The Fear of Wanting You

[Music recommendation:Mad at You" – Noah Cyrus & Gallant ]

At a table near the window, Patricia sat with calculated ease, idly stirring her smoothie with her straw. The cold drink had begun to sweat in her hands, condensation gathering at the base, but she didn't seem to notice. She was too busy listening.

Tylee slid into the seat beside her with barely contained excitement, eyes wide and nearly feverish. She could hardly keep still.

"Oh my God, Patricia, did you hear?" She didn't wait for a response. Her voice dropped to a whisper, though it did nothing to hide the tremble of exhilaration beneath it. "Xavier is Mister Alister's son. As in Alister Group of Companies!"

Patricia exhaled through her nose, slow and deliberate. Of course, she already knew.

She let the words hang in theair for a second longer before offering the barest of shrugs, as if the revelation barely registered.

Tylee's jaw dropped. "Wait… you knew?!"

Patricia's lips twitched at the corners, an almost-smile, the kind that never quite reached her eyes. She adjusted the bracelets on her wrist, letting them clink softly, as if the conversation itself was barely worth her attention.

"Of course, I knew," she said, voice smooth as silk. She lifted her smoothie, took a slow, unbothered sip, then set it back down with a soft thud. "I've known Xavier for a while now. Why do you think I was all overhim?"

Tylee blinked, processing the weight of that. "…Wait. So—"

Patricia leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a near purr. "My parents want a partnership with the Alister Group. Xavier was my way in."

She swirled the last of her drink lazily, watching the melting ice spin. Her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "It was never about liking him."

Tylee let out a slow, knowing laugh. "Damn. That actually makes sense." Then she sighed, shaking her head. "But now that he's in camp… your little plan is kinda screwed."

Patricia froze for just a fraction of a second. It was barely noticeable, but Tylee caught the way her fingers tightened around the cup, the slight clench of her jaw before she masked it with that same easy, unreadable smile.

Her eyes flickered toward Tylee, dark and calculating.

Then, in a tone so sweetly venomous it sent a chill down Tylee's spine, Patricia whispered, "Shut up, Tylee."

She leaned back, tilting her head slightly, studying her nails with deliberate disinterest before flicking her gaze back up.

Her voice was light, almost playful, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

"There's always a way."

Tylee swallowed.

And for the first time since the conversation started, she felt uneasy.

Kamsi's footsteps were heavy as she walked through the hall, her mind swirling with confusion. She hadn't been able to shake the thoughts of Xavier since their heated encounter, and it was starting to feel like everything around her was clouded by the weight of their unspoken words.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a firm grip on her wrist, pulling her out of her reverie. She gasped in surprise and turned quickly, only to find Xavier standing before her, his expression tight with something she couldn't quite place.

"Who was that?" His voice was sharp, but there was an underlying vulnerability that seemed to tremble beneath his words. His gaze was unwavering, focused solely on her.

Kamsi blinked, taken aback by the question. She hadn't expected this—hadn't expected him to care. "The guy you sat with at lunch," Xavier continued, his brows furrowing, his jaw set. "I remember seeing him at the empowerment talk. Do you... like him?"

The words hit Kamsi like a punch to the gut, a wave of irritation flooding her chest. She felt her heart thrum erratically, anger rising, and she opened her mouth to snap back, but something about his tone made her pause. Xavier's eyes weren't filled with the usual arrogance, but something deeper. Something… fragile.

Kamsi scoffed, the edge to her voice undeniable. "Not everything is about you, Xavier," she spat, pulling her wrist from his grip, but before she could take another step, he slammed her back against the cold wall.

The sharpness of his actions took her breath away, but there was a wild intensity in his gaze that made her pulse quicken. She fought to steady herself, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Answer me, Kamsi," he growled, his voice low and dangerous, the force of his words vibrating through her. "Do you like him, or is this just a ploy to irritate me? Because clearly, it's working." His fingers dug into the wall behind her, his body close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from him.

Kamsi's pulse quickened, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Her instincts screamed at her to push him away, to tell him he had no right to question her like this. But something in his eyes—something raw and open—held her in place.

"Xavier..." she started, her voice trembling, "I don't…"

But before she could finish, his voice softened, his hand releasing the wall as he stepped closer, lowering his gaze. "Everything for me is about you, Kam," he murmured, his words barely a whisper. "I see you in every corner I turn. And even my subconscious craves for you... for your smile… for your touch… for your love."

Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, Kamsi stood frozen, her mind a swirl of conflicting emotions. His words cut through the silence like a blade, and she could see the raw truth in his eyes, the vulnerability he had never shown her before. This wasn't just about control or power—it was about something deeper. Something more terrifying for him.

Kamsi's anger began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of uncertainty. She couldn't ignore the way his words twisted in her chest, how much they resonated with her own hidden feelings.

"Then why did you leave like that?" she finally asked, her voice small, and it felt like the last thread between them was hanging by a fragile strand. She pushed him away, but her hands lingered on his chest for a moment, as if she didn't quite want to let go.

Xavier's eyes widened in surprise, and for the first time, Kamsi saw a flicker of something like fear in them. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, he looked away, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Kam..." he started, his voice strained. "I was scared." His words were quiet, almost a whisper. "Of what? Of how much I crave for you… of how much I want you. You drive me crazy, Kam. When you're not near, I feel like I'm going insane. And when you are, I feel like I'll lose myself. I'm scared of hurting you."

Kamsi's breath hitched as she took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see it in his eyes—the same vulnerability, the same fear that she had been battling. Her thoughts were spinning, her mind reeling with the realization that, in some twisted way, they were both scared of the same thing.

She reached up, gently cupping his face, and he didn't pull away. "You won't hurt me, Xavier," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I trust you." The words spilled out before she could stop them, and she felt them settle in the space between them, a promise more than anything. "Because I feel the same way. I want you."

Xavier's breath faltered, his eyes searching hers, and then, with a sudden urgency, he leaned in, capturing her lips with his in a kiss that felt like the world had shifted beneath them. There was no hesitation this time, no walls between them—just the overwhelming rush of everything they had been holding back.

The kiss was desperate, raw, and filled with a longing neither of them had ever fully acknowledged until now. Kamsi's hands found their way to Xavier's shoulders, pulling him closer as the heat between them intensified. Xavier's hands roamed to her back, pressing her closer to him, his body trembling slightly with the force of his desire.

She couldn't think. She didn't want to. The feeling of him against her, the taste of his kiss, it was like everything she had been trying to suppress was finally coming to the surface.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Kamsi's heart was racing in her chest. She looked up at him, their faces inches apart, her hands still resting on his chest. Xavier's lips were swollen, his eyes dark with desire, but there was something else—something more vulnerable behind the hunger in his gaze.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, her voice steady now. "I'm not scared anymore. I trust you, Xavier."

Xavier's gaze softened, and for a moment, they simply stood there, their foreheads touching, each trying to catch their breath. The world around them felt distant, as if time had slowed, and all that mattered was the space they occupied together.

But deep down, Kamsi knew that this was just the beginning. There would be more to work through—more fear, more uncertainty—but at that moment, they had each other. And that was enough.