جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 9

My heart was still racing when I stepped into the English and Literary Studies classroom, trying to steady my breathing after that encounter with Damon. Focus, Zara. New life. Stay invisible.“Zara?”I froze. That voice… familiar. Soft. Impossible. I turned sharply and my eyes widened. “Elias?” I breathed. For a second, everything else disappeared. He smiled, slow and warm, the kind of smile that made something in my chest loosen instantly. “I can’t believe it,” he said. “We’re in the same department? Here? At Blackthorn?”A small laugh escaped me. “I didn’t expect this at all.” And just like that, relief settled in. Like I had found a piece of home in a place I didn’t belong. We stood there for a moment, smiling like nothing had changed, like we were still those kids who used to talk about everything and nothing. Safe. Elias made me feel safe.Then someone walked past. “Elias Thorne, can you help me with this problem?”I froze. Thorne. He didn’t hesitate. “Sure, give me a second.” My

I didn’t sleep.Not really.Every time I closed my eyes, it replayed.Kai’s kiss.Damon’s voice.I know your secret, Zara.By morning, my head was pounding and my chest felt too tight for my own body.And the worst part?I had agreed.A fake relationship.With Damon Thorne.I stared at my reflection in the mirror, brushing my hair slowly, like if I moved too fast everything would fall apart.“What kind of first day turns into this?” I muttered.“A fun one,” Avery’s voice came from behind me.I glanced at her through the mirror. She was sprawled across her bed, scrolling through her phone like nothing in the world could shake her.“I’m serious,” I said. “I think I made a mistake.”She sat up instantly, eyes lighting with interest. “Oh? Is this about last night? Because I heard things.”My stomach dropped. “What things?”A slow grin spread across her face. “That you kissed Kai Ryder.”Heat rushed to my face. “It was a dare.” "And you were there."“Mmm,” she hummed. “And then Damon dragg

I woke up famous.Not the good kind.Not the kind where people admire you.The kind where people watch you.Every move. Every step. Every breath.Because by the time I stepped out of my dorm that morning, my name wasn’t just Zara Corven anymore.It was Zara Corven-Damon Thorne’s girlfriend just like the other day.And apparently…That meant something at Blackthorn.A lot.The stares started before I even made it down the hallway.Doors cracked open just a little wider. Conversations paused mid sentence. Phones tilted slightly in my direction like I wouldn’t notice.I noticed.I noticed everything.“Is that her?”“That was fast…”“She doesn’t look like his type.”I kept walking. Head high. Steps steady. Like I hadn’t heard a single word. Like I wasn’t one wrong whisper away from my past catching up to me again.Because that was the problem. It wasn’t just attention.It was dangerous attention.And Damon?He didn’t just attract it. He controlled it. Which meant...Now I was standing rig

The energy in the room shifted the second Cameron took control. It wasn’t just excitement anymore. It was anticipation. Danger. Mess waiting to happen. People moved closer, forming a tight circle around him, drinks in hand, eyes sharp with curiosity and hunger for entertainment. “This,” Cameron grinned, raising his glass, “is where the real party starts.” Cheers erupted. Loud. Wild. Uncontrolled. I stood between Elias and Avery, my pulse already too fast, my emotions still tangled from what I had seen at the bar. Damon. Her. That image refused to leave my head. “Relax,” Avery nudged me lightly. “It’s just a game.” “No game here is ever just a game,” Elias muttered under his breath. And something about the way he said it made me believe him. “Alright,” Cameron continued, scanning the crowd. “Let’s start easy.” His gaze landed on Tony, he signaled him to start. Of course it did. Then Tony... “Avery,” he pointed. “Truth or dare?” She didn’t even h