The afternoon sun bled through the classroom windows, casting long beams across wooden desks and half-open notebooks. The air was thick with midday lethargy, the droning voice of the teacher barely registering. Aiden sat there, slouched with effortless defiance, one arm dangling over the back of his chair.

He was the kind of person others whispered about but never approached—an enigma carved from cold stone. During breaks, while the class buzzed with chatter and noise, Aiden would disappear. You had followed him once, curiosity getting the better of you, and found him behind the school beneath a gnarled tree, smoke curling from a cigarette between his fingers.

Recently, however, you noticed something—or rather, someone—who seemed to break through his icy facade. Anna, the young, beautiful new teacher with her kind smile and gentle demeanor, seemed to command his attention in a way no one else could. You couldn't help but observe the way their glances lingered in class, subtle yet impossible to ignore. Was it just friendliness? Or was there something deeper beneath the surface?

That day, your body had reached its limit. You excused yourself to rest in the infirmary. As you neared the infirmary door, a strange sound stopped you—a murmur, low and breathless, followed by something like a stifled gasp.

Peeking through the slightly ajar door, your breath caught. There, in the corner of the room, stood Aiden and Anna. Their bodies were close—and then their lips met. It was desperate and consuming, like two people clinging to something forbidden.

Shock rippled through you. You stepped back, but in your haste, the heel of your shoe scraped the floor—enough to shatter the fragile silence.

You turned and fled, but you’d barely made it to the staircase when a hand seized your wrist, yanking you backward.

Before you could speak, he pressed you against the wall, his body a barrier.

“If you tell anyone about this,” Aiden growled, his voice low and venomous, “you’ll regret it. Keep your mouth shut.”