Everybody Watched Them

The hallway had gone completely silent, not normal silent, but Westbridge kind of silent. The kind that happened right before fights, before scandals, before Dante Cole ruined somebody publicly. Ariana hated that silence, mostly because she was usually standing in the middle of it.

Dante kept walking toward her slowly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black hoodie while students practically split apart to make room for him. Nobody touched Dante accidentally. Nobody even breathed too loudly near him. He looked even worse this morning, the bruise beneath his eye had darkened overnight, his jaw looked tense and unstable.

Ariana refused to step back, even when fear crept unpleasantly into her stomach.

Beside her, Zoe whispered, "If I die today, clear my search history."

Ariana snorted.

Dante stopped directly in front of her, too close as always. The familiar scent of rain, mint, and expensive cologne wrapped around her instantly. His eyes dropped briefly toward the coffee in her hand, then back to her face.

"You're avoiding me."

Ariana blinked once. "You noticed? That must be embarrassing for you."

A few students nearby actually gasped. Dante's expression didn't change, but his tongue pressed slowly against the inside of his cheek.

"I texted you."

"You also body slam people for entertainment. We all have hobbies."

Another ripple moved through the hallway, and Ariana could already feel people recording this. Dante stepped even closer. "Answer your phone."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I enjoy inner peace."

His jaw tightened harder, and for one brief second Ariana saw it, that crack beneath his control, that unstable edge everyone whispered about.

"Ariana."

Mason's voice came from behind her. Dante went still instantly, like a predator waiting to strike. Ariana turned slightly as Mason approached with a gym bag over one shoulder, looking completely unbothered by Dante's presence, which honestly felt medically concerning.

"You left your memory card in the media room," Mason said casually, holding it out toward her.

Ariana reached for it automatically, which was a mistake, because Mason's fingers brushed hers, and Dante lost whatever patience he had left.

The shift in him was sudden. His eyes darkened sharply as he grabbed Mason by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the lockers hard enough to shake the metal. Gasps exploded around the hallway.

"You touch her again," Dante said quietly, "and I break your hand."

The hallway froze. Ariana's pulse spiked violently, and not from fear alone, that was the problem. Dante looked terrifying when he got jealous.

"Mental illness," Mason choked out sarcastically despite being pinned against the lockers. Dante shoved him harder.

Something inside Ariana finally snapped. "Dante!"

Her voice cut through the hallway sharply, and for the first time since grabbing Mason, Dante looked at her. Ariana stepped forward before fear could stop her. "What is wrong with you?"

Dante's chest rose slowly beneath the hoodie. "He touched you."

"It's called existing in public!"

The muscles in his jaw flexed dangerously. "You think this is funny?"

"No," Ariana fired back. "I think you need professional help."

Several students nearby looked horrified. Nobody talked to Dante like this, nobody, but Ariana was genuinely angry now. Because underneath all his obsession and possessiveness, Dante still thought he could control everything around him, including her. And she refused to let anyone control her again.

"Let him go," she said firmly.

For a second Dante didn't move. Then slowly, he released Mason's shirt. The hallway exhaled collectively. Mason adjusted his collar while glaring at Dante. "You're completely insane."

Dante ignored him. His eyes stayed locked on Ariana's face, burning, possessive, and hurt. Somehow that last one affected her most.

"You embarrassed me," he said quietly.

Ariana stared at him in disbelief. "YOU threatened somebody in the middle of a hallway!"

"He touched you."

"Oh my God," she snapped. "You don't own me."

Silence fell over the hallway again, and something shifted in Dante's expression, something tiny and dangerous, like she'd accidentally hit something deeper than she intended. Then he laughed softly, not amused but cold.

"You still don't get it."

Ariana crossed her arms. "Get what?"

Dante stepped closer one final time, close enough that only she could hear what he said. "When I want something, Ariana…" His eyes dropped briefly to her mouth. "…it becomes mine eventually."

Then he walked away, and somehow that terrified her far more than the grabbing had.