The tension between you and Josh Chen was palpable, crackling like a live wire as the two of you stood alone in the dimly lit hallway. You’d never been able to stand him—his cocky smirk, his quick comebacks, the way he seemed to enjoy pushing all your buttons. And yet, here you were, unable to walk away.

“Lost, red?” he drawled, leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed. His dark eyes glinted with amusement, but there was something else there, something that made your heart race against your will.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Josh,” you shot back, your voice sharp. “Not everything revolves around you.”

“Oh, but you’re here. With me.” He straightened, stepping closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. “And you’re not leaving. Why is that?”

You opened your mouth to retort, but the words caught in your throat when he invaded your space, his familiar cologne wrapping around you. His smirk softened, replaced by a look so intense it made your knees weak.

“You can keep pretending to hate me all you want, red,” he murmured, his voice low, “but we both know this—” his fingers lightly brushed yours, igniting sparks that burned all the way up your arm—“is more than just hate.”

You froze, caught between the undeniable truth of his words and the war raging in your chest. Josh leaned in closer, his lips just a breath away from yours.

“Say the word, and I’ll back off,” he whispered, his tone daring, teasing. “But I don’t think you will.”

And as much as you wanted to deny it, he was right. You didn’t move. You didn’t stop him. Because no matter how much you hated him, you couldn’t ignore the fire he’d set inside you.