First Day As His Fake Girlfriend.

Being Damon Thorne’s “girlfriend” lasted exactly three hours before I realized something important.

Blackthorn didn’t just notice things.

It fed on them. Every hallway I walked through, every class I entered, eyes followed me, whispers trailing behind like shadows.

That’s her.

Damon’s girlfriend.

The scholarship girl.

I kept my head down, gripping my books tighter.

Invisible. That was the plan. Now?

I was the topic.

And I hated it.

“Hey.”

I looked up instantly.

Elias.

Relief hit before I could stop it.

“Hey,” I said, my shoulders easing slightly.

He studied me for a second. “You okay?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “Just… adjusting.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he let it go. “Come on. We’ve got that assignment.”

Normal.

I needed normal.

We settled in the library, papers spread between us. Quiet. Focused.

“This question is straightforward,” Elias said, pointing at the text. “You’re overcomplicating it.”

“I’m not overcomplicating it,” I replied, already flipping to another page. “I’m questioning the author’s bias.”

He blinked. “Bias?”

“Yes,” I said, tapping the margin. “The argument assumes a singular cultural perspective. That weakens the conclusion.”

Elias leaned in slightly, reading properly this time.

“…Okay,” he admitted after a pause. “That’s actually...”

“Valid?” I finished, raising a brow.

He smiled. “Annoyingly valid.”

I smirked slightly. “I’ll take that.”

We worked in silence for a moment before he added, “You’ve gotten sharper.”

“Had to,” I said lightly. “The world doesn’t exactly reward people who stay soft.”

His gaze lingered on me a second too long.

Before...

“Well. This is interesting.”

I didn’t even look up this time.

Kai. Of course.

He leaned against the shelf like he had all the time in the world.

“Do you mind?” I said flatly.

“Not at all,” he replied. “This is better than whatever I was doing.”

Elias straightened slightly. “Kai.”

“Elias.”

Then his eyes shifted to me.

Slow. Assessing.

“So you’re Zara.”

I didn’t miss the tone.

“You say that like you’ve been waiting to confirm something, cause you do know my name ” I said.

His lips curved slightly. “I have.”

I crossed my arms. “And?”

“You’re Damon’s girlfriend,” he said. “And apparently… you argue like this.”

He gestured lazily at my paper.

I tilted my head. “You have a problem with that?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “You’re wrong.”

I let out a small laugh.

That was bold.

“You haven’t even read it.”

“I don’t need to.”

That did it.

I slid the paper across the table toward him. “Read it.”

Elias shifted beside me. “Zara...”

“No,” I said, eyes still on Kai. “If he’s going to critique my work, he can at least earn it.”

Kai’s brows lifted slightly.

Interest. Good. He picked up the paper. Silence stretched as he read.

Then...

“This part,” he said, tapping a section, “your argument collapses here.”

“It doesn’t collapse,” I countered immediately. “It redirects.”

“It weakens.”

“It expands.”

“It loses structure.”

“It challenges structure.”

He paused.

Looked up at me.

Really looked this time.

Not dismissive.

Not amused.

Focused.

“…You’re reframing the premise,” he said slowly.

“Yes.”

“And shifting the conclusion to match.”

“Yes.”

Another pause.

Then..

“That’s risky.”

I shrugged. “So is being predictable.”

Elias let out a quiet breath beside me, like he should just witnessed something he wasn’t expecting.

Kai leaned back slightly, studying me.

“You’re not boring,” he admitted.

I smirked faintly. “I told you.”

“But you’re still wrong.”

I rolled my eyes. “And you’re still annoying.”

Something flickered in his expression.

Not irritation.

Something closer to… interest.

“Good,” he said. “I’d hate for this to be easy.”

My pulse skipped.

And I hated that.

By the time we left the library, my brain felt like it had just run a marathon.

“You just argued with Kai Ryder for ten minutes straight,” Elias said.

“And?” I replied.

“And you didn’t lose.”

I glanced at him. “I don’t plan to.”

He laughed under his breath. “Yeah… I’m starting to see that.”

We were passing the sports field when the sound of practice pulled my attention.

Lacrosse.

And...

Of course.

Damon.

I should have kept walking. I didn’t. My steps slowed.

Elias noticed. “You don’t have to stop.” Too late. Damon had already seen me. He jogged toward us, pulling off his gloves, his focus locked entirely on me. “Zara.” My heart sped up. “Damon.” His gaze flicked briefly to Elias.

And just like that...

Tension.

Sharp. Immediate.

“You’re busy?” Damon asked.

“We were working on an assignment,” Elias replied calmly.

Damon didn’t look at him again.

“I need her.”

Not asked.

Stated.

Elias’ jaw tightened. “You could ask.”

Damon’s voice stayed even. “I just did.”

“No,” Elias said quietly. “You didn’t.”

The air shifted.

Heavy.

Old tension.

The kind that didn’t start today.

“Damon,” I cut in quickly. “It’s fine. I’ll go.”

Elias looked at me.

Something unreadable in his eyes.

But he stepped back.

Damon’s hand brushed against my back, guiding me away. Possessive. Intentional. “Why did you do that?” I asked once we were out of earshot. “Do what?”

“Turn that into a situation.” His jaw tightened slightly. “It already was one.” That didn’t answer anything.

But he kept walking.

Towards the locker room.

The locker room was too quiet.

Too empty.

Too… charged.

“I’ll wait outside,” I said quickly.

“No.”

Of course not.

I exhaled, turning slightly away as he moved.

Then...

Fabric shifted.

I made the mistake of glancing back.

And immediately regretted it.

Damon had already pulled his shirt off, completely unbothered, like this was normal. Like I was the strange one for reacting.

I turned away fast, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Seriously?” his voice came, amused. “You’re doing that?”

“I’m being respectful,” I shot back.

“You’re being obvious.”

“I’m being sane.”

A low laugh left him.

Footsteps.

Closer.

“Zara.”

My name sounded different when he said it like that.

I turned...

And froze.

He was right there.

Too close.

Way too close.

Close enough that I could see every detail. Close enough that my brain completely forgot how to function.

His gaze dropped briefly to my face… then lower.

A slow, knowing smirk followed.

“You like what you see?”

My breath hitched.

“I... no.”

“Liar.”

Heat rushed straight to my face.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

My heart was racing now, loud enough I was sure he could hear it.

“I’m just... observing,” I said, trying to sound normal.

“Observing,” he repeated, amused.

Then his expression shifted slightly. Darker. More intentional.

“Then observe properly.”

Before I could react..

He reached for my wrist.

My breath caught.

“Damon..."

“Relax.”

His grip wasn’t rough.

But it was firm.

Controlled.

He guided my hand forward...

And placed it flat against his chest.

My brain stopped.

Completely.

“Damon..."

“You can actually touch,” he murmured.

His voice was lower now.

Closer.

My palm was still pressed against him, and I could feel the warmth of his skin, the steady rise and fall of his breathing... My heart was going insane.

“See?” he said softly. “Not that scary.”

I should have pulled away. I didn’t. For a second too long… I didn’t. His eyes stayed on mine, watching every reaction like he was studying me. Learning me.

That made it worse.

“Still pretending you’re unaffected?” he asked quietly.

“I am not..."

His hand shifted slightly over mine...

And that was it.

That snapped me back.

I pulled my hand away quickly like I’d been burned.

“This is exactly what I meant by bad idea,” I said, breath uneven.

Something flickered in his eyes.

Not amusement this time.

Something deeper.

But before it could settle...

The door swung open.

“Damon, coach said...”

Tony stopped mid sentence.

His eyes moved from Damon.

To me.

Then slowly… back to Damon.

A slow grin spread across his face.

“Well,” he said casually, leaning against the doorframe. “Should I come back later, or is this part of practice now?”

I stepped back instantly, putting distance between me and Damon.

My heart was still racing.

Damon didn’t even look embarrassed.

If anything, he looked… annoyed at the interruption.

“Say what you came to say, Tony,” he said flatly.

Tony’s smirk didn’t fade. “Coach wants you back on the field.”

Damon nodded once.

“Give me a minute.”

Tony’s gaze flicked to me again, sharp, knowing.

“Take your time,” he said, dragging the words slightly before walking out.

The door shut behind him.

Silence rushed back in.

Heavy.

Awkward.

Dangerous.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself.

“This,” I said, pointing vaguely between us, “is not part of the agreement.”

Damon grabbed his shirt, pulling it on like nothing had happened.

“Get used to it.”

My brows furrowed. “Get used to what?”

He stepped closer again but this time, not as intense.

Controlled.

Careful.

“People watching,” he said. “People talking. People trying things.”

His gaze held mine.

“I don’t share well, Zara.”

My heart skipped.

Again.

And I hated that it did.

He walked past me like that moment hadn’t just happened.

Like he hadn’t just...

“Come on,” he said. “We’re leaving.”

I stood there for a second before following.

Still trying to catch my breath.

Because this fake relationship?

Was starting to blur into something else.

Something I didn’t understand.

And something I wasn’t sure I could control.