~Valeria~“I don’t want to be compelled into saying yes so please, give me time at least.” I told him. He held my hand up and kissed it softly. “You know I have a lot of patience to wait. Don’t just date any other guy while keeping me at the crossroads of your heart.”“I have no interest in dating anyone…”“Else.” He finished my sentence with a wink, and damn it, there it was again, that stupid blush creeping up my neck.He grinned at my reaction and took my hands, guiding me gently to sit down. “Come on, let’s just enjoy the rest of our date.”He set the food down in front of us, and we ate, laughed at his ridiculous jokes, and joked about everything. The evening flew by faster than I’d expected, and before I knew it, I realized how late it had gotten.“Mom’s gonna kill me,” I muttered, glancing at the time. “She’ll be worried.”Zane raised an eyebrow. "What’s the matter? You’re worried your mom's gonna be mad, or are you just looking for an excuse to leave?"He got up and helped me
~Valeria~Zane swept me off my feet the day he sent a servant with a gift box and a text that read, There’s a dress in there, please wear it. I wanna take you somewhere.The servant didn’t say anything else about where he was taking me to. And maybe I should’ve sent the gift back. Maybe I should’ve blocked his number like every self-respecting girl does when her ex can’t seem to understand the line “we are never getting back together.” But instead I stood in front of my mirror for twenty minutes, debating if the sundress made me look too soft.I ended up wearing it anyway.It was pale yellow, off-shoulder, with a skirt that floated when I walked. The kind of thing you wear to a brunch date with someone who hasn’t broken your heart. But I wore it for him whether I want to admit it or not.Zane was already waiting by the car when I stepped outside, leaning against the door with his eyes focused on something else but me. The setting sun hit just right, on his handsome face that remin
~Valeria~“What is that supposed to mean? If you weren’t such a loser, maybe you’d have been my knight in shining armor…” I eyed him with all the disdain I could muster.Then a flash of realization hit me, and my eyes lit up with an idea. I gritted my teeth, unable to stop the bitter words that slipped from my lips.“Oh, wait! You were, but you ruined it.”Zane’s stance melted. For a moment, I almost thought he might say something self-deprecating or at least back down. But no, not Zane. His pride was way worse than Alerion. “To forgive is divine, Valeria.”“You make it sound like I drove a dagger through your heart.” He tried to demean the situation.“Oh, yes, you did!”“You broke me over and over again. Everytime I look at you, I wish I never said yes to you in the first place.”“You didn’t want me when you had me so why are you after me now! Why can’t you let me be with the people that keep me happy?” I tried not to yell at his face. “That’s too harsh, Val.”“At least, give me a
~Valeria~I never thought I would ever be in the right position to say this but school wasn’t so bad anymore. My grades started topping the charts and it was all thanks to my charming professor which you can already guess.Caius.He was patient with me even when I accepted my failure. He made everything so easy to understand that his formulas were better than that of my teachers.And the best part? I finally became confident again. I was no longer sour or depressed no matter how the bullies tried to get under my skin.It wasn’t like they stopped, of course. I just cared more about other joyful moments like the time I didn’t dread getting my test results back. Somewhere along the way, their words started feeling like a tiny prick to a numbed skin. I started staring at them straight in the face, daring them to do their worst. Caius noticed. And he didn’t say much about it, but the way he smiled at me like he knew I was finally seeing myself the way he saw me made everything worth it.
~Caius~ In a way that felt… loaded like I was ruining the fun.She nodded, slower this time. “I do. I just didn’t expect you to get all serious like my maths teacher.” I opened my mouth. Then I closed it.She was close for my sanity. And then, she leaned in a little more, pretending to read the notes but I caught her eyes darting down.Right to where the table didn’t fully cover me“Caius, are you…” Under reflex, my hand shot out and clamped gently over her mouth.Her lips were soft against my palm. Warm. And my fingers? They trembled slightly from the contact. We stared at each other.Her eyes, wide with shock. Mine, burning with the realization of what she saw. If only I could wipe her memory. “Don’t say it,” I whispered, finally pulling my hand away. My voice came out lower, “Just… don’t.”She didn’t. But her lips curled at the corners like she knew exactly what I was trying to hide.Valeria leaned back in her chair, fingers toying with the drawstrings of her bra top now. “I
~Caius~Seeing Lysander standing up for Valeria should’ve made me proud. Happy, even. He was my youngest brother. A good kid, despite the drama that couldn’t seem to stay away. But instead of pride, I felt my inside burning. Like I was watching something that wasn’t mine get taken.Something I’d been too damn careful with. Too damn slow.And now, I was starting to wonder if being cautious had cost me my chance.I didn’t want to admit it out loud, but I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.I liked Valeria. No, scratch that. I wanted her. I yearned for her. I needed her. Not in the passing, shallow way people throw that word around. It was deeper than that. The kind of want that made your head feel woozy whenever she locked eyes with you. The kind of want that made her laughter echo in your head hours after she was gone.And I was just standing on the sidelines, watching it all happen.I tried to make sense of it at first. She was family now. Our step-sister. Dad’s adopted daughter. The w