Chapter 8 Chapter 8
Chapter 8 Chapter 8
Aria’s POV
“Be careful,” Dominic said.
I stared at him.
Out of everything he could have said, that was it?
“Since when do you care?” I asked.
His jaw tightened slightly. “I don’t.”
“Then don’t pretend like you do.”
“I’m not pretending,” he replied flatly. “I’m telling you the truth.”
I let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “The truth? From you?”
His eyes darkened. “You think I’d lie about something like that?”
“I think you’d do worse.”
Silence stretched between us.
For a second, it felt like we were back in the hallway. Same tension. Same hostility. Same everything.
But it wasn’t exactly the same.
Because this time, he wasn’t mocking me.
He wasn’t smiling.
He just looked… irritated.
Not at me.
At something else.
“You saw it too, didn’t you?” he said.
I hesitated.
Then, quietly, “Yeah.”
“And you still did it.”
“I said I would.”
“That doesn’t mean you had to be stupid about it.”
I frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You could have walked away,” he said. “No one forced you.”
I folded my arms. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“I’m not deciding anything,” he shot back. “I’m pointing out the obvious.”
“What’s obvious,” I said, stepping closer, “is that you think I can’t handle myself.”
He scoffed. “You almost slipped.”
“But I didn’t.”
“That’s luck.”
“That’s control.”
His gaze locked onto mine, sharp and unyielding. “You call that control?”
“I stayed on my feet,” I replied. “That’s enough.”
“For now,” he muttered.
Something about that annoyed me more than it should have.
“You don’t get it, do you?” I said.
“Get what?”
“This isn’t your world,” I gestured slightly. “You can afford to walk away from things. I can’t.”
His expression shifted slightly. “That doesn’t mean you throw yourself into traps.”
“I didn’t throw myself anywhere.”
“You accepted her challenge.”
“And I handled it.”
“For now,” he repeated.
I rolled my eyes. “You’re really stuck on that, aren’t you?”
“I’m realistic.”
“You’re annoying.”
A faint smirk tugged at his lips before he quickly masked it.
“There she is,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Say it.”
“No.”
“Dominic.”
“Aria.”
I exhaled sharply. “You’re impossible.”
“And yet, here I am helping you.”
“You’re not helping me.”
“I warned you.”
“That’s not help.”
“It is if you listen.”
“I didn’t ask for it.”
“And yet you got it.”
I shook my head, frustrated. “You don’t even make sense.”
“I make perfect sense. You just don’t like it.”
Before I could respond, a voice cut in.
“Are you two done?”
We both turned.
Lana stood a few feet away, arms crossed, expression sharp.
Perfect.
Exactly what I needed.
“No one invited you,” Dominic said flatly.
“I don’t need an invitation,” she replied. Her eyes shifted to me. “I was looking for her.”
I straightened slightly. “You found me.”
Her gaze ran over me slowly, like she was measuring something.
“You didn’t fall,” she said.
“You already said that.”
“I’m saying it again,” she replied. “Because I’m still deciding if I’m impressed or annoyed.”
Dominic scoffed. “Pick annoyed. It suits you.”
She ignored him.
“Tomorrow,” she said, looking directly at me. “Six a.m. Practice.”
“I heard you.”
“Good,” she said. “Because if you’re late, you’re out.”
“I won’t be late.”
“We’ll see.”
Her tone made it clear she expected otherwise.
I held her gaze. “Is that all?”
“For now.”
She turned slightly, then paused.
“Oh,” she added, glancing back at me. “And don’t expect anyone to go easy on you.”
“I’m not expecting anything from anyone.”
“Good,” she said. “Because you won’t get it.”
Dominic let out a quiet laugh. “You sound threatened.”
Her head snapped toward him. “I’m not threatened by her.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“Shut up, Dominic.”
“Make me.”
Their eyes locked, tension snapping between them instantly.
I stepped back slightly, already over it.
“I’m leaving,” I said.
Neither of them responded.
Of course.
I picked up my bag and started walking, not waiting for either of them to say anything else.
“Aria.”
I stopped.
Turned.
Dominic again.
“What?” I asked.
He hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then, “Watch your step next time.”
I stared at him.
“You too,” I replied.
A small pause.
Then I turned and walked away.
The noise of the field swallowed me again, but my mind stayed behind.
Six a.m.
Practice.