CHAPTER TEN

HADES

The first day at Rockwell Academy had been exactly what I expected—nothing. A class from 12 to 1 pm, some lame icebreakers, and a lot of fake smiles. The whole thing felt like a waste of time. I wasn’t here to make friends, and I wasn’t here to play nice. I was just getting through it, like always.

Marcus and I didn’t bother pretending we cared about the class. We kept to ourselves, barely participating, letting the time drag by until it was finally over. I figured I’d leave and go find a quiet spot to think, but Marcus had other plans.

“Wanna ditch?” he asked, his voice casual, like he didn’t care about anything but getting out of there.

I didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” I muttered, already moving toward the door.

We slipped out of the classroom together, the noise of the school behind us fading into nothing. We made our way through the hallways, with Marcus leading the way. His indifference to everything around him was oddly comforting. I didn’t have to pretend with him, and I didn’t have to fit into whatever this place was trying to force me into.

After a few turns, we reached a door I hadn’t noticed before, tucked away at the end of the hallway. Marcus didn’t hesitate. He pushed it open, revealing a dimly lit hallway that smelled musty and old. The kind of place no one cared about, and no one bothered with.

"Where the hell are we going?" I asked, but Marcus was already moving, pushing the next door open.

“Trust me,” he said, the usual nonchalance in his voice.

I followed him in, my curiosity piqued, though I was more annoyed than anything. But then, as I stepped into the room, I froze.

Lara.

She was standing by the window, back to us, lost in thought. The room was small and cozy, almost like a secret hideaway—exactly the kind of place you’d expect someone like her to retreat to. I couldn’t help but feel like we were intruding.

Marcus leaned against the wall, watching Lara, his expression almost knowing. “She comes here to sing,” he said quietly, almost like he was afraid to disturb her.

My chest tightened. Lara? Singing? The last thing I had imagined her doing was something so vulnerable. She’d always seemed like she had it all together, like nothing could shake her. But here, in this hidden room, I saw something different. I saw a side of her I wasn’t supposed to.

I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, so I stood there, not knowing what to do. My eyes followed her, watching her figure framed by the soft light from the window. She looked… soft. Real. Something I hadn’t seen before.

Marcus, of course, didn’t care about being quiet or respecting any boundaries. He stretched his arms out, glancing at me. “You coming, or what?” he asked, already moving toward the door.

I was still frozen in place. I couldn’t look away from Lara, couldn’t bring myself to do anything but watch her. It was like she’d put up this invisible wall around herself, and I’d never been able to see past it until now.

“Let’s go,” Marcus said again, not waiting for me.

But I didn’t move.

Instead, I watched Lara turn around, her eyes flicking over to Marcus first and then to me. She wasn’t startled or annoyed. She didn’t seem surprised. Her gaze met mine, and for a second, it felt like time slowed down.

“What are you two doing here?” she asked, her voice soft but not angry.

Marcus shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “Just showing him the place,” he said, with his usual nonchalance.

Lara’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, and I couldn’t quite place what I was feeling. I should’ve just left. I should’ve said something, anything, to explain why I was here. But for some reason, I didn’t. I just stood there, looking at her, my chest tightening in a way I didn’t understand.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. I was lost in the silence, caught between wanting to leave and wanting to stay.

Then Lara turned back to the window, as if nothing had changed, and I felt a strange pull. It wasn’t the same distance I’d always put between myself and everyone else. It wasn’t about the room, or even her secret spot. It was about her. There was something about her that made my heart race, something I couldn’t ignore.

And before I could stop myself, I moved toward her.

I didn’t think. I didn’t process anything. I just found myself standing right behind her. My breath was heavy in my chest, and I was so damn close to her I could feel the warmth radiating from her. She didn’t turn around, didn’t acknowledge me, but I couldn’t stop myself. Not now. Not when I was so close.

Without thinking, I reached out, my hand resting on her shoulder as I turned her to face me. Her eyes were wide with surprise, her breath catching. For a moment, neither of us moved. I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I just knew I couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t feel what I felt.

Lara opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off.

I leaned down, my lips pressing against hers in a kiss that was sudden, raw, and undeniable. It was like I couldn’t stop it anymore. The pull between us, the tension that had been building ever since I saw her, was too much to resist.

At first, she didn’t respond, her body tense. But then, slowly, she relaxed, her hand coming up to rest against my chest, as if she was finally giving in to the moment. Her lips were soft, but her kiss was fierce, like she had been holding back too.

When we finally broke apart, I stood there, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. She was breathing heavily, her eyes full of confusion and something else I couldn’t quite read.

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. My chest was still tight, and my mind was a mess of conflicting thoughts. All I knew was that I had kissed her. And somehow, I didn’t regret it.

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lara behind in that strange, quiet space.

But as I left, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.