanted. "Matcha latte," I said confidently.

Rafe raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Matcha? You actually like that grass-flavored stuff?"

I rolled my eyes. "It doesn't taste like grass. You just don't have refined taste."

"Oh, refined taste," he teased, crossing his arms. "Well, I'll take this 'grass drink' over whatever sugar bomb you're getting."

The playful exchange continued until we finally got our drinks and found a cozy corner to sit down. After a sip of my matcha, I caught him eyeing it with a hint of suspicion, while he took a slow sip of his own iced coffee. When I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose a bit, he smirked. I remembered it being much better.

"Here," he said, nudging his cup toward me. "Take a sip of something with real taste."

I raised an eyebrow but took a sip. Okay, it was way better than my drink, rich and just the right amount of sweet. He noticed the way my face changed and laughed softly.

"Alright, fine. Yours is better," I admitted, pushing my cup toward him. He took it, grimaced, and dramatically shuddered, which made me laugh again. "You're not so bad after all, you know that?"

Rafe chuckled, but his eyes held something darker. "Saying that about a guy who threatened you? A little crazy, don't you think?"

His words hit harder than I'd expected. I hesitated, finally asking, "Would you really do it?"

For a moment, he looked at me, his expression unreadable. But just as quickly, he shrugged, changing the subject. "So, what are you wearing to dinner?" he asked, steering us back to safer ground, but leaving my question hanging, unanswered.

I rolled my eyes. "The pink dress you helped me pick out."

He nodded, with that cocky half-smile. "You really like pink, don't you?"

Before I could respond, he leaned closer, fingers reaching out and catching the ribbon choker around my neck. He gave it a small tug, his eyes tracing a line from my lips up to meet my gaze. My heart raced, but I didn't let it show. I held his stare, refusing to back down, even as a hint of something electrifying sparks between us.

"I love it," I said coolly, voice steady despite the way my pulse was hammering. "I think it looks good on me."

"It really does," he murmured, finally leaning back into his chair, eyes lingering just a second too long before drifting away. There was a tension hanging in the air—unspoken but undeniable—and I had to remind myself that I shouldn't let him get this close.

Then, Adriana and Lucas strolled up, looking like they've just won the lottery. Adriana was holding her bag like it's a prize, and Lucas was smiling just as widely, eyes fixed on her with obvious admiration. They were beaming, and for a second, they really did look like the perfect couple.

"Look at you two," I teased, breaking the moment. "Should we leave you alone, or what?"

Adriana rolled her eyes, but there's a glint of happiness there that was hard to miss.