The next morning, the entire school felt different.
Or maybe it was just Elena.
She could still feel the weight of Raven's jacket on her shoulders — even though she had carefully folded it and placed it inside her bag to return today.
The memory replayed in her head all night.
The rain.
His voice.
The way he looked at her like she was something… interesting.
And that scared her the most.
As she walked into school, the whispers started.
"Did you see them yesterday?"
"Raven Cortez was with her."
"The nerd?"
"No way."
Elena kept her eyes down, pretending not to hear anything. Her fingers tightened around Raven's jacket inside her bag.
She just needed to return it.
Quietly.
No drama.
But fate clearly had other plans.
When she opened her locker—
SLAM.
A hand pressed against the metal door above her head.
Her breath hitched.
She didn't need to look.
She knew.
"Morning, genius."
His voice was low. Almost amused.
Elena turned slowly.
Raven stood too close. Black uniform slightly messy. Eyes sharp but unreadable. A few students quickly looked away, pretending not to stare.
"You— your jacket," she said quickly, pulling it from her bag and holding it out with both hands like an offering.
He didn't take it immediately.
Instead, he studied her face.
"You didn't have to bring it today," he said.
"I don't like owing people."
A small smirk tugged at his lips. "You think I see it as a debt?"
She froze.
"I… don't know."
Raven finally grabbed the jacket, but instead of stepping away, he leaned closer.
"You're the only one who talks to me like I'm normal."
Her heart skipped again.
"I talk to everyone normally."
"Exactly."
Before she could respond—
"Raven!"
A sharp female voice cut through the hallway.
Elena turned.
Vanessa De Leon.
Rich. Beautiful. Confident. The unofficial queen of the school — and rumored to be Raven's "almost girlfriend."
Vanessa walked over, heels clicking against the floor. Her eyes scanned Elena from head to toe.
"So this is the girl," Vanessa said, crossing her arms.
Elena blinked. "Girl?"
Raven sighed softly. "Don't start."
Vanessa ignored him. She stepped closer to Elena.
"You're brave," she said sweetly. Too sweetly. "Hanging around someone like him."
"I'm not—"
"She's not hanging around me," Raven interrupted firmly.
Silence.
The hallway tension thickened.
Vanessa's smile dropped slightly. "Really?"
Raven's eyes darkened. "Back off, Vanessa."
Elena felt like she accidentally walked into a battlefield without armor.
"I should go," she whispered.
Before anyone could stop her, she slipped away down the corridor, her heart racing.
—
Raven watched her disappear.
Vanessa scoffed. "Since when do you defend people?"
"Since when do you care who I talk to?" he shot back.
Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "She's not your type."
Raven didn't answer immediately.
Instead, Elena's image flashed in his mind.
Her nervous voice.
The way she held her books like they were shields.
The way she looked at him last night — not with admiration.
Not with fear.
But with confusion.
And something softer.
Raven ran a hand through his hair.
"She's different," he muttered.
Vanessa laughed bitterly. "Different won't survive in your world."
That sentence lingered longer than it should have.
Because deep down—
Raven knew she was right.
—
Meanwhile, Elena sat in physics class, trying to focus on equations.
Force. Motion. Resistance.
If only emotions had formulas too.
She felt eyes on her.
She didn't need to look to know who it was.
Raven sat in the back row, watching her quietly.
Not intimidating.
Not angry.
Just watching.
For the first time in her carefully structured life—
Elena Valdez was becoming part of something unpredictable.
And Raven Cortez?
He was starting to realize that protecting her…
Might mean going against everything he built.
And someone in the shadows—
Wasn't happy about it.
To be continued…