CURSED FOR LOVE

LIORA'S POV

  I stirred my drink, glancing towards the Crimson Athenaeum in the distance. The building was huge, with red bricks that seemed darker than the rest of campus. Its tall windows reflected the fading sunlight, but the shadows inside moved in ways that didn't feel right.

  Even from here, a shiver ran down my spine, like the place was hiding secrets it didn't want anyone to find.

  "Mara... why do you think they made such a rule? Is there something wrong with that place?"

  "I don't really know... I just heard no one's allowed inside. Maybe it's because the building's old. They're probably afraid it could collapse or something."she shrugged

  I hesitated. "There's something I didn't tell you."

  Mara frowned and leaned forward."What?"

  "I saw something. Yesterday night."

  She straightened, eyes narrowing. "Saw what, Liora-"

  But before l could say anything , a deafening crash tore through the hallway.

  The door flew open and a group of seniors stormed in, laughing loudly, tossing bags onto tables. They were dressed in the school's football uniforms, still sweaty from practice. "Hey! Did you see that touchdown? I was on fire!" one of them shouted, making the whole cafeteria turn.

  The noise settled around them like a storm that refused to calm. The one I guessed was the quarterback-tall, loud, far too confident-stood on a bench, replaying the moment with wild gestures as laughter followed his every word.

  Then the air shifted.

  A tall figure stepped into the cafeteria doorway, blocking the light behind him. Conversations slowed. Forks paused halfway to mouths. He didn't wear a uniform, just dark clothes that fit him like they were made for him alone. Broad shoulders. Sharp jaw. Grey eyes, sharp and watchful, burning with anger he kept firmly in check.The kind of good-looking that didn't try-didn't need to.

  Mara whispered beside me.

  "Oh my..." she muttered. "Okay... that is one seriously attractive guy."

  He walked straight to the bench. His gaze locked on the quarterback, steady and cold.

  "Get down," he said quietly. "And follow me."

  The quarterback laughed, hopping off the bench. "Relax, Captain. We're just celebrating. You should try it sometime." He clapped him on the shoulder like they were equals. "The crowd loves me, yeah?"

  The captain's expression didn't change.

  In one smooth motion, he grabbed the quarterback by the collar and yanked him closer, their faces inches apart. His voice dropped low, but I still heard it-clear, sharp, dangerous.

  "I'm not going to repeat myself," he said. "Next time, I won't be this polite."

  The quarterback swallowed.

  From where I sat, my heart pounded hard against my ribs. I should've looked away. I didn't.

  Because for a split second, the captain's eyes lifted-and met mine.

  My breath caught. Not because he smiled. He didn't.

  His expression stayed hard, jaw tight, shoulders squared like nothing in the world could shake him.

  But then-

  Just for a fraction of a second, l saw something ,was that-

  Fear?

  Not loud. Not obvious. Just a flicker in his dark eyes - sharp and startled.

  And then it was gone.

  His face reset, controlled and unreadable.

  he turned away.

  The quarterback-no, the waterboy now, stripped of his noise-followed behind him without a word. The doors swung shut, and just like that, the tension left with them.

  I exhaled without realizing I'd been holding my breath.

  Mara let out a low whistle. "Wow," she said. "That was... intense."

  She shook her head, eyes wide. "Remind me never to get on his bad side."

  I nodded, though my attention wasn't really on her.

  My heart was still racing, my chest tight in a way that made no sense. Our eyes had met-just once-but it felt like a strange unease tightened in my chest, sharp and unexpected.

  I didn't understand it. And I didn't want to.

  Boys like that came with trouble. Chaos. Shadows. The kind of attention I had no interest in inviting into my life. Whatever that feeling was, I told myself it would pass.

  It had to.

  "Come on," Mara said, grabbing her tray. "We'll be late for morning classes."

  I stood, forcing my thoughts back into order as we headed for the doors.

  And for some reason, an uneasy certainty settled in me that this was only the start.