Liana thought the applause would echo forever.
But applause never lasts.
By Monday morning, the high-gloss shine of her Talent Festival victory had dulled into whispers. The corridors of Regal Heights were alive with contradictions:
"She was brilliant."
"She only won because the judges wanted to look progressive."
"Did you see Zayn's face when she beat him?"
"Scholarship trash with a paintbrush is still trash."
Everywhere she walked, eyes followed. Some with awe. Some with contempt. And some....like Bianca's...were harder to read.
"Smile, babe." Bianca linked her arm through Liana's as they entered the marble-tiled hallway. "You're the star of Regal Heights right now. Walk like it."
Liana gave a half-smile, adjusting the strap of her backpack. "Feels more like a target than a star."
Bianca laughed, too loud. "That's what comes with fame. You'll get used to it." Her grip on Liana's arm tightened a little before she let go.
They reached their lockers. Across the hall, the Vipers stood like kings in their court, Zayn leaning casually against the wall, Adrien with his hands in his pockets, Ralph scrolling his phone with an air of disinterest. But Liana's eyes caught only one.
Xavier.
He wasn't laughing like the others. He wasn't even pretending to. He was just… watching her. A gaze so steady, so unreadable, it made her pulse trip over itself.
Bianca noticed. Her lips curved into a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Ignore him," she whispered. "That's what he wants....attention."
But Liana couldn't. Because when she forced herself to look away, she felt the heat of his stare cling to her skin, stubborn and unyielding.
--------------------
Later, in History class, Mr. Reynolds droned on about dynasties and power struggles. Liana sat in the middle row, notebook open but barely touched. She could feel Xavier behind her. The scratch of his pen. The faint shift of his chair. She hated that she noticed.
When the bell rang, students spilled into the hallway. Liana gathered her books quickly, hoping to slip out unnoticed. But the moment she stepped through the doorway, a voice brushed her ear.
"Congratulations, Hart."
She froze. That voice....low, smooth, dangerous.
Turning, she found Xavier standing too close, his tall frame blocking the light. His expression unreadable, but his eyes… those eyes burned.
"Don't," she said, sharper than she intended. "Don't play your games with me. Not after everything."
He tilted his head slightly, studying her. "Who said I was playing?"
Her breath hitched, but she refused to let him see it. "You humiliated me. You ruined my work. And now you think a few words will make it better?"
A flicker of something crossed his face....guilt? Frustration? It vanished too quickly.
"I don't apologize," he said. "But I recognize strength when I see it."
Her chest tightened. He said it so simply, as if it were a truth he couldn't swallow back.
Bianca's voice cut in suddenly, bright and sharp. "Liana! There you are." She slipped between them with an easy smile, her hand brushing Xavier's arm like it was an accident. "We're going to be late for Art Club."
Liana blinked, realizing Xavier hadn't moved. He stood there a moment longer, his eyes locked on hers, before he finally stepped back.
Bianca's smile widened, but the hand she placed on Liana's shoulder was firm, steering her away.
-------
That afternoon, the Art Club room smelled of paint and turpentine, canvases propped against every wall. Students buzzed about festival results, everyone glancing at Liana like she carried a crown on her head.
"Show us the winning piece again!" someone asked.
Liana hesitated. The phoenix painting had been taken by the judges, preserved for potential exhibition. All she had left were sketches. She pulled one out, unfolding the page carefully.
Gasps rippled. Compliments spilled.
But at the back of the room, Bianca leaned against the window, arms folded. Her smile was soft, but her eyes were sharp, calculating.
"She's good," whispered one student near Bianca.
"Too good," Bianca murmured back, low enough that no one but the girl beside her heard. The girl frowned, unsure if it was a joke.
When the meeting ended, Liana carefully packed her supplies. She turned to Bianca. "Thanks for earlier. With Xavier."
Bianca grinned. "Always got your back, babe."
But her nails dug slightly into the strap of her bag as she spoke.
---
Night fell over Regal Heights. Liana returned home exhausted, her parents busy with the restaurant, her siblings squabbling in the living room. She slipped into her shared room, dropping her bag and sitting by the window with her sketchpad.
She drew without thinking. Not flames this time. Not a phoenix.
Eyes.
Dark, piercing, maddening eyes that haunted her no matter how hard she tried to banish them. She shaded the jawline, the curve of lips she refused to admit she noticed.
When she finally realized what she was sketching, she slammed the book shut. Her cheeks burned in the dark.
"This is ridiculous," she whispered.
But her heart didn't agree.
---
Across the city, Xavier sat in his father's study, the silence heavy. He hadn't stopped replaying the look in Liana's eyes when she stood on that stage. Pride. Fire. Defiance.
Elena's message still lingered on his phone: She reminds you of who you were before you became one of them.
He hated her for being right.
He poured himself a glass of water, staring out the window. Somewhere beyond those glittering city lights, Liana Hart was sketching, dreaming, refusing to bow.
And damn him… but he wanted more.
---
Back at Regal Heights, the whispers thickened as days passed. The judges had confirmed it: Liana's phoenix painting would be featured at the city's upcoming Youth Art Gala. Bigger stage. Bigger eyes watching.
Students buzzed with excitement, but also envy.
"She's not even from money....how did she get this far?"
"She'll embarrass the school if she fails."
"Bet the Vipers won't let her get that far."
Bianca listened to every word. And slowly, she began to smile.
Because maybe, just maybe, she could make sure those whispers came true.