Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
YAEL
By the time my third morning class ended, my brain felt like overcooked noodles.
Political Theories of Global Governance? More like Death by PowerPoint.
I dumped my books onto the cafeteria table and collapsed into a chair beside Maya and Liam. “I swear if Professor Evans says ‘intergovernmental framework’ one more time, I’ll drop out and start a cult.”
Maya snorted. “Can I join? Because my morning class was a snoozefest too.”
Liam smirked, sliding his tray closer. “You two are dramatic. It’s literally the first week.”
“Exactly,” I said, stabbing a fry with unnecessary aggression. “I should still be in my post-summer era of peace. Not listening to Evans rant about the UN like it’s his ex-wife.”
Maya laughed so hard her drink almost spilled. “You’re insane.”
I grinned at her, finally relaxing for the first time that day. The three of us had fallen into this easy rhythm—banter, sarcasm, food. It was perfect.
Almost perfect.
Because every few seconds, I’d catch myself glancing around the cafeteria, heart doing that annoying skip like I was expecting someone.
Which was ridiculous.
Absolutely ridiculous.
“Okay,” Maya said, pointing her fork at me. “So, Miss Vanishing Act—where did you disappear to last night?”
I froze mid-bite.
Liam leaned back, crossing his arms. “Yeah, you kind of ghosted everyone after the underground got busted. We were about to start a search party.”
“Search party?” I echoed, trying to sound casual. “I just went back to my dorm.”
“Through what? A teleportation portal?” Maya teased. “Because you literally vanished.”
I laughed nervously, waving her off. “I just… didn’t want to deal with the chaos. I left early.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You sure?”
“Yup. Positive.” I popped a fry into my mouth, pretending that was the end of it.
Maya exchanged a look with him. “Hmm. Suspicious.”
Before I could retort, someone’s voice cut through the noise behind me—deep, smooth, way too familiar.
“Guess I’m interrupting something.”
Oh, no.
I turned slowly.
And there he was.
Knox.
Hair still a mess, black hoodie slouched low, smirk in place like he was born wearing it. He didn’t even look tired—just unfairly good-looking and annoyingly smug.
“What do you want?” I asked, instantly defensive.
“Fries,” he said simply.
Then—like the audacity incarnate he was—he reached over, plucked one off my tray, and popped it into his mouth.
I gawked at him. “Excuse me?”
“Good afternoon to you too, princess.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped.
He ignored me completely, turning toward Maya and Liam like we were in a group project he just decided to join. “Hey, you’re Liam, right? And Maya?”
Liam gave a cautious nod. “Yeah.”
Maya smiled awkwardly, clearly trying not to stare. “The racer guy.”
Knox smirked. “That’s one way to put it.”
I rolled my eyes. “The arrogant guy also works.”
He shot me a lazy grin, then leaned his elbows on the table, voice dropping low enough that only I could hear. “So,” he drawled, “did you have fun sleeping in the—”
I panicked.
My brain short-circuited, and before I could think, I grabbed a fistful of fries and shoved them into his mouth.
He blinked, stunned.
“Eat,” I said sweetly, my tone laced with murder.
Liam choked on his drink. Maya slapped a hand over her mouth to hide a laugh.
Knox chewed slowly, eyes locked on me with pure amusement. “That’s one way to shut me up.”
I stood up so fast my chair screeched. “I’m leaving.”
“Already?” Maya asked, still giggling.
“Yes. Before I commit a crime.”
Maya and Liam exchanged looks and scrambled after me. I could hear Knox laughing behind us, low and dangerous and way too satisfied.
The hallway outside the cafeteria was cooler, quieter, but my heart was still thundering.
Maya caught up first, half-whispering, half-yelling, “WHAT was that?!”
I glared at her. “Nothing.”
“Nothing? Babe, you shoved fries in his mouth like it was foreplay!”
“It was self-defense!”
Liam stifled a laugh. “You two really have a weird kind of tension.”
I groaned, covering my face. “Don’t say tension. That word makes it sound like—ugh. Just stop.”
Maya bumped my shoulder playfully. “You’re blushing.”
“I am not!”
“You are totally blushing!”
I threw my hands up. “Fine! You want the truth? I—uh—fell asleep outside last night. Okay? That’s it.”
Maya’s jaw dropped. “You what?”
“I said, I—”
I didn’t even finish before a low, sharp voice came from behind me.
“You did what?”
Every cell in my body froze.
I turned slowly.
Aaron.
Standing there with two of his friends. His expression unreadable, but his tone? Pure danger.
My stomach plummeted.
“A-Aaron,” I stammered, my brain running on survival mode.
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “You fell asleep where?”
I swallowed hard. “Outside. Just… you know, near the field.”
Maya went pale. Liam looked like he wanted to disappear.
Aaron’s gaze flicked between the three of us. “At night? Alone?”
“It’s not a big deal!” I said quickly. “I was just tired and—”
“Not a big deal?” His voice was sharp enough to slice through the air. “Yael, anything could’ve happened. Do you even think sometimes?”
“Okay, Dad,” I muttered before I could stop myself.
Liam winced. Maya mouthed oh my God.
Aaron crossed his arms, jaw tight. “We’ll talk about this later.”
He turned, motioning to his guys, and stalked off.
I stood there frozen for a moment, heat crawling up my neck.
Then Maya exhaled a shaky laugh. “Well… that went great.”
I groaned, dragging my hands down my face. “I’m officially grounded. And I don’t even live with him.”
Liam chuckled softly. “Look on the bright side.”
“There’s a bright side?”
“Yeah. You shoved fries in Knox’s mouth. That’s basically a power move.”
I gave him a deadpan stare. “Remind me never to take life advice from you.”
He grinned.
Maya looped her arm through mine, grinning. “C’mon, princess. Let’s go before your brother comes back with the full lecture.”
“Don’t. Call. Me—”
“—princess?” she finished, laughing. “Too late. The name’s catching on.”
I sighed dramatically as we walked off, my stomach twisting between embarrassment and something else I didn’t want to name.
Because even as Aaron’s angry voice echoed in my head…
I couldn’t stop replaying Knox’s grin when I stuffed those fries in his mouth.
And I hated—hated—that it made me smile.
The last class finally ended, and I felt like my brain had melted.
All I wanted was to eat, crawl into bed, and pretend midterms didn’t exist.
But of course, fate had other plans.
Because there he was.
Aaron. Leaning against the wall right outside my lecture hall like some overprotective, brooding villain in a teen drama.
Arms crossed. Jaw clenched. Eyes that looked like they could slice through glass.
Maya and Liam froze beside me.
“Oh, hell no,” Maya muttered under her breath.
Liam took one look at Aaron and said, “You’re on your own, princess.”
And then they both bolted.
I stared at their retreating backs. “Seriously?!”
Maya turned just enough to mouth, ‘Sorry, he’s scary!’ before she disappeared around the corner.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled. “Cowards.”
Aaron didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just stood there, glaring at me like I’d murdered someone.
“You wanna explain why I called you eighteen times and you didn’t pick up? And you lied to me.” His voice was low, dangerous.
I forced a nervous laugh. “Uh…”
“Don’t,” he snapped, stepping closer. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying!”
His brows rose. “You disappeared all night, Yael. You lied that you were studying when you were out. Alone.”
I crossed my arms, fighting to keep my voice steady.
His jaw ticked.
My patience snapped. “Oh, I’m sorry—did I miss the part where you became my keeper?”
His eyes darkened. “You’re my sister, Yael. You think I’m just gonna let you—”
“Let me what?” I cut him off. “Breathe?”
That hit him. He went silent, but his anger was still there, simmering under his skin.
And then, as if the universe hated me, I heard his voice.
“Whoa. Tension in the hallway?”
Knox.
Of course. Because my life wasn’t chaotic enough.
He strolled past us with that lazy grin that made people either swoon or punch him—sometimes both. His lip was still cut from yesterday’s fight, and his knuckles looked like they’d gone a few rounds with hell itself.
Aaron turned, and I swear the air went electric.
Knox’s eyes flicked from Aaron to me, and his smirk widened.
“I told you he had a temper, princess.”
Oh no.
Aaron didn’t even think—he grabbed Knox by the shirt and slammed him against the lockers.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
Students gasped. Someone dropped their bag.
Knox only laughed, the reckless bastard. “Touchy, aren’t we?”
Aaron’s fist connected with his jaw before I could even blink.
“Aaron, stop!” I shouted, running toward them.
But Aaron didn’t stop. He swung again, fury in every punch, while Knox barely fought back—almost like he was enjoying it.
I grabbed Aaron’s arm, yelling, “Stop it! You’re going to get suspended!”
He didn’t hear me. His breathing was ragged, his eyes wild, and for a second, the sight—him beating Knox, the blood, the shouting—
It flashed.
The sound of fists.
The shouting.
The screams.
Blood.
And suddenly, I wasn’t in that hallway anymore.
My chest tightened. My vision blurred.
“Stop,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Aaron, stop—please.”
And maybe it was my tone. Maybe it was the way I looked—because when Aaron turned and saw me, really saw me—his fists froze midair.
“Yael?”
Tears slipped before I could stop them. I blinked them away furiously, forcing my expression to harden.
“I’m fine,” I muttered. “I’m… fine.”
He reached for me, voice soft now. “Yael—”
But I stepped back. “Just—don’t.”
And before he could say another word, I turned and walked away.
The crowd parted as I pushed through, ignoring the whispers, the stares, the metallic taste of panic still burning my throat.
By the time I reached my dorm, I was trembling. I slammed the door shut, locked it, and sank to the floor, pressing my hands to my face.
I didn’t know how long I stayed there. Maybe ten minutes. Maybe an hour.
Then—three knocks.
“Yael,” Aaron’s voice. Quiet now. “I didn’t mean to—”
I stayed silent.
Another knock. “Please. Juskt talk to me.”
My throat burned, but I said nothing.
The knocking continued. Slow. Relentless. For almost an hour.
And then it stopped.
I waited another ten minutes before I dared to peek out through the peephole.
He was gone.
Finally, I let out a shaky breath and sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.