Daniel’s POV.
The bass from the house by the lake carried out into the night, a relentless, pounding rhythm that grated at my nerves. It wasn’t the music, though. It wasn’t the crowd of drunk students spilling out onto the lawn or the faint smell of cheap beer that lingered in the air.
It was *her*.
I leaned back against my car, watching the faint glow of the lights from the house in the distance. My jaw was tight, my fists clenched at my sides. I told her not to come. I warned her what kind of people these were, what kind of trouble she could get herself into.
Why couldn’t she just listen?
It wasn’t like I wanted to control her. God, I didn’t even know what I wanted anymore. All I knew was the thought of her here-at some late-night party, surrounded by strangers who didn’t care about her like I did-made my blood boil.
I told myself to leave, to get in my car and drive away. If she wanted to play games, that was her choice. But my feet didn’t move.
Instead, I found myself walking toward the house, the music growing louder with every step.
—
The inside was worse than I expected.
The air was thick with the smell of sweat and booze, and the crowd was overwhelming. Students everywhere-dancing, laughing, pressed too close together. I scanned the room quickly, my heartbeat hammering in time with the music.
And then I saw her.
She was on the makeshift dance floor, her body moving to the beat, her head tilted back slightly as she smiled at the guy in front of her. Jason. His hands were too low on her waist, his grip too familiar.
I felt a sharp, ugly twist in my chest as anger surged through me.
She was doing it on purpose. She had to be.
The way she moved, the way she let him touch her-it wasn’t like her. It wasn’t the Aria I knew. She was trying to get a reaction out of me, to prove something.
And it was working.
I stayed in the doorway, my eyes never leaving her. She didn’t see me at first, too caught up in whatever game she thought she was playing. But then, as if she could feel my presence, her head turned.
Our eyes locked.
Even across the crowded room, the tension between us was immediate, electric. Her smile faltered for a split second before she caught herself, her lips curving into something sharper, more defiant.
Jason leaned down to say something to her, his hands tightening on her hips, and I saw red.
—
I didn’t think. I didn’t plan. I just moved.
The crowd parted slightly as I made my way toward her, my steps measured but deliberate. I could feel the weight of her gaze on me, the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes as I got closer.
“Do you know him?” Jason asked, his voice loud enough to reach me over the music.
She didn’t answer.
Good.
When I reached them, I didn’t even look at him. My eyes were locked on her, the rest of the world fading away.
“Aria,” I said, my voice low but firm.
Jason bristled, his posture shifting as he stepped slightly in front of her. “Hey, man, I don’t think-”
“This doesn’t concern you,” I interrupted, my tone cold. My eyes flicked to him briefly, and whatever he saw in my expression made him hesitate.
“Daniel,” Aria said, her voice sharper than I expected. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you not to come,” I said, ignoring her question.
She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin jutting up in defiance. “And I told you that you don’t get to tell me what to do.”
I stepped closer, lowering my voice so only she could hear me. “You don’t belong here, Aria.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step back, bumping into Jason. “Why do you care, Daniel? You’ve made it pretty clear that you’re fine with ignoring me all day, letting your students flirt with you, letting Jackie-”
“Don’t,” I cut in, my voice sharp.
Her lips pressed into a tight line, her chest rising and falling as she glared up at me. I could see the fire in her eyes, the stubbornness that always made her impossible to reason with.
Jason, emboldened by the tension between us, stepped forward. “Look, man, I don’t know what’s going on here, but maybe you should leave. Aria’s fine.”
I turned my gaze on him, my patience hanging by a thread. “You don’t know her,” I said evenly. “And you sure as hell don’t know what’s best for her.”
Jason’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything.
“Daniel, stop,” Aria said, stepping between us. Her hand pressed against my chest, and the contact sent a jolt through me. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to show up here and act like you care when all you’ve done is push me away.”
Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I stared down at her, my throat tightening as I searched for something to say.
“I care more than you think,” I said finally, my voice low.
She blinked, her expression faltering for just a moment before she masked it with anger. “Then stop trying to control me.”
For a moment, we just stood there, the music pounding around us, the rest of the party fading into the background. I wanted to grab her, to pull her away from this place, to make her see how dangerous this could be, how dangerous *I* could be.
But I couldn’t.
Instead, I took a step back, my hands clenched at my sides. “Fine,” I said, my tone colder than I intended. “Do whatever you want, Aria. But don’t come crying to me when it all falls apart.”
Her eyes widened slightly, hurt flashing across her face before she quickly masked it.
I turned on my heel and walked away, the sound of the music fading as I stepped outside into the cool night air.
I should’ve felt better. I should’ve felt like I’d made my point.
But as I leaned against the hood of my car, staring back at the glow of the house, all I felt was regret.