Chapter 45 Old Wounds
Elena POV
I stared at the two cups pushed toward me, the liquid sloshing against the rims.
Neither Liam nor Daniel broke eye contact, their hands still gripping the plastic sides of their drinks. Maya’s gaze bounced between the three of us, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips.
My throat still burned from the coughing, but the tension at the table felt even harder to deal with. A few students nearby had already started looking in our direction after noticing how suddenly the mood changed. The last thing I wanted was to become the center of school gossip or get trapped in whatever silent fight was happening between Liam and Daniel.
Without choosing either drink, I abruptly pushed my chair back. The metal legs scraped loudly against the linoleum floor, drawing even more glances.
"I'm going to the restroom," I muttered, keeping my voice flat and refusing to look at either of them.
I turned on my heel and walked out of the cafeteria, my hands balled into fists inside my jacket pockets. The crowded hallway was a blur of noise, but I kept my head down, forcing my way through the sea of uniforms.
"Elena, hold on."
Daniel’s hand caught my elbow, stopping me near the water fountains. I pulled my arm back, turning to face him. His face was still dark, his jaw clenched so tightly the muscles jumped.
"What was that back there?" I asked, keeping my voice low. "Maya asked if we were in a relationship, and you look like you want to kill someone. What is your problem with her?"
Daniel leaned his back against the lockers, running a hand through his hair. "Just stay away from her, Elena. She’s not someone you want to get involved with."
"You know her," I pressed, stepping closer. "And it’s obvious she knows you. Why are you and Liam acting like this?"
"Because she brings nothing but trouble," Daniel snapped, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. He looked over my shoulder toward the cafeteria doors, checking if we were followed. "And Liam is an idiot for letting her sit right next to him. He hasn't changed at all."
Before I could ask what he meant, the warning bell rang, echoing loudly through the corridor. Students immediately began shuffling toward their respective classrooms, cutting off our conversation. Daniel didn't wait for me to speak again; he turned and walked toward the stairwell, his shoulders rigid.
By the time the final bell of the day rang, the tension hadn't faded. I lingered by my locker, taking my time stacking my books to let the hallway clear out. Most of the crowd had already headed for the exit when I heard the sharp sound of a locker door being slammed shut further down the hall.
I looked up. Daniel was standing in front of his locker, blocking Liam’s path. Maya wasn't with Liam this time; he was completely alone, holding a strap of his backpack.
Daniel stepped forward, closing the distance between them until he was inches from Liam's face. He reached out, his fingers twisting into the collar of Liam's shirt, shoving him back against the metal lockers with a dull thud.
I froze by my locker, watching them from a distance. A few remaining students hurried past, completely ignoring the confrontation.
"What is she doing here, Liam?" Daniel hissed, his voice lethal. He didn't punch him, but his grip on the fabric tightened. "Did you invite her? Is this your way of throwing everything back in my face?"
Liam didn't fight back. He didn't even try to pull Daniel’s hands off his shirt. He just stood there, his arms hanging loosely at his sides, his head lowered.
"I didn't know she was transferring, Daniel," Liam said quietly, his voice full of a heavy guilt that made my stomach turn.
"I swear I didn't."
"You're a liar," Daniel spat, pushing him away in disgust. Liam stumbled back a step, hitting the lockers again but keeping his eyes on the floor. "You ruined everything back then, and now you're bringing the past straight back into this school."
Daniel turned on his heel to leave, but he stopped when he caught sight of me standing by my locker. He stared at me for a long second, his expression shifting from rage to something cold and bitter.
"You really have no idea who you're dealing with, Elena," Daniel said quietly, casting one last dark look at Liam.
With that, Daniel marched down the hallway and turned the corner, the sound of his heavy footsteps fading away.
I stood completely still, the silence between Liam and me stretching out like an open wound. I looked over at him, but Liam kept his face averted, his knuckles white around his backpack strap as he refused to meet my eyes.
"Liam," I said softly, stopping a few feet away from him. "Are you okay? What was he talking about?"
He looked up, blinking in genuine surprise as if he hadn't expected me to speak to him at all. He quickly glanced around the empty hallway, a sudden grin breaking through his tense expression.
"Wait, you're actually still talking to me? Wow, this moment definitely needs to be celebrated," he joked, the remaining anger completely draining out of him as he stepped closer to my side.
I couldn't help but crack a small smile at his antics, the heavy tension between us instantly breaking.
His smile softened into a weary sigh. "But really, it's nothing serious, Elena. It’s just... Daniel refuses to hear my side of the story. Don't worry about it, the fight between us is finished now."
He picked up his bag and began walking side by side down the long corridor toward the main exit. We were just about to step through the main school doors and into the afternoon sun when a sharp, clear voice rang out from behind us.
"Liam!"
We both froze instantly, stopping right at the threshold. Together, we turned around to look back into the dim hallway.