Chapter 4: The Clash

Trina's POV

I walked across the university field, heading to the rooftop for some fresh air. There was still a long stretch of time before my next class, and I needed to be anywhere but the crowded canteen or the eerily quiet library.

But just as I was about to reach the stairs, fate decided to ruin my peace.

Jackson.

My ex.

Damn it.

I veered to the side, pretending not to see him, but he had the nerve to block my path.

"Let's talk."

I rolled my eyes. The audacity of this man.

"Move." My voice was sharp, but of course, he didn't budge.

"I broke up with Pat. We're done. So please, come back to me."

I almost choked.

"Are you hearing yourself right now, Jackson?" A laugh bubbled up from my throat, but it was bitter, laced with resentment. "You have got to be the most useless guy I have ever met. I trusted you, you know that? You were my first boyfriend. You told me you'd do anything to make me happy. That was complete bullshit."

I hated how my throat tightened, how my chest ached even after all this time. I was a fool back then, so desperate for love that I let myself fall for him.

I wiped my cheek before he could see the tear that had escaped.

"See this?" I forced a sarcastic smile.

"Tears of joy."

"I'm sorry."

Wow. He even made that sound forced.

"Enough! Just leave me alone."

I spun around, ready to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist—tight.

"Jackson, what the hell—"

Before I could even struggle, he yanked me toward the hallway near the locker rooms.

Tsk. So he was too much of a coward to cause a scene in the open field?

"Please, Trina, give me another chance. I still love you."

I nearly gagged.

"If you actually loved me, you wouldn't have gone looking for someone else." I couldn't even stand the sight of him.

His expression twisted. "Oh? So you have someone new?" His voice dropped, darker, possessive.

I swallowed.

"Yes. I do." I lied without hesitation.

His jaw tensed, hands curling into fists.

"You think I'll let you be with someone else?"

The way he said it made my skin crawl. I tried to wrench my arm away.

"J-Jackson, let go."

But his grip only tightened.

"Baby?"

A voice cut through the tension, smooth but firm.

I turned and almost gasped.

Zephyr.

The university's golden boy, standing there like he owned the damn place.

"What's going on here?" His tone was casual, but his eyes? Sharp.

"Who the hell are you?" Jackson spat.

Zephyr's lips curled into an easy smirk. "I'm her boyfriend. And you? Why the hell are you touching her?"

I nearly choked. Excuse me?!

"Boyfriend?" Jackson scoffed. "She's mine."

And before I could react, he yanked me toward him again.

But Zephyr?

Oh, he wasn't having it.

In one smooth motion, he grabbed my other arm and pulled me back.

I was literally caught between them.

"Where the hell do you think you're taking her?" Zephyr's voice turned cold.

"None of your damn business!"

The tension crackled between them, sharp as a blade.

Meanwhile, I was just there—being yanked around like a damn rope in a game of tug-of-war.

"Hey! You idiots! Do I look like a Squid Game challenge to you?! Let me go!"

They immediately let go.

I groaned, rubbing my sore arms.

When I looked up, I noticed the growing crowd. People were whispering, and some had even pulled out their phones.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" I snapped.

"Him!" They both shouted in unison.

Oh my god. I was actually losing brain cells.

"Baby," Zephyr suddenly cooed, turning to me. "I've been looking for you. Weren't we supposed to leave?"

I blinked. Excuse me?

I looked at him like he had grown another head. His gaze flicked toward Jackson as if telling me to just go with it.

Jackson narrowed his eyes. "Where are you two going?"

"None of your damn business, man!" Zephyr shot back.

"Like hell it isn't!"

And then Jackson, the genius that he was, shoved Zephyr.

Big mistake.

I saw the exact moment Zephyr's expression darkened.

Shit.

Before I could react, Zephyr's fist connected with Jackson's face.

A collective gasp echoed through the hallway.

Jackson stumbled, but he quickly recovered, lunging at Zephyr. And just like that, they were throwing punches, fists flying.

The crowd loved it. Some cheered. Others recorded.

And me?

I wanted to disappear.

"You're her ex! Stop acting like you still own her, you asshole!" Zephyr growled as he pinned Jackson down, landing another punch.

"Zep, stop!" I tried to pull him away, but he wouldn't budge.

"Let me teach this son of a bitch a lesson!" His voice was dangerously low.

Jackson wiped the blood from his lip and got ready to attack again.

I had no choice.

Before I could think twice, I grabbed Zephyr's collar and kissed him.

The hallway went dead silent.

Someone actually gasped.

Zephyr stiffened against me, his hands frozen mid-air.

And yet, instead of pulling away… I moved my lips against his, deepening the kiss.

Lord, forgive me for my sins.

But holy hell—his lips were soft, warm, dangerously addictive.

—

And that was how I ended up in Zephyr's car.

We left Jackson standing there, completely shell-shocked.

Zephyr had handled the professors when they arrived. I had no idea what he told them, but it worked.

Now, he was grinning as he drove.

Meanwhile, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"You're wilder than I thought, huh?" he teased.

I clenched my fists. "Where are you even taking me?"

"Home. I'm introducing you to my dad."

"WHAT?!"

I smacked his arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Are you insane?! And why the hell would you do that? We're not even together!"

He smirked. "Oh? If I'm not your boyfriend, why did you kiss me?"

My face burned.

"I did it to stop the fight! It worked, didn't it?!"

"Oh? Looked to me like you just couldn't resist me."

I shot him a glare. "EXCUSE ME?!"

"No need to be shy, babe."

I opened my mouth to scream at him—

"We're here!"

I turned to look outside—

And nearly fainted.

A mansion.

A freaking presidential-looking estate.

"You're seriously introducing me to your dad?!"

He grinned. "Yup."

We stepped inside, and an older man was already waiting.

"Dad, I'm hom—"

BLAG!

Zephyr's head snapped to the side as his own father punched him square in the face.

I gasped.

"Idiot! What the hell were you thinking?!"

What. The. Hell.

—

To be continued.