The day after their rooftop meeting, Maya could feel the weight of Vanessa's presence everywhere. Each hallway, each classroom, each glance from a passing student seemed to carry Vanessa's smirk and the quiet threat behind it. It was exhausting, but also exhilarating in a way Maya could not explain.
She tried to focus in class, but her mind kept drifting back to Liam, to the rooftop, to the moments when the world had shrunk down to just the two of them. Every time she remembered how he had looked at her, the intensity in his eyes, her pulse quickened. She realized that part of her was waiting, almost craving, the next encounter with him.
By lunch, it was clear Vanessa had escalated her efforts. Maya walked into the cafeteria and immediately felt the tension in the air. Students whispered, stealing glances at her, and some smirked knowingly. At a table near the back, Vanessa sat surrounded by her usual circle, her eyes fixed on Maya like a predator sizing up prey.
Maya felt a mix of fear and determination. She knew Vanessa would try something, but she also knew she could not let herself be intimidated. Not when Liam had made it clear that he was on her side.
She spotted him immediately, sitting alone at a table near the window. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was sharp, scanning the room as if he could see everything. Maya made her way over, feeling her heart race as she approached.
"You are late," Liam said quietly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Busy avoiding Vanessa," Maya replied, sliding into the seat across from him.
He leaned back, his eyes still scanning the room. "She will not stop. You need to be prepared."
Maya nodded. "I know. But how do I fight someone like her? She always knows what to do, what to say."
Liam leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Vanessa's strength is fear. She thrives on it. If you do not give her that, if you stand your ground and show confidence, she loses her power over you. That is how you win."
Maya swallowed hard. "And if she tries to humiliate me in front of everyone?"
"You ignore her," Liam said firmly. "And if she gets too close, you tell me. You do not have to face her alone."
Maya felt a rush of relief at his words. Being with Liam was like having an anchor in a storm. She knew he would not let her fall, no matter how clever or ruthless Vanessa became.
The rest of lunch passed with Vanessa occasionally throwing sharp remarks from across the room, but Maya kept her head held high, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. Each time, Liam's eyes met hers, offering a silent reassurance that made her heart race in a way that was both terrifying and thrilling.
After lunch, Maya found herself walking toward the stairwell once again. The rooftop had become their sanctuary, a place where plans were made and moments were stolen, far away from Vanessa's scheming eyes.
When she pushed the door open, Liam was already there, leaning casually against the railing. The sunlight highlighted the sharp lines of his face and the intensity in his gaze.
"You made it," he said, his voice calm and steady.
"I said I would," Maya replied, moving closer to the railing.
They stood together, the city stretching out below them, the wind tugging at their hair. Silence hung between them for a moment, comfortable and electric.
"Vanessa is not going to back down," Liam said quietly. "She will escalate, test limits, and try to find a weakness. You have to be ready for that.''
Maya nodded. "I am ready."
He looked at her, and for a moment, the usual confidence in his eyes softened into something deeper. "You have no idea how impressed I am with you, Maya. You are stronger than you know, and braver than you realize. Vanessa may be clever, but she cannot touch what we have."
Maya felt warmth rush through her at his words. Being near Liam was intoxicating, grounding, and thrilling all at once.
For a long moment, they simply stood there, side by side, letting the wind carry their thoughts. Maya realized that Ridgewood International, with all its danger, gossip, and rivalry, had become a place where she was no longer just surviving. She was fighting, growing stronger, and discovering a connection she had never known she wanted.
Liam finally stepped closer, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him. "We are a team," he said softly. "And no one, not even Vanessa, can come between us. Not if we do not let them."
Maya nodded, her heart pounding. "Together," she said.
"Together," he echoed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
The rooftop became their haven, a place where the world outside the rivalries, the whispers, the threats no longer existed. And Maya realized that whatever challenges Vanessa threw at them, she and Liam would face them as one, their bond growing stronger with each stolen moment in the wind.
The city stretched endlessly below them, intimidating and alive, but on that rooftop, Maya felt invincible. And she welcomed every risk, every challenge, and every thrill that came with standing beside Liam Kingston.
For the first time, she was not afraid. She was ready.