𝙁𝙊𝙍𝘽𝙄𝘿𝘿𝙀𝙉 [𝟭𝟴+]

Ten

Damon's presence lingers in the room like a storm on the horizon. The air seems charged with an energy I can't ignore, like the world around me is holding its breath. His gaze never leaves mine, and I can feel the weight of it pressing against me, pulling me into some invisible game neither of us has fully acknowledged.

I glance down at my desk, trying to focus, but it's like trying to read a book in a hurricane. Sinn's voice is distant in the background, a low murmur I can't quite tune in to. I'm stuck in this strange limbo between two worlds—one where everything is normal and safe, and another where Damon's eyes are the only thing that matters.

"...seriously, are you even listening?" Sinn's voice breaks through my thoughts, his tone a little more annoyed than usual. I look up, meeting his gaze for the first time since Damon walked in.

"Sorry, what?" I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sinn frowns, but before he can say anything, the teacher walks in, silencing the room. Everyone shifts into their seats, and I instinctively pull out my notebook, though my mind is far from the lesson. The numbers on the board blur into a haze of meaningless lines and shapes.

Damon's shadow looms in the corner of my vision. He's leaning against the back wall of the classroom, arms crossed, his eyes never leaving me. It's maddening how effortlessly he commands the space without even trying. His aura is overwhelming. The whole room feels smaller when he's around.

I bite my lip, trying to ignore the buzzing in my ears. The tension is almost unbearable.

I hear Sinn's voice again, but this time he's trying to whisper so the teacher doesn't catch us. "You're not even pretending to care about math. What's up with you today?"

I glance at Sinn, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, just... distracted." My words feel hollow, but Sinn doesn't seem to notice. His focus is still on the board, and I can't help but be grateful for that.

But then, of course, my eyes find Damon again. His gaze sharpens, the corners of his mouth tugging up ever so slightly. He knows.

Damon always knows.

I can't help but feel a pull toward him, as if there's some invisible thread that connects us, something he's deliberately weaving that I can't escape. Part of me wants to turn and challenge him outright, to go up to him and ask him what he wants. But another part of me—one that's more honest—knows I'd never make the first move. Not without something more than a dare in his eyes.

He's waiting for me to take the bait.

And I don't know how much longer I can pretend I won't.

The class drags on. I try to write notes, but my hand is sluggish, the pencil moving over the paper without purpose. My thoughts keep drifting, spiraling, to the way Damon's lips curved when he first walked in, the dark gleam in his eyes. I can't deny the allure, the danger that comes with him.

"You're really lost in your own world today," Sinn mutters, his voice a little more concerned now.

I glance up at him, and he gives me an odd look. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, just... tired. You know how it is." I flash him a quick smile, but he's not convinced. He's not stupid.

But before he can press further, the bell rings, signaling the end of class. I snap my notebook shut and gather my things quickly, eager to escape the tightness in my chest. Sinn doesn't seem to notice, or if he does, he doesn't say anything. He's already standing, ready to leave.

"Come on," he says, holding out his hand. "You can nap on me during lunch."

I force a smile and take his hand, letting him pull me out of the classroom. The hallways are busy as usual, students chatting in groups, but my mind is still locked on Damon, even though I'm hundreds of yards away from that math room.

We make our way to the cafeteria, and I try to shake off the unease swirling in my stomach. But even the usual chaos of the lunchroom can't drown out the nagging pull of Damon's presence.

Sinn and I sit down at our usual table, but my eyes are constantly searching the room for Damon. I hate that I can't help it. That I can't get his dark, unsettling gaze out of my mind.

"You're not really going to keep staring at him, are you?" Sinn asks suddenly, his voice breaking through my spiral.

I look up at him, startled. He's watching me with a half-amused, half-accusing expression. "What?" I snap, defensive.

"Don't think I haven't noticed," he says quietly, leaning in a little closer, "You've been looking for him all morning."

I feel my face flush, and I try to shake my head, but I can't deny it. "I'm not," I lie, glancing away. "Just... tired. It's nothing."

Sinn doesn't buy it. "If you say so," he mutters, turning his attention to his food.

I let out a long breath, my fingers tapping nervously on the table. I can feel the weight of Sinn's scrutiny even though he's not saying anything more.

And then—there he is.

Damon walks in, his presence unmistakable as he glides through the room, his gaze sweeping across the cafeteria before settling right on me. My heart skips a beat.

I don't know if it's the way he carries himself, like he's always in control, or the way his dark eyes seem to see right through me, but every part of me is drawn to him. He stops a few feet away from my table, a silent challenge hanging in the air between us.

I can't look away. The pull is too strong.

But before either of us can make a move, someone calls out his name from across the room. It's a guy, one I don't recognize, and Damon glances over his shoulder, then looks back at me with that same unreadable expression.

With a final glance, Damon turns and walks away, but not without leaving me with a sense of unfinished business.

I exhale, trying to steady my racing heart. My hands are trembling slightly as I reach for my drink, but I don't say anything. Sinn's already talking about something else, but all I can think about is Damon.

What game is he playing? And what will happen when I finally take the bait?