Rebirth: Love me Again

[IRAYA]

I glanced up to see Jason and Kylie practically skidding to a stop in front of me, their faces flushed with guilt, and something akin to surprise.

"You should have called us when you arrived," Jason added, his tone holding a strange mix of authority and annoyance.

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes, keeping my expression neutral. "I figured you two were . . . occupied with something else," I said, my voice laced with subtle implication.

Their reactions betrayed them. Jason stiffened, his confident facade faltering, while Kylie quickly masked her guilt with a tight smile. I'd hit the nail on the head, and we all knew it.

"Jason talked with his friends and I was in the bathroom," Kylie explained.

Jason's gaze dropped to my desk, his brow furrowing when he noticed the remains of my meal. "Wait . . . where's our portion, Iraya?"

I feigned confusion, furrowing my brows. "Your portion? What are you talking about?"

His tone sharpened. "The bento. Didn't you buy one for us too?"

"Oh," I said, as if just realizing. "I thought you two had already eaten, so I finished it myself." I gestured to the half-empty container with a shrug, maintaining a facade of innocent nonchalance.

Jason's jaw dropped. "What?! Are you serious?!" His voice rose, drawing a few curious glances from nearby classmates. He looked ready to explode, but Kylie placed a calming hand on his arm.

"Jason, it's fine," she said soothingly, though there was a flicker of something sharp in her gaze as she turned to me. Her lips curled into a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Iraya, are you feeling alright?"

I frowned, her question catching me off guard. "What do you mean?"
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Her expression softened, but the sharp undertone in her voice betrayed any pretense of sincerity. "I heard you had a little run-in with Leander earlier."

News really did travel fast, faster than I ever wanted it to.

I forced myself to stay calm, but my voice betrayed me, trembling despite my efforts. "Yeah. It's fine. No big deal."

The words felt hollow, even to my own ears. Kylie's smirk deepened as if she could smell the fear radiating off me, but she quickly replaced it with a mask of feigned concern.

"Oh no, Iraya," she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Not to scare you or anything, but Leander's . . . dangerous. The last person who accidentally crossed paths with him just . . . disappeared. Poof. Like they were never even here."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry and tight. My hands clenched into fists to stop their trembling. "They're just rumors," I said, my voice firmer this time, though I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. "I'm sure Leander is a decent guy."

I could only hope I was right.

Kylie's lips curled into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, the satisfaction in her expression barely concealed. "Oh, don't worry, Iraya. If he does anything . . . unreasonable, we'll be here for you."

Her words were meant to comfort, but her tone dripped with insincerity.

"Thanks," I replied, forcing a tight smile, though every instinct in me screamed that she wasn't on my side.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Jason suddenly appeared, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from Kylie without so much as a word. His grip was firm, almost bruising, as he dragged me into a secluded corner of the room.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he hissed, his voice low but laced with fury. His jaw was clenched so tightly that I could see the tension in his face.

I yanked my arm free, glaring at him. "What now?"

"Bumping into Leander? Of all people? Are you serious, Iraya?" Jason's voice was sharp, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Do you even realize how dangerous this is? What the hell were you thinking?"

My stomach churned. I wasn't thinking, that was the problem. In all my years at this school, I had made it a point to avoid Leander completely. I had stayed out of his way, walked on the opposite side of hallways, and kept my head down whenever he was nearby.

And yet, one moment of carelessness, one stupid mistake, and I had ended up on his radar.

"It was an accident, Jason," I snapped, though my voice wavered. "What do you want me to do about it?"

Jason ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "I don't know. Apologize. Beg for his forgiveness. Do whatever it takes to make this right, Iraya." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You can't afford to have him pissed at you. And I can't afford to lose you."

I froze at his words, but not because of their supposed concern. I could see through him now, his carefully constructed facade cracking under the pressure. He didn't care about me—he cared about what I provided him, about the money that kept his fake lifestyle afloat.

My chest tightened with a mix of anger and realization. "Lose me?" I repeated, my voice colder now. "Are you sure it's me that you're worried about?"

Jason's face darkened, his mask slipping for a fraction of a second. He didn't deny it, didn't even try. Instead, he snapped, "Don't make this about me, Iraya. Fix it. Before it's too late."

I stared at him, my fists clenched at my sides. For the first time, I truly saw Jason for who he was—selfish, manipulative, and willing to throw me under the bus to save himself.

I didn't say anything. I was going to fix this anyway. Taking chances with someone like Leander wasn't an option, especially not now—not when I was still in the early stages of my plan for revenge.

The holiday was approaching, and if I wanted any semblance of peace, I needed to deal with this immediately. Fortunately, I knew exactly where Leander spent his Friday nights.

The only problem was, I wasn't sure I was ready to face him so soon.