Stephanie’s POV
The soft knock on my door drew my attention away from the book I’d been attempting to read. Before I could answer, the door creaked open, and Reyna peeked in.
“Can I come in?” she asked hesitantly.
“Of course.” I set the book down and motioned for her to sit on the bed.
Reyna walked in, looking more flustered than usual. She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, leaning closer.
She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. “It’s John and Jake.”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What about them?”
“John asked me to be his date for the Moonlight Party,” she said, her cheeks tinged with pink. “And then Jake… he asked me too.”
I blinked, surprised. “Both of them? What did you say?”
Reyna bit her lip, her gaze darting to the floor. “I accepted John’s offer, but when I told Jake… he didn’t take it well. He just walked out without saying anything. I think he’s angry with me.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her predicament. “Well, that’s bound to make things awkward. You’ve got two powerful men vying for your attention, Reyna. It’s not going to be easy to keep the peace.”
She groaned, leaning back against the headboard. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t even want to choose between them, but John asked first. And now Jake…”
“Jake will get over it,” I said, trying to reassure her. “He’s probably just upset because he’s not used to being turned down. Give him some time.”
Reyna nodded slowly, though her expression was still troubled.
“Besides,” I added, “the party preparations start tomorrow, and we need to focus. Diane will already be scheming, so we have to be on high alert.”
Reyna straightened at that, her eyes narrowing. “You think Diane will try something during the party?”
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” I said. “She’s already made it clear that she doesn’t want us here. And with the elders attending, she’ll want to make sure John’s attention isn’t on us. She might try to set us up or make us look bad.”
Reyna nodded, her jaw tightening. “We’ll have to stay one step ahead of her. We can’t let her win.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Stick close to me during the preparations and at the party. If we work together, she won’t stand a chance.”
A soft knock at the door interrupted our conversation. One of the maids peeked in, her expression polite but expectant.
“Dinner is ready,” she announced.
Reyna sighed, standing up reluctantly. “Great. Now I get to sit at the table with both John and Jake and pretend everything’s fine.”
I smirked. “You’ll be fine. Just focus on your food and avoid eye contact.”
She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You think this is funny, don’t you?”
“A little,” I admitted, laughing softly.
Reyna hesitated at the door, her hand resting on the frame. “You know what? You go ahead. Tell them I’m not feeling well, and I’ll eat in my room. I can’t deal with the awkwardness tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “Coward.”
“Call it what you want,” she said with a grin, “but I’m staying out of this one.”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my shawl and headed for the door. “Fine, I’ll let them know. But don’t think you can avoid this forever.”
“Thanks, Steph,” Reyna said, flashing me a grateful smile before retreating back into the room.
As I made my way to the dining hall, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation. Reyna might think she was escaping the awkwardness tonight, but tomorrow would bring its own set of challenges. And knowing Jake and John, neither of them would let this go easily.
___
Jake’s POV
Dinner felt heavier than usual, though it had nothing to do with the food. The moment Stephanie arrived alone, I knew something was off. She looked calm as she took her seat, but I couldn’t miss the slight hesitation in her movements.
I leaned forward, my gaze fixed on her. “Where’s Reyna?”
Stephanie glanced up briefly before replying. “She’s not feeling well, so she decided to stay in her room.”
Not feeling well? That didn’t sit right with me. Reyna wasn’t the type to back down from a dinner, especially not after the day we’d had. But I held my tongue, swallowing down the suspicion that churned in my gut.
Across the table, Diane wasted no time seizing the opportunity. She turned to John, her lips curving into a sickly-sweet smile.
“Well, if Reyna’s unwell, it only makes sense that she doesn’t involve herself in the Moonlight Party preparations,” she said, her voice dripping with faux concern. “We wouldn’t want her to push herself unnecessarily.”
I stiffened, my fork clattering against my plate. Before John could even respond, I cut in.
“Reyna will be fine by morning,” I said, my tone firm. “She’ll be involved as planned.”
Diane’s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered, her eyes narrowing slightly as she turned her attention back to her plate. “If you say so,” she murmured, her tone dismissive.
John glanced between the two of us, clearly sensing the tension but choosing not to comment. Instead, he simply nodded and resumed eating.
The rest of the dinner passed in silence, the atmosphere weighed down by unspoken words and glances that lingered too long. Stephanie was unusually quiet, avoiding eye contact with everyone. John remained unreadable as always, and Diane-well, Diane was Diane, radiating smugness even in silence.
As soon as the meal ended, I pushed back my chair and excused myself. My mind wasn’t on dessert or the upcoming party-it was on Reyna.
I found myself walking toward her room before I could even think twice about it. My pace quickened with each step, frustration and concern intertwining in a way that left my chest tight. I needed to see her, to make sure she was okay, and-if I was honest with myself-I needed to hear her voice, even if it was to tell me she didn’t want to talk.
But as I turned the corner, I froze.
John was standing at her door, his hand resting lightly on the frame as he leaned in to speak to her. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the easy smile on his face and the soft look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Something twisted in my chest, a mix of anger and something far more vulnerable that I refused to name. I clenched my fists, the urge to storm forward and demand an explanation nearly overwhelming me.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I took a step back, retreating into the shadows before either of them could see me. I watched as John disappeared into her room, the door clicking shut behind him, and a bitter taste filled my mouth.
What was I even doing? Chasing after someone who clearly didn’t see me the same way I saw her? Reyna had chosen John, and I was a fool for thinking I still had a chance.
With a heavy sigh, I turned and walked away, my steps slower now, weighted with disappointment. By the time I reached my own room, the anger had ebbed, leaving only a dull ache in its place.
As I sat on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall, one thought lingered in my mind.
Tomorrow would come, and with it, the Moonlight Party. Maybe then, I’d find a way to bury whatever it was I felt for Reyna. Because holding onto it any longer would only break me further.