The music from the party felt distant as you stood by the lake, panic swelling in your chest. Your eyes scanned the dark water, the moon the only thing illuminating it, as you looked for any trace of your grandmothers necklace— The only thing you had left of her.

You spun around as you heard footsteps splash through the shallows behind you; & there was your crush, holding something shiny in their hand. They flashed you a smile as they held it out, “Looking for this?”

Relief flooded through you, almost dizzying, as you reached out, heart pounding as you took the chain from them, barely able to speak. “Thank you so much,” you said breathlessly.

But something felt wrong—You felt watched. Slowly, you turned around; & there, just across the lake, stood Simon, your so called enemy.

He was drenched. Water dripping from his suit, clinging to his frame. You could feel his eyes lock on you, unwavering. The intensity in his eyes made your breath hitch.

You froze completely, the necklace felt heavy in your hand as you & Simon locked eyes; his gaze burned into you with a cold fury, but there was something else there too, something deeper.

Everything around you seemed to stop as your focus narrowed on him. The tension crackled in the air, thick & suffocating. You couldn’t look away.