Chapter 7 CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 7
YAEL
By the time my feet hit the wet tiles, my lungs were burning. The smell of chlorine hit my nose, sharp and clean, and my heart thudded in my chest like it was trying to escape.
Knox Hale stood there—grinning—like dragging me halfway across campus through dark tunnels was the most normal thing ever.
“You’re insane!” I shouted, still panting. “You could’ve gotten us both expelled!”
He winced slightly and looked down at his arm. That’s when I noticed it—blood. A deep scrape just below his elbow, glistening red under the pool lights.
“Oh my god, you’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing,” he said, voice lazy, that smug smile still plastered on his lips. “Didn’t know you cared, princess.”
“Shut up.” I marched over, grabbing his wrist despite the way he tried to pull back. “Hold still.”
He arched a brow. “Bossy. I like it.”
“Knox,” I snapped. “You could get an infection!”
He chuckled, low and dangerous. “You sound like my mom. Except hotter.”
I froze mid-motion. “Excuse me?”
He leaned closer, the air thickening between us. “You heard me.”
My jaw dropped. “You have serious issues.”
“And yet,” he drawled, eyes glinting, “you followed me.”
“I didn’t follow you! You practically kidnapped me!”
Knox’s grin widened. “You didn’t scream.”
“Because I didn’t want the guards to catch us!”
“Sure, princess.”
He said it again—princess—and my blood boiled. I shoved his shoulder, but he barely budged.
“God, you’re annoying.”
He laughed quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’ve got a mean punch for someone who looks like she color-codes her notes.”
I scowled. “You know what? I’m going back.”
He caught my wrist before I could move. “You can’t.”
I jerked back. “Watch me.”
He sighed like I was being difficult on purpose. “We snuck in through the underground maintenance door. The official exit’s locked at night. If you walk out now, security will catch us both. You’ll get in trouble.”
“Because you dragged me here!”
His smirk didn’t fade. “And yet you stayed.”
I glared. “You are unbelievable.”
He sank onto the floor, stretching out like he owned the place, and patted the ground beside him. “Come on. Sit. I don’t bite.”
“Yeah, right,” I muttered.
“Unless you ask nicely.”
“Knox!”
He chuckled again, head tipping back as he stared at the stars through the glass ceiling. The pool area was dark except for the soft reflection of water dancing across the walls. For a moment, it didn’t feel like a university anymore.
I sighed and sat, staying as far away from him as possible.
“Happy?” I said.
“Ecstatic.”
We sat in silence for a while. The echo of distant footsteps faded. The night was still.
Then he spoke again, voice quieter this time. “Why do you have such a shitty brother?”
I turned to him sharply. “Excuse me?”
He shrugged. “Aaron. The guy’s got a temper. Always picking fights. Always trying to prove something. Makes me wonder what it’s like being his sister.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t get to talk about him like that.”
“Why not? He’s reckless.”
“So are you!”
He laughed softly. “Touché.”
I groaned. “You’re insufferable. I swear, one more word—”
“What? You’ll slap me?” he teased, eyes gleaming.
I glared. “Exactly.”
He grinned wider. “Kinda want to see you try.”
“Knox,” I warned, voice low.
“Yael,” he said in the same tone, mocking.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re stubborn.”
I scoffed, looking away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
Silence again. Only the hum of the pool filter filled the space. I felt his gaze on me, heavy and unrelenting.
“What?” I muttered finally.
He tilted his head. “You’ve got something on your face.”
I frowned, wiping my cheek quickly. “What—”
He leaned in closer, dangerously close, his breath brushing my ear. “Just kidding.”
I froze. My heart did that stupid flutter thing again, and before I could react, he smirked.
“Relax, princess. Not gonna kiss you.”
“Good,” I shot back, voice sharper than I meant. “Because I wouldn’t let you.”
He chuckled. “You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
His grin deepened. “You were shaking earlier. When I pulled you away from the crowd.”
“Because you dragged me into a restricted area!”
“Mm-hmm,” he hummed, unconvinced. “Keep telling yourself that.”
I turned away, biting back a retort. He was impossible. A walking headache. But his voice… his voice was warm in a way that made my anger confuse itself with something else.
Minutes passed. My breathing slowed. The adrenaline faded.
Knox’s voice came again, quieter this time. “You ever notice how loud silence gets at night?”
I looked at him, surprised. “That’s… weirdly poetic for you.”
He smiled faintly. “Don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.”
I chuckled before I could stop myself.
He tilted his head toward me. “There it is.”
“What?”
“That smile.”
I blinked. “What about it?”
“It’s beautiful.”
I rolled my eyes.
The air grew softer between us. I hadn’t realized how close he’d leaned until our shoulders almost touched. My heart betrayed me—fluttering again.
My eyelids felt heavy, the adrenaline wearing off completely. The sound of water lapping against the tiles was strangely soothing.
He glanced over, smirk fading just a little. “You good?”
“Mm,” I mumbled, already half-asleep. “Don’t talk.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Knox?”
“Yeah?”
“If we get caught… it’s your fault.”
He chuckled. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The last thing I heard b
efore slipping under was his quiet laugh.
And the thought—terrifying and warm all at once—that maybe Knox Hale wasn’t just chaos.
Maybe he was the calm I didn’t know I needed.