Games of Power and Possession
**Chapter 3: Games of Power and Possession**
Sienna **never ran from a fight.**
But she also **never walked willingly into a lion's den.**
And yet, here she was—standing at **Celeste's table, the entire cafeteria watching.**
The game had begun.
---
**"Sit Down, New Girl"**
Celeste's **smirk was razor-sharp.**
"So," she purred, **tapping her manicured nails against the table.** "Did you get lost on your way to the commoners' section, or are you actually thinking of sitting with us?"
Laughter rippled through the table, but Sienna didn't flinch.
She glanced around. **Juliet and Vanessa**, Celeste's right-hand minions, were watching like vultures.
Across the cafeteria, **Naomi looked like she was mentally drafting Sienna's obituary.**
And then there was **Damien.**
Sitting at the far end of the table, **his gray eyes watching with quiet amusement.**
Waiting to see if she would break.
Sienna exhaled **slowly.** **Calm. Collected. No weakness.**
She met Celeste's gaze and **tilted her head slightly.**
"I was invited," she said smoothly. "Or was Juliet just playing messenger for fun?"
Juliet **flushed.**
Celeste's **smirk twitched.**
She didn't like being challenged.
But before she could speak—
A low **chuckle** cut through the tension.
Damien.
"Damn," he murmured, **leaning back in his seat lazily.** "She's got claws."
His voice was like velvet **dipped in danger.**
And suddenly—**the entire dynamic shifted.**
Because **now Damien was interested.**
Celeste **noticed.**
Her expression flickered—just for a second.
But Sienna saw it.
And that meant **she had already won.**
Still, Celeste was not one to lose gracefully.
She plastered on a sweet smile.
"Well, since you're here," she said smoothly, "sit."
It wasn't a suggestion.
It was a challenge.
Sienna hesitated.
Then—**she sat.**
And just like that, **she had entered the war.**
---
**The Storm Beneath Still Waters**
Lunch was **a silent battlefield.**
The conversation flowed like poisoned honey. **Celeste and her girls talked in circles, twisting words into traps.**
Testing her. **Prodding for weakness.**
Sienna held her own.
But the real **danger** was Damien.
He didn't say much.
But **he watched.**
His presence was like a shadow, **constant and inescapable.**
At one point, his knee brushed against hers under the table.
Sienna **refused to react.**
She could feel his smirk **without even looking.**
Then, as the conversation shifted to an upcoming **charity gala**, Celeste turned to Sienna, voice dripping with fake curiosity.
"You haven't told us about your parents," she said. "What do they do?"
The table went **quiet.**
Sienna's stomach **turned to ice.**
Celeste was **digging.**
Trying to expose her.
And she couldn't let that happen.
Sienna gave a **careful smile.**
"They're dead."
The words were a **cold, clean cut.**
Celeste blinked.
For the first time, **she faltered.**
Sienna didn't give her time to recover.
She **leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough to be unnerving.**
"So, Celeste," she said, "what do your parents do? Besides buying your friendships?"
Juliet **gasped.**
Celeste's **smile didn't waver.**
But her **fingers clenched against the table.**
Sienna just **tilted her head.**
*Checkmate.*
And then—
The **first scandal of the year erupted.**
---
### **The Forbidden Secret Exposed**
It happened **so fast.**
The cafeteria doors **slammed open.**
A girl—**messy hair, uniform disheveled, eyes wide with panic—staggered in.**
Whispers **rippled like wildfire.**
Sienna didn't know her, but **everyone else did.**
**Maria Jennings.**
Straight-A student. The kind of girl who followed **every rule.**
And right now?
She looked **wrecked.**
Tears streaked her face as she **shook, clutching her phone in a death grip.**
"Who did this?" she choked out, **voice breaking.**
A video was playing on her phone.
And suddenly—**everyone's phones buzzed.**
Sienna's screen lit up.
And when she saw what it was—
Her **stomach dropped.**
Because it wasn't just **any scandal.**
It was a **recording.**
Of **Maria.**
With **Professor Callum Hayes.**
---
### **Chaos and Consequences**
A collective **gasp swept through the cafeteria.**
Students leaned into their screens. **Some horrified. Some fascinated.**
Sienna's pulse **pounded.**
Because this was **dangerous.**
It wasn't just **a scandal.**
It was **a weapon.**
And **someone had planned it.**
Maria **staggered forward, her eyes wild.**
"He told me he loved me," she sobbed. "He—he said—"
Her voice cracked.
Sienna looked around.
Some students were **whispering.** Some were **laughing.**
And some—like **Celeste and Damien—just watched.**
**Unmoved. Calculating.**
Because **this wasn't about right or wrong.**
This was **about power.**
And the only question was—**who leaked the video?**
Maria **turned suddenly—her tear-streaked face twisting with fury.**
And **she looked straight at Celeste.**
"You did this," she whispered, voice shaking.
The cafeteria **held its breath.**
Celeste **tilted her head.**
Then she gave **a soft, innocent smile.**
"Prove it."
And just like that—**Maria broke.**
With a **furious sob, she lunged.**
Chairs **scraped back. Students gasped.**
And then—
Someone grabbed Sienna's wrist **and yanked her out of the way.**
She stumbled—**straight into Damien's chest.**
His grip was **firm, steady.**
And when she looked up—
His **gray eyes burned into hers.**
The cafeteria **erupted into chaos.**
But all Sienna could feel—was Damien's grip tightening.
Like he had **no intention of letting go.**
---