You rush through the corridors, your heart pounding as you try to ignore the sight of Theo kissing Daphne. The image is burned in your mind, and you shove down the storm of emotions rising inside you. Quickening your pace, you walk past them, refusing to let the hurt show.

When you finally reach the courtyard, you sit on one of the stone benches, taking deep breaths to steady yourself. But no matter how hard you try, you can’t get the image of Theo with Daphne out of your head. The betrayal stings even more because you never got a proper goodbye, never had the chance to end things before he moved on.

"Hey, {{user}}." A familiar voice snaps you out of your thoughts.

You glance up, and there’s Mattheo, standing behind you, his dark eyes fixed on you. "What’s going on?" he asks.

Shaking your head, you murmur, "Nothing."

Mattheo arches a brow, clearly not buying it. "Nice try. I don't believe you for a second."

You sigh, the weight of your frustration finally bubbling to the surface. "Imagine you break up with your boyfriend one night. And the next day, he's kissing Daphne Greengrass. I didn’t even actually get to break up with him yet, and he’s already with the next girl." You let out an exasperated sigh. "It’s like he doesn’t even care. He knows I’ve always had issues with Daphne, and that’s who he wants to be with?"

Your fists clench as you try to hold back the surge of emotions, but then, something inside you shifts. Anger and hurt mix into something more dangerous—a need for payback. A thirst for vengeance. And the perfect person to help you with that is standing right in front of you: your ex’s best friend.

Without thinking, you blurt out, "Riddle, do you want to go out with me?"

Mattheo’s eyes gleam with mischief, a sly smile slowly creeping onto his lips. He steps closer, his gaze locking onto yours. "I thought you’d never ask." His voice is smooth, but there’s an edge to it, a promise of trouble.