Damon waited at the edge of the school courtyard, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the pavement. His arms were crossed, every muscle coiled like a spring. When he spotted Seraphina approaching, he didn't move, he just watched.
She walked with the careful pace of someone who didn't want attention. Her bag was slung over one shoulder, her eyes scanning the courtyard as though she wanted to avoid someone.
Damon's lips pressed into a thin line. "Vale," he said as she neared, his voice low, and commanding.
Seraphina stopped, her body tensing. "Damon," she said, polite but wary. "What…what do you want?"
He stepped closer, closing the distance until the space between them felt dangerous. "I don't trust you," he said bluntly, his eyes cold. "Not for a second, and I have no reason to."
Her brows furrowed. "Sorry, was there a transaction between us that required trust?"
"That's exactly the problem," Damon interrupted, his tone sharp. "There should be, which is why I don't believe you, not your words, not your excuses. Not even your denial.
He circled her slowly, like a predator testing its prey. "I need to keep my eyes on you, Vale. Make sure you don't speak to anyone about what you saw. Or think you saw."
Seraphina's stomach knotted. She swallowed hard. "Damon… I didn't see anything. That night…"
He cut her off, his voice dropping lower, tense. "And yet you knew it was night."
He leaned in closer, his face a few inches from hers. "How do you know it was night if you didn't see anything? If you weren't there?"
Her heart beat faster. "I… I just…"
He straightened and took a step back, his expression unreadable, but his eyes burned with an intensity that made her want to retreat. "Exactly. That's why I have to keep you close. I don't know if you saw or heard. I need to watch you and make sure nothing escapes from you."
Seraphina blinked, unsure whether to laugh or scream. "Are you saying…
Damon cuts her off. "For one month," he said, his tone flat. "One month, I'll keep an eye on you. Nothing more, nothing less. To distract everyone and avoid unnecessary attention, you will date me, Vale. After that- well, we'll see."
Seraphina stared at him like he had lost his mind. "You're insane." She shook her head, taking a step back. "I have no reason, no reason at all, to date someone as arrogant as you. Absolutely none."
Her bag swung slightly at her side as she turned, ready to leave, ready to walk away from this insane proposal entirely.
Damon didn't move at first. He let her take a step, then another, he spoke, "You will regret rejecting me."
She froze mid-step. Her hand trembled slightly, though she didn't turn back.
For a long moment, she didn't move, her chest tight, her mind racing.
And somewhere in the back of her head, she couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't bluffing.
Damon's eyes followed her until she was out of reach, the words lingering in the space between them like a warning.
****
Seraphina shut the dorm door behind her and leaned against it, her hands trembling. The hallway was empty, quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Fear slithered down her spine. Her heart beat too fast, and too loud.
What if he's right? What if Damon knew I saw something and was really giving me the chance to come clean?
She sank onto the edge of her bed, pulling her knees close. The events of the afternoon replayed in her mind in endless loops. The way Damon had looked at her, the cold certainty in his voice, the way he had said… "You will regret rejecting me."
Her mind raced. Do I tell someone? Do I confess what I saw that night? Or do I stay quiet?
She chewed her lip, thinking. Pros and cons tumbled over one another in her head. If she stayed silent, maybe she could avoid trouble. Maybe he would leave her alone, or at least keep her at a distance. But if he suspected she knew more than she admitted… he could watch me, control me… and then what?
The thought made her stomach twist.
She thought about the consequences of telling the truth. If she confided in someone, could they protect her? Could she even trust anyone to handle this? And what about Damon? Her chest tightened at the idea.
Her fingers flexed into fists. She wanted to breathe, to think clearly, but the fear made every thought scatter. I didn't want this. I came here to study. To survive. To build a life for myself. Not… this.
Minutes passed. She didn't move, didn't think beyond the walls of her dorm room. The sunlight filtering through the blinds made little stripes across the floor, mocking her stillness.
Then came the sound of laughter outside her door.
"Seraphina!" Emily's voice called, bright and carefree. "You won't believe the day I've had!"
Seraphina's head jerked up. Her breath caught. She hesitated, her body stiffed.
Emily swung the door open, her bag slung over one shoulder, a radiant smile lighting up her face. She practically glowed with the kind of energy Seraphina envied.
"Hey! You're here! I am hungry, let's go grab a late lunch…oh, wait… you haven't gone, have you?" Emily's eyes flicked to Seraphina, searching, curious.
Seraphina forced a small smile, trying to keep her hands steady. "No…just…needed to catch up on some…things," she said, her voice tight.
Emily's smile softened. "Sure… if you say so. Anyway, forget about the late lunch first, we've got this party tonight. You have to come. Everyone's going, and it's going to be so much fun!"
Seraphina froze. Party? Tonight? Her mind went blank for a moment, fear making her blood run cold. I can't… I don't even have…
"I don't have anything to wear," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Emily's eyes softened further. "Oh, that's easy," she said with a laugh. "Come on. I've got you covered. You'll see, it'll be fine. You just have to come with me."
Seraphina nodded stiffly. Maybe a little party would help calm the war going on in her head.
She has never been to a party to have fun before, she has always gone as a waitress or a cleaner. It has always been all about work for seraphina.
She forced herself to sit up. Her mind, though, was elsewhere. Every laugh, every gesture Emily made, every word she spoke felt distant, like it wasn't directed to her. Fear still curled in her chest. Doubt gnawed at her. Do I stay quiet? Do I say nothing? Or… do I risk it all and tell someone?
She followed Emily mechanically to the closet, her hands brushing against the soft fabric of dresses. Emily handed her a simple, elegant short red dress with a grin. "Perfect. Trust me, you'll look amazing."
Seraphina took it, holding it against herself without looking in the mirror. Her thoughts stayed elsewhere, twisting tighter around her chest.
And yet, despite it all, a part of her wanted to push the fear down, to let herself breathe for just a little while. She had to survive. She had to be careful. And for now… she would follow Emily, pretend, and keep the terror buried deep.