Chapter 67: Chapter Sixty Six

Eros

As I walked through the crowded hallway, my eyes landed on Scarlett standing by her locker, her fingers flying over her phone screen while a deep frown creased her face. A sudden wave of rage surged through me. I had expected her to return eventually, but not this soon.

Athena must have seen her too because her hand, still clasped in mine, gave a gentle squeeze, drawing my attention.

"How is she back here? I thought she was expelled," Athena asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"Her father's the Vice President, Athena," I replied with a resigned sigh. "He's friends with my grandparents, so… of course, she's back like nothing happened."

Athena inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled. "And the teachers?" she asked in a near whisper.

"Well, I made sure they were fired. That was the only thing I could control," I said through clenched teeth. "I told my grandma how disappointed I was in the way she handled Scarlett’s situation. She asked for my forgiveness."

Athena arched a brow. "Did you forgive her?"

"I didn't have much of a choice," I muttered.

"Grandma's baby," she teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I'm not," I shot back, scowling.

"You know you are," she chuckled.

"Go away." I playfully shoved her, making her laugh harder.

"See you in World History." She waved before walking off.

I turned back to my locker, unlocked it, and swung the door open to drop off my books. Before I even saw her, I felt her presence. Scarlett. She stood three feet away, looking uncharacteristically nervous.

"Hi," she greeted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I fixed her with a glare so sharp I thought she might disintegrate on the spot, but instead, she only squirmed under my gaze.

"What makes you think you have the right to talk to me?" I demanded coldly.

"I… I just wanted to apologize," she muttered.

"I don’t need your half-assed apology," I spat. "If you really meant it, you wouldn’t have come back."

"I…"

Ignoring her, I pulled out my World History notebook along with my Geography textbook for the second period. Then, with deliberate force, I slammed my locker shut. The sound echoed down the hallway, drawing the attention of nearby students.

"I'm pretty sure I just told you in English that I don't care," I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "But if you need me to translate it into seven different languages, I'd be happy to."

"I understand," she murmured, dropping her gaze before turning and walking away.

"Bitch," I muttered under my breath before storming off.

When the bell rang for lunch, I packed my books into my bag, zipped it shut, and slung it over my shoulder before heading out. Since Athena and I didn’t share Computer Science, I made my way to her Foreign Languages class—French. Given that I was fluent in fifteen languages, I never saw the point of taking it.

Coding, however, was a different story. I knew the basics but wasn't great at it, which was why I had chosen Computer Science as an elective.

When I arrived outside Athena’s class, I leaned against the wall, waiting as Miss Sophie Fontaine wrapped up the lesson. I pulled out my phone, unlocked it, and opened the new game I had developed myself.

It had taken months to complete, but I knew it was ready to be released. Yet something held me back, and I couldn’t quite figure out what.

"Eros." Athena's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

Quickly, I exited the game and tapped my screen twice to turn it off before slipping the phone back into my pocket. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed her approach.

"Hey," I greeted with a smile.

"You didn't have to wait for me," she said, tilting her head.

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t?" I teased, draping an arm around her shoulders. "What do you think about pizza?"

She narrowed her eyes playfully. "You’re not going to have it delivered again, are you?"

I ignored her jab. "Or… how do you feel about Korean food? Tteokbokki, Jjajangmyeon, or my absolute favorite… Japchae." I grinned.

Athena laughed, shaking her head. "I have no idea what those are, I swear."

I let out a dramatic gasp, pulling my arm away from Athena’s shoulders. “Seriously? You’re missing out, girlfriend,” I said, shaking my head in mock disbelief.

Athena giggled. “Alright, food critic, which one do you recommend?”

“Since we can’t leave school without permission, I’ll have one of my bodyguards bring us Japchae. There’s a great Korean restaurant about thirty minutes away.”

“Okay,” she nodded with a smile.

“Great.” I grinned, pulling out my phone and texting Louis, my nearest guard, to place the order. “Next time, I’ll take you there myself and order everything on the menu.”

Athena’s eyes widened in mock horror. “You want me to be as big as a house?”

I smirked. “I have a feeling you can eat as much as I do and still never gain weight.”

She rolled her eyes but said nothing, making me chuckle.

True to his efficiency, Louis arrived with our lunch in under thirty minutes, and we settled at our table to eat. Just as we were finishing, a group of nosy students approached, their expressions filled with curiosity.

“Eros, is it true?” one of them asked. “Are you and Athena really dating?”

I sighed, irritated but unwilling to let the rumors drag on. If making it official would get everyone to back off, then so be it.

Rising to my feet, I surveyed the cafeteria. Some students were already watching us, while others remained engrossed in their gossip. I decided to put an end to it once and for all.

“Listen up!” My voice cut through the noise, commanding attention. Conversations died down as heads turned toward me. “I have something important to say.”

Silence stretched across the room as anticipation built. Then, I said it.

“As of today, Athena Sanderson and I are dating. She’s my girlfriend. If anyone has a problem with that, they can jump in front of a bullet train and die.”

A stunned hush fell over the cafeteria. From across the room, Scarlett—who had been watching with a mix of disbelief and fury—gasped sharply. The color drained from her face, and before anyone could react, she collapsed onto the floor with a dull thud.

“Scarlett!” Someone shrieked.

Chaos erupted. Students rushed toward her, a teacher hurried over, checking her pulse before barking orders. “Someone call the infirmary!”

I barely spared Scarlett a glance. My attention remained locked on Athena, who stood frozen, processing what had just happened. As if, for the first time, she realized I had meant every word.

“Let’s go.” I extended my hand.

She hesitated only a moment before taking it. As we left the cafeteria, the murmurs around us grew louder, spreading the news like wildfire.

By the time Scarlett was wheeled into the infirmary, the entire school had heard about my declaration. Overnight, Athena’s social standing shifted.

Girls who once whispered behind her back now greeted her with warm smiles, eager to befriend her. Even the teachers seemed to regard her differently, as if dating me somehow made her more interesting. But the biggest surprise came from Scarlett—Athena’s longtime rival.

After the school’s morning assembly, I strode onto the stage with my usual air of authority. Athena stood beside me, feeling the weight of every gaze upon her.

“I have something for you.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a velvet box and flipped it open, revealing a breathtaking teardrop-shaped amber gemstone. The golden filaments trapped within shimmered like frozen sunlight—like embers caught in time. Gasps rippled through the auditorium as I took the pendant from its box.

The amber was set in delicate rose gold vines, curling around its edges, symbolizing both strength and grace. The chain—a fine rose gold interwoven with microscopic amber beads—glimmered with every movement. On the back of the pendant, an engraving of Athena’s birth constellation gleamed, a detail I had chosen just for her.

From the front row, Scarlett watched, fists clenched at her sides. I saw the moment she made her decision—when she realized what was expected of her. With a forced smile, she stood abruptly and walked toward the stage, her eyes locked onto Athena.

Scarlett hesitated, her pride battling against her need to remain in my good graces. “I… I wanted to apologize. For everything.”

Athena arched a brow. “Everything?”

Scarlett nodded, her expression carefully composed. “I was awful to you. But I hope we can start over.”

Athena glanced at me, her skepticism evident. I merely observed the exchange with mild amusement. Then, with a measured exhale, she said, “We’ll see.”

Scarlett’s face lit up, taking that as acceptance. She turned slightly, ensuring the audience witnessed the moment of reconciliation.

Later that day, Athena and I strolled through the school gardens, away from watchful eyes. Sunlight filtered through the trees, catching the necklace around her neck, making the amber glow like a captured ember. It rested against her skin, heavier than mere jewelry—weighted with meaning.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured.

“I wanted to,” I replied simply.

She studied me, searching. “Why?”

I smirked. “You don’t believe I care?”

Athena hesitated. “It’s not that. It’s just… I don’t understand you.”

I stopped, turning to face her fully. “Then try.”

Her breath hitched at the intensity in my gaze. But before she could respond, approaching footsteps interrupted the moment.

Scarlett stood a few feet away, her composure restored. Gone was the fragile girl who had collapsed in the cafeteria—now, her expression was a blend of defiance and lingering hurt.

“You didn’t even check on me,” she said, voice trembling. “After everything…”

My gaze remained impassive. “You fainted, Scarlett. You weren’t dying.”

She flinched but quickly masked it. Her eyes flickered to Athena, resentment laced in her tone. “She’s changed you. You never used to be like this.”

I sighed, my patience thinning. “You never knew me as well as you thought.”

Scarlett’s lips parted, something unspoken on the tip of her tongue. “I just thought…”

I cut her off. “That’s the problem. You thought, but you never listened.”

Her face tightened. With one last glance at Athena, her lips pressed into a thin line, and then she turned on her heel and walked away.

Athena exhaled, the tension visibly leaving her shoulders. “That was…”

“Necessary,” I finished. “She needed to hear it.”

She studied me, then shook her head with a quiet chuckle. “You’re impossible.”

I smirked. “And yet, here you are.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at her lips. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to understand me after all.