Chapter 5 TWO KISSES IN THE MORNING
CHAPTER 005_TWO KISSES IN THE MORNING
I didn’t sleep that night. I placed the letter on my desk. The words “We’re watching you” burned into my mind over and over again.
Sofia tried to stay awake with me, but she eventually dozed off with her head on my pillow. I stared at the ceiling till dawn, my heart was heavy and my eyes were swollen like a ball.
By morning, I decided not to tell the boys. I didn’t trust them yet, especially with how they looked at me yesterday like I was some kind of ticking time bomb.
Only Sofia knew about the letter, and she promised to keep it between us.
When I finally got ready for class, my legs felt weak. The halls were already crowded.
There was laughter, and the perfume of the rich kids filled the air, and whispers also filled the air. Everyone looked perfect except me.
“Hey, Thalira.” Sofia said, brushing my hair with her fingers. “You look like you didn’t sleep for three years.”
“I didn’t.” I muttered. “And please, don’t mention the letter to anyone. We’ll figure it out ourselves.”
She nodded. “You got it, secret partners.” She winks.
I forced a smile and stepped into the hallway.
I didn’t make it far before fate decided to humiliate me again. My foot stepped on my gown, and I tripped forward.
“Ah…!” I shriek.
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the crash but I didn't fall.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me upright. When I opened my eyes, my face was inches away from Kieran’s. His storm-grey eyes stared into mine, steady and unreadable.
Then something pulled our lips together, Kieran kissed me very hard,his lips tasting like vanilla ice menthol.
My breath caught. His hand tightened slightly before he let go, like he hadn’t meant to hold me that close. I froze, he also froze.
For a second, I couldn’t hear anything but the beating of my heart. Then the whispers began.
“Oh my goddess…”
“Did she just…?”
“She kissed Kieran Blackthorne!”
I stepped back immediately, my cheeks burning. “I…I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Kieran’s lips twitched, almost into a smirk. “Relax. It’s not that serious.”
His calm tone made it worse. Like it meant nothing to him. Like I was just another accident in his day.
The crowd around us started buzzing louder, like an angry bees. A group of girls looked ready to rip me apart.
“She just got here!”
“We’ve been in this academy for years and none of us never…”
“She’s a curse, that’s what she is. Using tricks to get their attention.”
I swallowed hard. The anger in their voices cut deep. My hands trembled again, but I forced myself to turn away.
“I said I’m sorry.” I whispered, my voice cracking. Then I ran.
I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to get away from all those eyes. I ran down the long hallway, trying not to cry, but my gown tangled again.
“Not again.” I muttered, stumbling forward. My hands flew out, but instead of hitting the floor, I crashed into someone’s chest.
Strong hands caught me before I fell.
I looked up and met Alaric’s dark red eyes. His lips were curved slightly, that same lazy smirk that made people nervous.
“Well…” he murmured, his voice smooth and low. “seems like you love falling for people.”
Before I could answer, he leaned closer and then he kissed me.
It wasn’t like Kieran’s accidental kiss. This one was deliberate, slow and burn, like he knew exactly what he was doing. My mind went blank. The world spun. When he finally pulled away, I was breathless.
Behind us, a chorus of shocked gasps filled the air.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Two of them? In one morning?”
“She must be doing witchcraft.”
Alaric didn’t seem to care. He just smiled, his eyes glinting. “You should be more careful where you fall, little phoenix.”
My heart stuttered. “What did you call me?”
He shrugged. “Nothing you don’t already know.”
Kieran appeared suddenly, his jaw tight. His eyes flicked from me to Alaric, then to the crowd watching us. “Enough.”
Alaric arched his brow. “Are you jealous, wolf boy?”
Kieran stepped closer, his voice low but sharp. “She doesn’t need your games.”
“Games?” Alaric chuckled. “You think that was a game? Maybe you’re just mad because she kissed me on purpose.”
“She didn’t.”
“She didn’t stop me either.”
My face burned. “Can both of you just shut up and stop spouting nonsense?”
They both turned to me, surprised.
I took a step back, glaring at both of them. “I said it was an accident the first time, and whatever that was,” I pointed at Alaric, “it wasn’t my fault either.”
Alaric smirked, unbothered. “You didn’t seem to hate it.”
Kieran shot him a glare. “Try that again and see what happens.”
I groaned, rubbing my forehead. “Can someone please tell me why everyone in this academy is insane?”
Cassian appeared out of nowhere, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. “Because we’re bored and you’re entertaining.”
Zev leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, that teasing grin on his face. “Two kisses before breakfast. You’re setting records, sweetheart.”
I wanted the ground to open and swallow me. “I hate all of you.”
Zev laughed softly. “No, you don’t.”
Cassian smirked. “Come on, you’ve got training to do. Unless you’d rather stay here and give us a third show.”
“It's not funny.” I snapped.
Kieran ignored them and turned to me. “Are you okay?”
I wanted to say yes, but my throat was tight. All the whispers, the stares, it was all too much. “I’m fine,” I lied.
He didn’t believe me, but he didn’t push. “Ignore them. They talk because they wish they had what you do.”
“And what’s that?”
“Power.” he said simply.
Something in his tone made my stomach twist. Power. I didn’t even understand what I was yet.
Alaric’s eyes softened for a second, almost like he saw something I didn’t. “Be careful, Thalira. The academy loves to build you up just to watch you burn.”
Before I could respond, the bell rang, echoing through the hallway. The crowd started to disperse, though not without a few angry glares in my direction.
Sofia appeared, panting as she pushed through the remaining students. “What did I miss? Why are they all looking at you like you stole their magic potions?”
I groaned. “I fell twice.”
Her eyes widened. “And?”
“And I kissed Kieran. Then Alaric kissed me.”
She froze. “You what?”
“It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Oh, girl…” Sofia put her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh. “You’re in trouble.”
“I know.”
As we walked toward class, I could still feel everyone’s eyes on me. Every whisper felt like a blade. But deep down, something else was stirring.
When Alaric kissed me, for a split second, I felt a strange heat under my skin, like fire waking up.
Was it part of my power? Or something worse?
I didn’t know. But I could feel it growing.
That night, when the hallways were empty again, I took out the letter from under my pillow. The red ink had faded slightly, but I noticed some new words were under the first ones.
“They’re not your saviors, Thalira. They’re your hunters.”