Chapter Twenty-Three: Sol, Teasing, and Jealousy
(Lyra's POV)
I slumped into my chair in class, trying to focus on the whiteboard, but my mind kept drifting. Last night's sleepover, the dares, the candy sugar highs, Evan's gray-blue eyes… I couldn't stop replaying moments.
"Sol, pass the notes here," Evan whispered, leaning just a little too close. His warm scent made my heart skip.
I froze. "E-ev… Evan!"
He smirked, golden hair catching the fluorescent light. "Relax. You're mine, remember?"
I buried my face in my notebook. "Stop saying that!"
At lunch, Soraya and Saphira cornered me as we headed to Clover's Café.
"Ooooh, are you trying to seduce Evan, Sol?" Saphira teased, smirking.
"I—what?!" I sputtered, face burning.
"He's sitting right there!" Soraya added, pointing, voice dripping with amusement.
I froze. Evan's head snapped toward me, smirk tugging at his lips. "Maybe I like it," he whispered, leaning just a bit closer than necessary.
I groaned, shoving my tray in front of me.
Then she arrived — the cheerleader from our class, full-on flirting with Evan, tossing her hair, laughing a little too loudly.
I felt my stomach drop. My hands clenched around my fork, and suddenly… I wanted to disappear.
Evan noticed immediately. His golden eyes snapped to mine, narrowing slightly. "You okay, Sol?"
I muttered, "I… yeah…"
He leaned closer, voice low, possessive. "Don't let her distract you. You're mine."
I froze, cheeks burning hotter than ever.
The rest of lunch was chaos. Soraya and Saphira teased endlessly:
"Look at her, all jealous! Sol's jealous!"
"Evan's smirking! Oooh, this is juicy!"
"Don't even pretend, you love it!"
I groaned, trying to ignore them, but my eyes kept flicking to Evan, who smirked faintly, golden eyes twinkling.
Classes were… a minefield. Every time Evan leaned over to help with notes, brushed against my shoulder, or whispered "Sol" in that teasing, fluster-inducing way, I melted.
I tried avoiding him when possible, but he'd always find a way to brush past, hand lightly on mine, a whisper in my ear. "Can't hide from me, Sol."
I buried my face in my textbook, muttering, "Impossible."
He chuckled softly. "You love me."
I groaned, cheeks flaming. "Evan… stop!"
By the end of the day, I was exhausted, flustered, and… secretly thrilled. Soraya and Saphira were still teasing nonstop, and I was pretty sure I'd never get a normal lunch again.
But the thought of Evan's golden eyes, his possessive smirk, and the way he'd whispered Sol kept replaying in my mind.