She Called Me Hers'

Lucien was avoiding her again.

Aria knew the game well by now. One glance across the cafeteria and she could already feel his absence. He'd skipped the library. The bench near the tree. Even his usual desk in chemistry.

She smirked. He was running. And that only made her want to chase more.

"Someone's sulking," Sasha said beside her, painting her lips with cherry gloss. "Did you see him dodge down the back hall like a ghost?"

Aria leaned against her locker, arms folded tight. "Let him run. The thing about ghosts is, they always haunt the wrong girl before coming home to the right one."

Her friends laughed. Loud. Sharp. The kind of laughter that turned hallways into battlegrounds.

When they reached class, Lucien was already inside, hood up, head down. But the minute Aria walked past his desk, his eyes lifted. Just briefly. Just enough.

She didn't sit beside him. She sat behind. Close enough to breathe the same silence. Close enough to whisper.

"You can't keep hiding," she murmured, voice low and dark. "You're not a shadow. I'll still find you."

Lucien didn't respond. But she saw it—the slight shift of his shoulders. The way his fingers tightened on his pen.

He heard her. That was enough.

End of Class – Announcements

The homeroom teacher clapped her hands twice. "Everyone settle down, we have some important updates."

Students grumbled, but eyes shifted forward.

"Graduation packages will be distributed next week. Caps, gowns, and assignment groups for the senior project. Reminder grades are locking in. Final presentations start soon."

A few gasps filled the room. Some kids whispered about their topics, others about prom.

"And," she added, "don't forget the senior send-off assembly. Your yearbook quotes are due. And yes, we will have a camera crew. Please dress like you're not meeting the president, but at least better than you do for gym class."

Everyone laughed, except Lucien. He sat, unmoving.

"And finally, the awards banquet. Invitations will go out to top-performing students. Valedictorian will be announced publicly next Monday."

All eyes slowly turned toward Lucien.

Aria narrowed hers.

He was already winning.

That only made him more attractive.

After class, Aria was making her way to her locker when she heard it—Vanessa's voice, high-pitched and grating, echoing down the corridor.

"And I was just saying, Lucien, you could totally model. Your cheekbones are stupid sharp."

Aria stopped walking.

Lucien stood a few feet ahead, books in hand, leaning against the wall while Vanessa twirled her hair and tilted her head way too far.

Aria didn't charge.

She watched first. Calculated.

Vanessa's fingers grazed his hoodie sleeve.

That's all it took.

Aria stepped forward. "Aw. How cute. Playing dress-up with a boy who didn't ask for it."

Vanessa turned. "Ugh. You again?"

Aria smiled sweetly. "Me always."

Lucien looked away.

"I thought I told you to keep your hands off what isn't yours," Aria added, her tone sharp as a blade wrapped in silk.

Vanessa scoffed. "He's not a toy. You can't own him."

"Tell that to your broken lip."

Vanessa rolled her eyes and pushed Aria shoulder. "You need therapy."

Wrong move.

Aria slammed her back into the lockers. Students screamed. One girl ran to call a teacher.

"Touch him again," Aria whispered, "and I'll leave bruises where no one can see."

Vanessa clawed back. Aria ducked, grabbed a fistful of hair, and yanked. The crowd around them cheered like it was sport.

Lucien didn't interfere. His eyes locked on Aria's face. reading every emotion she refused to say out loud.

Office & Suspension

The counselor sighed. "Three-day suspension again, Aria."

Aria crossed her legs. "She touched me first."

"She said you threatened her life."

"I promised bruises. She's lucky I didn't deliver more."

The counselor pinched her nose. "You'll miss graduation prep."

"I'll still look better than her."

Aria pov

Her mom opened the door before she could knock. "Three days this time?"

"Record-breaking," Aria said, tossing her bag.

Her dad peeked from the kitchen. "You hungry or just pissed?"

"Both."

Her mom kissed her forehead. "You'll tell us at dinner. But first, get changed. When your brother comes home, we're going out."

"Out?"

"To get you ready for graduation," her mom smiled. "You can't destroy hearts in jeans and eyeliner alone."

Aria grinned. "You know me too well."

Evening

Her brother arrived, dropped his backpack, and asked the usual: "You fighting again?"

Aria shrugged. "They keep thinking he's free."

The whole family piled into the car.

Her mom talked non-stop. "I want something elegant but deadly. Red? Or maybe midnight blue. What do you think, babe?"

Her dad rolled his eyes. "Whatever gets us out of there before midnight."

They argued over colors. Her brother made playlists. Aria sat with her chin on her hand, staring out the window, smiling secretly to herself.

She was thinking about Lucien.

When they got to the boutique, her mom took over.

"This. This one. Oh! Try that with the slits."

Aria tried on five dresses. None felt right. until the red one.

The silence in the fitting room after she put it on was loud.

She stepped out.

Her mom gasped. "That red one's dangerous," she said with a wink. "Whoever you're trying to kill with that dress won't stand a chance."

Aria turned sideways in the mirror, lips parted. Her fingers grazed the curve of her waist.

"He's already bleeding," she whispered.

Her dad groaned. "We're doomed."

In the Car

They bought shoes, earrings, lip gloss, and a matching clutch. Aria sat in the back seat, swinging the bag against her legs.

Her mom turned around. "Who's the mystery boy?"

Aria smiled. "No mystery. Just silence I want to break."

Her brother laughed. "You're obsessed."

Aria turned to the window. "Good things are always dangerous."

Lucien pov

The mansion was too quiet. He'd stayed out late, hoping they wouldn't be home.

But they were.

His father looked up from his laptop. "You're late. Don't forget, after graduation, you report to basic. You've got no excuse."

His mother walked past, wine glass in hand. "We won't be here for the ceremony. Business trip."

Lucien swallowed. "Of course."

His father tossed a card on the counter. "Get a suit. You're not walking onstage like some street kid."

Lucien stared at the card.

Back upstairs, he didn't touch it.

He went to his drawer.

Took out the picture of his grandfather. The one person who ever made him feel seen.

He remembered planting that tree. His grandfather's callused hands. His deep voice: "You're not their shadow. You're their better. Be the storm, not the silence."

Lucien held the photo longer than usual.

Then flipped it over.

On the back, written in messy pen:

"They'll never deserve you, but the world still might."

Lucien's throat tightened.

Message – Aria to Lucien

Her room was quiet.

She stared at her reflection, still wearing the red dress.

She grabbed her phone.

"Can't wait to see your face when I walk in. Hope you like red, Gray. I picked it just for your nightmares."

She hit send.

Her little brother knocked. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Better than ever."

"Is this about that boy?"

She smiled. "He's the challenge I didn't know I needed."

"Don't scare him too much."

"I'm not trying to scare him."

She glanced at the screen again.

"I'm trying to own him."