ANNA'S POV (Continuing):
His words hit me harder than they should have.
Suppressing his feelings.
The second he said it, Trip's face flashed through my mind so suddenly it made my stomach twist.
Trip.
His teasing smirk.
The way he kept trying to text me.
The way he'd tried to approach me again and again.
And the way I kept shutting him down every single time.
Because he was from Section A.
Because he was our enemy.
Because I refused to ruin everything over feelings that should've never existed.
My chest tightened.
Was I doing the same thing?
Was I suppressing what I felt because admitting it would change everything?
And worse—
Was Trip doing it too?
Sevi kept talking, unaware of the war he had started in my head.
"And don't forget," he added, "Theo and Atasha were exes once, remember? Maybe he regrets losing her."
I swallowed hard and forced myself back to the conversation.
"Probably," I said quietly.
But my thoughts were no longer on Theo.
They were on Trip.
Did he regret it too?
All those messages he sent.
All those moments he tried to talk to me.
And every time, I refused.
Not because I didn't care.
But because I cared too much.
I stared blankly at the notebook, my own thoughts tangling into knots.
Then Sevi suddenly grinned, breaking the heavy silence.
"Haters to lovers," he said dramatically, leaning back with a satisfied smile. "Wow. Amazing trope."
I shot him a flat look.
He slowly turned his head toward me, still smiling in that irritatingly smug way.
There it was.
That look.
That stupid, knowing look.
I narrowed my eyes immediately.
"Not gonna happen to us," I said coldly. "So don't build false hopes."
His smile dropped into an exaggerated pout.
"Wow," he muttered. "That hurt."
"Good."
He placed a hand over his heart as if I'd stabbed him.
"I'm wounded."
"You'll survive."
"Barely."
I rolled my eyes and stood up from the chair, crossing my arms again.
"You're impossible."
"And yet," he said, standing too and stepping closer with a teasing glint in his eyes, "you still came here with me after school."
I froze for half a second.
My heart gave the faintest, most annoying little flutter.
I immediately glared at him.
"That's because we're investigating Theo's tragic love life," I snapped. "Not because I enjoy your company."
Sevi smirked.
"Sure, Anna."
"I mean it."
"Mhm."
"I seriously mean it."
He leaned against the desk, folding his arms, looking way too amused.
"You know," he said, voice low and playful, "for someone who says she hates these tropes, you sound awfully defensive."
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"I'm defensive because you're delusional."
His grin widened.
"And you're blushing."
My eyes widened in horror.
"I am not!"
He laughed, full, warm, and far too pleased with himself.
I wanted to strangle him.
Instead, I snatched the notebook from the desk and smacked it against his chest.
"Focus, detective," I hissed. "We still need proof before we accuse Theo of being in love with the queen of nightmares."
Sevi caught the notebook easily, still laughing under his breath.
"Yes, ma'am."
I pointed a warning finger at him.
"And stop calling this a trope."
"But it is."
"It's a disaster."
"The best kind."
I groaned and turned away.