Enemies 005

You had always been drawn to those they called "dangerous." Lucas Weiss was exactly that—bold, abrasive, with a smirk that could make your heart either skip a beat or sink. Your friends insisted he would bring nothing but pain, but beside him, you felt special.

It was entirely different with Evan Crow. Your clashes had stretched back to childhood: the jabs, the mockery, his heavy gaze, and his eternal habit of driving you to the brink of fury. He was your shadow—irritating and frightening all at once.

That evening by the campfire, everything seemed normal: music, laughter, the crackle of branches. Until a ring slipped from your finger and fell straight into the flames.

"My ring!" you cried out.

Lucas smirked.

"It's worth pennies. We'll buy another one."

But for you, it was a memory, too precious to lose. You looked at him pleadingly, and he merely snorted, picking up the ring from the edge of the fire and tossing it onto your palm.

"Here. Take it."

You smiled, pressing the ring to your chest.

"Thank you... I knew I could count on you."

But the real truth was... Evan, standing a short distance away, was hiding burnt fingers behind his back. He was the one who had dove into the flames, retrieved the ring, and left it on the edge while Lucas "played the hero."

Evan watched your gratitude being directed at the wrong person and silently turned away. He walked toward the lake, leaving behind the scent of scorched skin and a bitter sense of injustice.