CHAPTER FIVE

LARA

I walked through the halls of Rockwell Academy, my mind heavy with confusion. There was something off about Hades, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I had caught his gaze earlier, and for just a brief moment, I saw something that made my chest tighten: confusion, maybe even a hint of loneliness in his eyes. But before I could make sense of it, he had turned away, almost as if I didn’t exist.

It stung more than I cared to admit. Hades seemed determined to keep his distance from everyone, including me, and I wasn’t used to that. I wasn’t the type to chase after people, especially not guys, but there was something about him. His cold demeanor, his indifference—it was like a challenge I couldn’t ignore.

Was he just another aloof guy with a chip on his shoulder? Or was there something more beneath the surface? I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something. I wasn’t used to people ignoring me like that—especially not guys.

I needed to clear my head. The lounge was always a good place to escape the chaos of the school. I often retreated there when I needed a break, and it was quiet at this time of day. A few students were scattered around—some lounging on leather couches, others chatting in small groups.

As I stepped inside, I immediately scanned the room. My eyes landed on Hector and his group of friends. Vincent, Sage, Felix, and Arnold were all sitting with him, their laughter loud and obnoxious. They were surrounding Hector like a pack of wolves, hanging on to every word he said, and they all looked like they thought they owned the place.

“…so I just told him to man up, you know? Showed him who’s boss. I mean, what’s the point of being the new guy if you can’t teach him a lesson, right?” Hector’s voice was loud, grating against my nerves.

I froze. My heart skipped a beat, and I leaned against the doorframe, unsure if I had heard him correctly. What was Hector talking about?

“Man, Hades didn’t know what hit him,” Hector continued, his smug tone cutting through the air. “The guy’s a joke. Thought he could just walk in here and act all tough. Nah, I put him in his place.”

I felt my blood run cold. A surge of anger and disbelief hit me all at once. My hands began to tremble, but I forced myself to move forward. I couldn’t let this go on.

“Hector,” I called, my voice sharp.

Hector turned, his eyes lighting up as he saw me. A lazy smirk spread across his face, like he was expecting me to be impressed by whatever crap he had just spewed. “Oh, hey, Lara. Didn’t see you there.” He winked, clearly pleased to see me, like his actions somehow earned him points in my book.

I didn’t give him an inch. My voice was steady but thick with fury. “So, you’re the one who’s been bullying him?” The words came out harder than I had intended, but I couldn’t hold back. Not when Hector was acting like he was some kind of hero.

Hector blinked in surprise, but his smirk never faltered. “What? Hades? Nah, he needed to learn his place. No one walks into this school and acts like they’re something special without someone putting them in check. It’s not my fault the guy doesn’t know how to handle himself.”

My hands clenched into fists. “You think it’s okay to bully someone because you don’t like the way they act?” My voice had risen now, and I noticed some of the students around the lounge were starting to pay attention.

Hector shrugged, unfazed. “It’s not bullying, Lara. It’s tough love. You know how this place works. People need to know their place, and Hades didn’t get the memo.”

The tension in my body grew, and my gaze hardened. “I don’t care what your definition of ‘tough love’ is, Hector. What you did was wrong. You don’t get to treat people like that.”

Felix, sitting beside Hector, chuckled and chimed in, “Oh, Lara’s playing the hero now, huh? You really gonna defend the new guy over your own people?”

Vincent snorted. “Yeah, Hades must be something special for you to get so worked up.”

I didn’t break my gaze from Hector, but I could feel their eyes on me. Sage, with her usual bitchy smirk, leaned in to add her voice, “You know, Lara, some people just deserve to be put in their place. I’m sure Hades has a lot to learn.”

My stomach churned at her words. I knew it wasn’t just Hector causing trouble; it was his whole crew. They were all playing this game together, and I wasn’t going to stand by and let them hurt someone who didn’t deserve it.

“No,” I said, my voice unwavering. “What you’re doing is wrong. I don’t care how you think this school works or how you think you’re the king of it. You will stay the hell away from Hades. Do you hear me?”

The room had gone quiet, all eyes on us now. Hector’s smirk faltered, and for the first time, I saw something shift in his expression—a mix of annoyance and disbelief that I was calling him out in front of everyone.

He stood up slowly, his height towering over me now, but I didn’t flinch. “You’re really gonna defend that loser?” he asked, his voice dripping with condescension. “Fine, I’ll lay off for now. But don’t think you can stop me from doing what I want, Lara.”

I didn’t back down. “You’ll regret it if you don’t listen. Stay away from Hades, or I’ll make sure everyone knows what kind of person you really are.”

The tension in the room thickened as Hector’s face reddened. Vincent and Felix exchanged glances, clearly unsure whether they should be laughing or backing Hector up. Sage, however, was glaring at me like I had just committed a crime. Arnold, who had been sitting silently until now, just shook his head, clearly disappointed with the scene I was causing.

Hector finally huffed, turning his back to me. “Whatever,” he muttered, storming off toward the door. Felix, Vincent, Sage, and Arnold followed behind him, but not without throwing a few last glares my way.

As they left, the room slowly began to buzz again, but I didn’t care. I was still seething, my heart pounding in my chest. I hadn’t expected to feel this angry, especially not for someone like Hades—but I wasn’t going to let people like Hector walk all over him. Or anyone else.

The door slammed behind them, and I sank down onto one of the nearby couches, my hands still clenched into fists.

“Are you okay?” A voice broke through my thoughts.

I turned to see Gianna standing in the doorway, her expression soft with concern.

“I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile. But I couldn’t shake the fire still burning in me. “I just… I don’t like what Hector did to him.”

Gianna raised an eyebrow, sitting beside me. “Hades?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but I won’t let Hector treat him like that.”

Gianna studied me thoughtfully before offering a soft smile. “You’re something else, Lala. You’ve got a soft spot for the guy, don’t you?”

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly shook my head, heat creeping up my neck. “No! I just don’t like bullies.”

Gianna chuckled but didn’t press. She leaned back, grinning teasingly. “Uh-huh. Sure, Lala. Whatever you say.”

I rolled my eyes, but inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the last time I’d have to face Hector—or the complications that came with Hades. And for reasons I couldn’t understand, I wasn’t ready to walk away just yet.