The school library was empty. Only the soft hum of the overhead lights filled the space.
Elena sat at a table, her books open, pretending to study. But her mind kept drifting to Raven. She could feel him before she even heard him. The quiet footsteps, the faint creak of the door — it was him. Always him.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, sliding into the chair across from her. His voice was low, casual, but there was a weight to it she couldn't ignore.
"I'm not staring," she said quickly, looking down at her notebook.
"You are," he said with a small smirk. "And you're thinking too hard."
She rolled her eyes but didn't look up. "Maybe I like thinking too hard."
Raven leaned closer, so close she could feel the heat radiating from him. "Maybe you're overthinking me," he said quietly.
Her heart skipped. She wanted to look at him, to see if he meant it, but something stopped her. Maybe fear, maybe excitement — she wasn't sure.
"Maybe I am," she admitted softly.
He didn't smile this time. He just tilted his head slightly, studying her. The air between them felt electric. Too close to ignore. Too intense to be normal.
"Do you know what it feels like?" he murmured. "To care about someone and not be able to do anything about it?"
Elena's pen froze mid-word. "I think I might know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Raven reached across the table. Slowly. Carefully. His hand brushed hers. Just a touch, but it was enough to make her chest tighten.
"I'm not supposed to want this," he said, his dark eyes locked on hers. "Not you. Not… us."
"You don't get to decide that alone," Elena whispered. She moved her hand slightly closer, letting their fingers touch fully. "I choose this too."
The tension cracked, small and dangerous, as if the room itself was holding its breath.
Raven's lips hovered near hers — not quite touching, just close enough for her to feel the heat, the promise, the danger of it.
"I shouldn't—" he started.
"You shouldn't what?" she asked, boldness rising in her chest.
"Do this," he admitted.
"Then don't," she whispered back. "Stay. Talk. Feel. Don't stop."
And for the first time, the lines between danger and desire blurred.
Their foreheads rested against each other. Their hands intertwined. The world outside — rivals, betrayal, gangs — faded for a moment.
It wasn't a kiss. Not yet. But it was close enough to burn.
Raven's hand tightened slightly around hers. "You make everything complicated," he murmured.
"So do you," she said softly.
But in that quiet library, surrounded by the smell of old books and fluorescent lights, they didn't need to solve anything.
They just existed. Together.
And for now, that was enough.
To be continued…