4

The hall was silent, except for the two figures standing at the center and three girls sitting on a bench nearby, quietly chatting among themselves.

At a distance, another boy sat alone, sipping water from a bottle, making sure to keep a safe gap between himself and the girls.

Seraphine stood at the center of the hall, facing Jake, whose sword trailed lazily on the ground like he barely cared.

How had it come to this? She had only meant to watch him train.

Sure, she had been the one to throw out the challenge — but it was instinct, pride clawing at her. She couldn't stand being looked down on, being treated like some fragile little girl.

Still, she couldn't shake the lingering feeling that somehow, she'd been maneuvered into this situation by someone else's plan.

Still — backing down wasn't an option. Not when she had something to prove.

Honestly, a part of her had always wanted to punch a hole through Jake's reputation anyway.

Truth be told, she'd wanted to fight Jake for a long time — to see if the rumors about him were true, to prove whether her father's constant praise was justified.

Every time her father applauded Jake in front of her, irritation simmered.

Jake or whatever — she was going to wipe that smug grin off his face.

"Aren't you gonna wear any safety gear?" Jake's voice cut through her thoughts, casual but sharp.

Seraphine gave a small, fearless smile. "I won't need it."

Jake raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. "Getting a little full of yourself, aren't you?"

The teasing tone stung more than she'd admit.

Seraphine shot back, voice clipped, "And you're not? Maybe you're just too full of yourself to realize it."

Jake only smiled wider, folding his arms behind his back like he hadn't a care in the world. "That's not arrogance, girl. That's absolute confidence. Know the difference before you talk big."