Games Of The Heart

The morning sun bathed the school in golden light as Maya strutted through the entrance, flanked by Sally and Luna. Heads turned, whispers followed, but Maya barely acknowledged them. Her focus was singular.

Eddie.

She smirked to herself, her mind replaying last night's conversation.

"He's the perfect mix," she had told the girls. "The brains of a nerd, the looks of a heartthrob, and the ego of someone who thinks he's above me. That's what makes him fun."

Sally had giggled. "You're insane."

"Maybe," Maya had shrugged, "but you can't tell me it's not entertaining."

So today, the mission was clear: watch him, toy with him, make sure he never forgets her. The three of them spent the entire morning trailing Eddie without him noticing, analyzing every move, every tic. Whenever he glanced her way, she turned up the charm—licking her lips, playing with her hair, sending him teasing smirks. The poor nerd didn't even know he was being hunted.

By the time lunch rolled around, the air in the cafeteria was thick with tension. Maya sauntered in, exuding confidence in every step. Her outfit hugged her figure just right, her golden-brown hair cascaded in waves, and her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. Silence fell over the room. Every gaze followed her, including Vic's.

The moment he saw her, his jaw clenched. Then, without hesitation, he turned to Jackie, grabbed her by the waist, and crashed his lips against hers in a deep, heated kiss. Maya stopped mid-step, raising an amused brow. Oh, he was pissed.

But what happened next was unexpected.

Vic pulled back, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a velvet box. Gasps echoed. Jackie's breath hitched as he opened it, revealing a golden promise ring.

"Be my girlfriend," Vic said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Jackie's eyes shimmered. "Yes! Of course, yes!" She threw herself at him, giggling, basking in the attention.

Maya barely blinked.

Jackie, however, wasn't satisfied with just winning Vic—no, she wanted more. She wanted Maya to feel it.

With a smug grin, Jackie sauntered toward her, extending her hand, flashing the ring like a trophy. "Guess you weren't as special as you thought," she cooed. "Vic upgraded."

Maya tilted her head, a slow smirk spreading across her lips. "That's cute."

Jackie faltered. "Excuse me?"

Maya stepped closer, lowering her voice just enough to make it sting. "You really think this is a win? That ring—" she gestured lazily toward it "—was picked out by me. It has my name engraved inside. When I dumped Vic, I threw it in his shitty face. And now?" She let out a soft laugh. "He gave it to you."

Jackie's face drained of color.

Maya leaned in, her lips curling. "No matter what you do, you'll always be less than me. Even when you think you have something I don't want, deep down, you know you're just living in my shadow."

Jackie's hands trembled. "You're lying."

Maya shrugged. "Check inside the ring if you dare."

Jackie's breath hitched, but Maya didn't wait for her reaction. She had more important things to do.

With effortless grace, she turned and strutted toward Eddie's table.

The room was dead silent.

Eddie was sitting in his usual corner, hunched over his lunch tray, oblivious to the chaos she was about to unleash.

Maya slid into the seat beside him, draping an arm over his shoulder like they were the only two people in the world. "Hey, nerd."

Eddie stiffened. "What are you doing?"

Maya pouted. "What? No warm welcome?"

His jaw tightened. "Maya, move."

Instead, she leaned in, brushing her fingers along his arm, her lips hovering dangerously close to his ear. "You must really hate me," she whispered. "To ignore me like this."

Eddie swallowed hard, but his voice remained firm. "I didn't think you'd care."

Maya let out a soft chuckle. "Oh, Eddie," she murmured, tracing a slow line down his sleeve. "You should know by now, I always care when I don't get what I want."

His hands curled into fists. "Stop playing games."

Maya smirked. "But I love games."

Her fingers traveled to his tie, tugging it gently. "You look good today," she mused, her hazel eyes locked onto his. "Smart. Sexy."

Eddie flinched. "Maya."

She cocked her head. "Yes, nerd?"

He exhaled sharply. "People are staring."

She grinned. "Let them."

With slow, deliberate movements, she slid her fingers through his hair, nails grazing his scalp. Eddie's breath hitched, his entire body going rigid. The cafeteria was deathly silent, the weight of a hundred gazes pressing down on them.

Vic, still seated with Jackie, looked murderous.

Jackie, still holding the ring, looked sick.

Eddie looked like he wanted to die.

Maya? She was having the time of her life.

"You're blushing," she noted playfully.

Eddie jerked away, his face burning. "Are you done?"

Maya sighed, trailing a finger along his jaw before pulling back. "For now."

She stood, flipping her hair over her shoulder. The entire cafeteria remained frozen, hanging onto the scene like it was ripped straight from a drama. With one last glance at Eddie, she winked.

"See you around, nerd."

Then she walked away, her hips swaying, her confidence unshaken.

Eddie let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, running a shaky hand through his hair.

Zeke, who had been watching from across the cafeteria, snorted. "Dude, you're so screwed."

Eddie groaned, burying his face in his hands. His heart was racing, his mind a tangled mess of frustration and confusion. Why was she doing this? And why did it feel like a punch to the gut every time she played these games?

Across the room, Vic was still seething, his fingers curled so tightly around his fork it looked like he might snap it in half. He hadn't taken his eyes off Maya as she walked away, and his fists were clenched, his jaw set in a hard line. The whole scene had riled him up, but it wasn't just the way Maya was tormenting Eddie—it was the way she had so casually dismissed him.

Jackie was still staring at the ring, her face pale. She hadn't moved from her spot, and her gaze was locked on the inside of the band. Her fingers trembled as they traced the engraved letters. Maya.

"Are you alright?" Vic's voice was gruff, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.

Jackie blinked, her voice trembling. "I thought… I thought it was my ring. That it was… for me. But now…" She choked on the words, her face crumpling as the truth hit her.

Vic didn't answer. Instead, he reached out to grab her hand, but his grip tightened with frustration, his own mind whirling with thoughts of Maya. That girl, always one step ahead. Always controlling the game.

Back at Eddie's table, Zeke's laughter broke through the tension. "Man, you're totally screwed. That was intense."

Eddie looked up at his friend, shaking his head. "Yeah. I don't know what to think anymore."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Eddie just stared after Maya, lost in thought.