Chapter 106 Playing the role

Chapter 106 Playing the role
Chapter 106

RAVENNA

I was sitting cross-legged on my bed whilst Samantha painted her nails and Selene scrolled through her phone.

The comfortable silence that had settled over our room felt strange considering how different we all were, but somehow it worked.

I looked up from the book I was pretending to read and directed my question at Selene. "Have you and Darius actually made out yet? Like properly kissed or anything?"

Selene's head snapped up, her eyes widening slightly. She let out a long sigh before answering. "That is quite a weird question to ask, but no. We have not."

"Really?" Samantha chimed in, pausing mid-brush stroke. "But you are engaged. Surely there has been some physical contact?"

Selene's expression shifted into something frustrated and tired. "Since the engagement was announced, Darius has turned into a raging lunatic. He will not even allow me anywhere close to him. Every time I try to touch his hand or stand near him, he finds some excuse to put distance between us."

"Maybe he just does not like you," Samantha suggested bluntly. "Or maybe he does not want this engagement at all."

"It does not matter whether he likes it or not," Selene replied with a shrug that tried to appear casual but fell short. "We are engaged already. There is nothing he can do about it unless he wants to seriously offend his father, and we all know Richard is not someone you cross lightly."

Before anyone could respond to that, my phone pinged with an incoming message. I picked it up and saw Darius's name on the screen.

"Meet me at our usual place. We need to talk please."

I stared at the message for a long moment, debating whether I should actually go. Part of me wanted to ignore it completely, to let him sit there waiting whilst I did literally anything else. But curiosity won out over spite.

I grabbed my bag and stood up. "I need to head out for a bit. I will be back soon."

Samantha looked up with concern immediately written across her face. "Do not stay out too long. It is getting dark and it is dangerous to be wandering around alone at night."

I grinned at her worry. "Thankfully, I am quite dangerous myself. I will be fine."

The walk to our usual meeting spot took about ten minutes. The building was mostly empty at this hour, with just a few students scattered in study rooms.

I made my way to the classroom where we used to work on our business presentation together, pushing open the door quietly.

Darius was standing by the window with his back to me, looking out over the academy grounds. The lights from the campus below cast his profile in shadow.

"I honestly did not expect you to actually come," he admitted without turning around.

"I figured I could spare a few minutes to find out why you were calling me here," I replied, keeping my voice neutral. "Especially since our presentation was already held whilst I was in hospital. So we do not have any academic reason to meet anymore."

Darius finally turned to face me properly. His expression was serious, almost desperate in a way I had not seen before. "You cannot go out with Caleb on that date."

I cocked my head to one side, studying him carefully. "Who exactly are you to be dictating orders about my personal life?"

"I am watching out for you," he insisted, taking a step closer. "Caleb is not someone you should trust that easily. He is a playboy, Ravenna. He goes through girls without caring about the damage he leaves behind."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "Is there any real difference between you and Caleb? From what I have heard, you have quite the reputation yourself as a playboy who never commits to anyone."

Darius flinched like I had slapped him. "That is not the same thing."

"How is it not the same?" I challenged.

"Just listen to me for once," he pleaded, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Cancel the date 1n3 2tay away from him. Please."

I moved towards the door, already tired of this conversation. "If this is the only reason you called me here, then I would like to be dismissed. I have better things to do with my evening."

Darius hurried after me, grabbing my arm before I could leave. "Please do not go out with Caleb. Do not have anything to do with him at all."

I stopped and turned to face him fully, searching his expression for something real. "Is there actually another reason you are doing this? Or is it genuinely just the fact that Caleb has a reputation as a playboy?"

He kept silent, staring at me intently with emotions swirling in his eyes that I could not quite read.

The moment stretched out between us, heavy with unspoken words.

"Now is your chance," I prompted quietly. "If there is something else you want to say, this is the time to say it."

But Darius just shook his head slightly and released my arm. "Do not worry about it. You should do whatever you like. I cannot stop you."

I turned and left without another word, a smirk playing at my lips despite the strange ache in my chest.

He had been so close to saying something real, something honest. But he had chosen to hide behind his walls again instead.


The following evening arrived faster than I expected. I dressed carefully in a tight-fitting black dress that hugged my curves and white winter boots that added a few inches to my height. The outfit was deliberate, chosen specifically to make an impression.

I met Caleb at the park entrance right on time.

He was leaning against a sleek black car that looked remarkably similar to the one Darius drove, though I refused to let myself compare them.

His face lit up when he saw me approaching. "You look absolutely stunning, Ravenna. That dress is perfect on you."

"Thank you," I replied with a smile that came easier than expected. "You clean up quite nicely yourself."

Caleb opened the passenger door for me with exaggerated chivalry. "Your chariot awaits, my lady."

I laughed and slid into the comfortable leather seat whilst he closed the door and jogged around to the driver's side.

The restaurant he chose was upscale and elegant, with dim lighting and soft music playing in the background.

We were seated at a corner table that offered some privacy whilst still allowing us to see the rest of the dining room.

"I have to admit," Caleb began once we had ordered our food, "I was pleasantly surprised when you agreed to this date. I half expected you to turn me down just to see my reaction."

"Why would I turn down free food and good company?" I countered playfully.

"Good company?" He grinned. "So you think I am good company already? We have barely spent any time together."

"Well, you have been entertaining so far," I allowed. "And you made me laugh during practice, which is more than most people manage lately."

Our conversation flowed easily throughout dinner. Caleb was charming and funny, telling stories about his previous school and the trouble he used to cause there.

He asked questions about my life before the academy, and I gave carefully edited answers that revealed just enough to seem genuine without exposing anything too personal.

I made sure to laugh loudly at his jokes, leaning forward and touching his arm occasionally in ways that would photograph well if anyone was watching.

And I knew someone was watching. I could feel eyes on us from the moment we sat down.

Halfway through dessert, I deliberately turned my head towards the window. My gaze swept across the street outside, and there he was.

Darius stood on the opposite pavement, partially hidden in shadows but unmistakably present.

His face was carved from ice, completely expressionless except for the fury burning in his eyes.

Our gazes locked for a brief moment before I turned back to Caleb with a bright smile.

Satisfaction should have tasted sweet. This was exactly what I wanted—to make Darius jealous, to hurt him the way he had hurt me.

But instead, the feeling was bitter and hollow, leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

"What are you staring at?" Caleb asked, following my previous line of sight curiously.

"Nothing important," I replied smoothly. "Just thought I saw someone I knew."

Caleb studied my face for a moment, then leaned forward across the table.

Before I could react, he pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek. The contact was warm and soft, lingering just long enough to be meaningful.

I did not pull away. Instead, I turned my head deliberately and locked eyes with Darius across the street, making absolutely certain he could see exactly what was happening.