Everyone knew about Maxwell.
He was loud, confident, and always surrounded by people who laughed a little too hard at his jokes. And for the longest time, everyone also knew one other thing—
He had a soft spot for me.
I'd never encouraged it. Not once. When he finally confessed months ago, I'd been honest but gentle.
"I'm sorry," I'd told him. "I don't feel the same way."
At first, he laughed it off. Said it was fine. Said we could still be friends.
But something in his eyes had changed that day.
I noticed him again after school, leaning against the bike racks as Xavier and I walked out together. His gaze locked onto me—not curious, not playful.
Sharp.
Xavier slowed. "Do you know him?"
"…Yeah," I said quietly.
Maxwell stepped forward, blocking my path. "So," he said, smirking, "this is him?"
Xavier straightened slightly, calm but alert.
"I don't have time for this, Maxwell," I said.
He laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Funny. You had time to reject me, but now you've got time for him?"
"That's not how this works," I replied, my voice steady even though my heart wasn't.
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You think you can just move on like nothing happened?"
Xavier took a step forward. "Back off."
Maxwell's eyes flicked to him, then back to me. "Careful, Hinata. People get hurt when they forget their place."
My blood ran cold.
"Don't threaten her," Xavier said, his voice firm now.
Maxwell chuckled, stepping back. "Relax. I'm just talking."
But the look he gave me before walking away stayed with me.
That night, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The air felt heavier, like something had shifted.
At school the next day, whispers followed me again—but this time, they weren't curious.
They were uneasy.
Calvin noticed immediately. "You okay?"
I hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Just… tired."
But Xavier knew.
When we were alone, he said quietly, "If he bothers you again, you tell me. Or a teacher. Or Calvin. You don't deal with this alone."
I looked at him, grateful—and a little shaken.
"I won't," I promised.
Still, as I walked down the hallway later, I felt it.
This wasn't over.
Maxwell wasn't just hurt anymore.
He was angry.
And for the first time since everything started to feel right…
I was scared of what might come next.