Art of Lies -2

The moment Pearl's arms looped around Caspian's neck, he felt its weight—not her body, but the expectation. Her grip was a kind that demanded his attention, the kind that had probably worked on every time on others before their paths crossed. Yet Caspian was not like any other man. While he certainly enjoyed savouring every aspect of her body, it was only because he needed to. Otherwise, there were plenty of options in the sea where he did not have to dedicate himself to one.

Her voice was sugar-laced, sickly sweet. "I was already missing you! The three of us can spend an exciting night today."

She pressed closer, her perfume filling the space between them, her pink lips parting in a smile that made intentions clear. A few months ago, he might have humoured her—let her play her game while he played his own. But now? Now, she was a distraction he had no patience for.

Caspian exhaled slowly, hands moving to detach her from him gently. He did it carefully, methodically, like untying a knot without yanking too hard.

"Pearl," his voice was smooth but distant, "I'm feeling a bit warmer than usual today. Do you mind?"

A crease formed between her brows. "Since when do you want me to stay away from you?" Her head tilted, eyes sharp as if dissecting him. "Even when it was thirty-eight degrees out, you and James were all over me."

She squinted, scanning his expression. "So what's different now?"

'Everything.'

He forced an easy smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes."Tell me about it. I guess I'm just feeling my age catching up with me."

Pearl scoffed. "At twenty-one?"

Caspian knew it was a pathetic excuse, but it was better than telling her the truth—that his mind was caught in a storm he hadn't prepared for, that every second since stepping foot on campus felt like waiting for an earthquake, he couldn't predict because her doll was here. Somewhere.

Watching?

Hiding!

Teasing him with the thought of her presence but refusing to let him see her.

She was in this city. This university. Breathing the same air, walking the same hallways. ′So where the hell was she?′

His pulse thrummed beneath his skin like a caged animal. For nine years, he had imagined the moment he would see her again, touch her, hold her. And yet, instead of running into his arms, she was playing a goddamn game—Find me.

"You okay, man?" James's voice sliced through his thoughts, bringing him back to the moment.

Caspian blinked, shifting his gaze to his friend. James was watching him closely as if he could read the war waging inside his head.

"You look distracted."

"I'm fine," Caspian said, a little too quick. "We three need to have a talk."

Pearl flipped her hair over her shoulder, her lips pursing as she studied him. "If you want to talk about breaking up with me, you might as well just say it now."

She could feel that something was amiss. Caspian seemed withdrawn. He hadn't even kissed her yet. Her lips yearned for his sensation . She was glad that he chose to continue his studies here, but what was with this sudden urge to speak words that came from his mouth?

Caspian exhaled through his nose, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Always so dramatic.

"Who said anything about breaking up?" His lips curled into a grin, sharp around the edges. "I'd never do that to you, Pearl."

She didn't look convinced, but James only chuckled. "Let's catch up over coffee during the break," he suggested, his voice holding something between amusement and curiosity.

Caspian nodded. "Let's do that."

They split off toward their respective departments, but the moment Pearl was out of sight, his expression fell flat. He reached into his pocket, thumb tracing the creased edges of Liora's letter. And he placed it back in his locker.

It was ridiculous, really. He had spent years dreaming of their reunion, imagining the way she would look at him, the way she would say his name after all this time. But instead, she had turned it into a chase.

She was a wildfire that didn't wait to be tamed, a storm that raged just out of reach. And Caspian?

He wasn't sure if he wanted to run toward her—or burn the entire bridge she had left behind.

During their break, they met in the cafe. Caspian watched every female who entered the cafe.

Caspian leaned back in his chair, stirring his coffee lazily as he watched Pearl tap her manicured nails against the table. Her impatience was practically vibrating off her.

On the other hand, James was absorbed in his phone, only half-listening, but Caspian knew him well enough to recognise when he was storing information for later.

"I don't like it here," Pearl announced, her voice carrying over the low hum of chatter in the café. She shifted, crossing and uncrossing her legs like she couldn't get comfortable. "Let's go to your place, Caspian."

Then, leaning in just enough for her perfume to reach him, she added, "I don't feel like talking to you both while you're still wearing these clothes."

James finally looked up, raising a brow. "Well, that's subtle."

Pearl shot him a look but didn't respond. Her focus was entirely on Caspian, her lips curving into that familiar, possessive smirk. It would've been flattering—if he cared.

Caspian sipped his coffee, enjoying the way the bitterness settled on his tongue, giving him an excuse to pause before answering. "Babe, we can do whatever you want after class, but right now, I have things to handle." A lie. It's a blatant one.

Pearl scoffed, leaning back. "Oh? Since when do you prioritize university over sex?" Her voice was sweet, but her eyes? Sharp.

"Since this semester!" came a quick reply. "My family holds very high expectations. They have cautioned me that if I don't perform well academically, I could lose my chance to take over the business. And I certainly don't want to fall short compared to my two cousin sisters, " he said casually, shrugging.

If nothing else works, blame it on family obligations. You know how it is. Caspian thought.

Pearl's expression darkened, arms crossing over her chest. He could see the storm forming, the lightning about to strike. Before she could unleash her frustration, Caspian leaned in, voice lowering just enough to pull her attention in.

"My childhood friend just enrolled here. Her family works for my grandfather. If she sees three of us together-together, not two, and something slips?" He let that hang in the air, letting Pearl fill in the blanks. "My family is old school type."

And now that made James set his phone down, finally intrigued. "She, huh?" he mused, his interest piqued.

Pearl, however, was less amused. Her lips curled slightly, the mockery in her voice unmistakable. "She?" she repeated.

Caspian ignored the bite in her tone. "She's important to my family," he continued smoothly, locking eyes with Pearl. "My grandfather cherishes her. That makes her untouchable." There was a warning sign in his words.

Pearl's fingers drummed against the table, her irritation practically palpable. "And I'm just hearing about her now?" she asked, her tone as sharp as a blade. "What's her name? What does she look like? Why didn't you mention her before, your so-called childhood friend?"

He was prepared for this. "She matters to my family," he repeated, leaning back, letting the weight of his words sink in. "But you are important to me."

A well-crafted lie slipped off his tongue with ease, and he wondered, absently, if it should concern him how effortlessly he spun them.

Pearl narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him, trying to find cracks in his story. Finally, she exhaled sharply, her nails tapping an irritated rhythm against the table. "Fine," she said, but her tone was far from pleased. "Provided she understands not to overstep her bounds with me." A warning. A line drawn by Pearl as well. "I won't hurt her as long as she stays away from you!"

One corner of his mouth curved upward as he remained silent, paying attention to every word Caspian said. 'So, Liora is here! Interesting!'

Just as Caspian was about to steer the conversation elsewhere, Pearl's lips curled into something almost dangerous. "But tell me, Cas," she murmured, her voice deceptively light, "what's that little bitch's name?"

And the air turned cold.

'Bitch? Did she just call her...'

Caspian altogether ignored Pearl when his eyes caught a curly blond-haired girl hastily exiting the café, who had been observing him from the corner, and he definitely noticed that. The three women seated four tables away were glancing toward their table in between, appearing quite thrilled.