Riley's eyes flicked back to Zayden, who was still watching her from across the cafeteria. The way he looked at her made her feel like she was under a magnifying glass, every move scrutinized. She was used to being invisible, used to blending into the background, but with Zayden, it was like she was in the spotlight—whether she liked it or not.
"You need to stop looking at him like that," Aria's voice broke through Riley's thoughts. "It's obvious he's got you under his spell."
Riley snapped her gaze away from Zayden and glared at Aria. "I'm not under anyone's spell," she muttered, her voice colder than she intended. But deep down, she knew it wasn't true. Zayden had a way of getting into her head, making her doubt herself.
Aria just gave her a knowing look. "You can tell yourself that, but it's clear he's already made his mark."
The words hit Riley like a punch to the gut. She hated the truth behind them. Zayden Adrian—playboy, popular guy, and heir to the Adrian fortune—had been on her mind more than she was willing to admit. She couldn't figure out why. Every encounter, every interaction with him felt like a tug of war between resisting and giving in. And the more she resisted, the stronger the pull seemed to become.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and Riley grabbed her tray, pushing her chair back with more force than necessary. She didn't want to think about Zayden anymore. But she couldn't help it. His smirk, the way he made her feel like she was on the edge of something she didn't fully understand—it was all consuming.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Every time she walked down the hall, she could feel his gaze on her, like a heat radiating from him. She could sense that he was always there, always watching. It was suffocating, and yet, it was the most thrilling thing she'd ever experienced.
By the time the last class of the day ended, Riley was exhausted—physically and mentally. She just wanted to go home, to escape the weight of the world and the constant tension that seemed to hang between her and Zayden. She grabbed her things from her locker, trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on her back. But of course, she couldn't.
"Leaving so soon?" Zayden's voice slid into her ear like velvet, his presence looming behind her.
Riley spun around, her heart lurching in her chest. "Why do you always do that?" she demanded, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.
Zayden raised an eyebrow, his smile a dangerous thing. "Do what? Follow you? I was just making sure you don't get lost on your way home."
"I can find my own way, thanks," Riley snapped, but her words lacked the usual edge. There was something about Zayden that made her falter, even when she didn't want to. She was supposed to be strong, independent, but every time she tried to push him away, he pulled her right back in.
Zayden didn't move, his gaze fixed on her like he was memorizing every little detail. "You think you can avoid me, but you can't. I know you feel it too, Riley."
"Feel what?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended. "You think you've got me figured out? You don't know anything about me."
Zayden took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "I know enough. I know that you're trying to act like you don't care. But you do. And that's what's going to make this fun."
Riley's heart skipped a beat. "What's going to make what fun?"
Zayden's smile deepened, his eyes darkening with something she couldn't quite read. "The game, Riley. You and me. Let's see how long it takes for you to admit what's really going on."
Her breath caught in her throat, her pulse spiking. The way he said it—like it was inevitable. Like there was no escape.
She stepped back, her hands shaking slightly as she gripped her bag tighter. "I don't play games, Zayden."
He didn't back off. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her arm. "Oh, but you will. Whether you want to or not."
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, a storm of emotions swirling inside her. She hated the way he made her feel—confused, lost, and completely out of control. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that there was something magnetic about him, something she couldn't resist.
As she made her way out of the school, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Zayden Adrian wasn't going to let her go that easily. And somewhere deep inside, she knew she didn't want him to.