Chapter Seven: Adriana's Wrath

The storm had been brewing for days. Ava could feel it in the whispers that trailed behind her in the halls, in the sharp glances thrown her way, in the way Adriana Kingsley moved—silent, seething, and calculating.

And today, it finally struck.

The Warning

It started with something small.

Ava opened her locker to find her books missing. Instead, a single white card lay on the shelf.

Enjoy the game while it lasts.

No signature. No clue who had placed it there. But Ava wasn't an idiot.

Adriana.

Ava clenched her jaw, gripping the card tightly before shoving it into her bag.

She wasn't going to play scared.

Not now. Not ever.

But by lunch, it was clear Adriana was done with the subtle approach.

The Showdown

The cafeteria was packed, but an unnatural hush settled over the space as Ava walked in.

She could feel their eyes on her.

Then she saw why.

Adriana stood on the far end of the room, her arms crossed, her posture effortless but commanding. Around her, Isla, Sienna, and the rest of her devoted followers watched with thinly veiled amusement.

And in the middle of it all?

Nolan Westwood.

Seated at Adriana's table.

He was sprawled lazily in his chair, his expression unreadable, but Ava wasn't fooled. He knew what was happening.

He was letting it happen.

"Sinclair." Adriana's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

Ava slowed her steps but didn't stop. "Kingsley."

A smirk curved Adriana's lips. "Why don't you join us?"

The entire cafeteria was silent now, watching, waiting.

Ava met Adriana's gaze, refusing to back down. "I think I'll pass."

Adriana's smirk didn't falter, but there was something sharp in her eyes. "Are you sure? You seem to enjoy taking things that don't belong to you."

The jab hit its mark.

Ava's fingers twitched, but she kept her face blank. "Funny. I don't recall things having a say in where they go."

A flicker of something crossed Adriana's face—annoyance, maybe even surprise—but it disappeared quickly.

"You must think you're special," Adriana said, voice smooth as silk. "That just because Nolan is toying with you, you matter."

Ava tilted her head. "I don't need a guy to matter, Kingsley. That's your game, not mine."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Adriana's jaw tightened ever so slightly, but her smile remained.

"So confident," she mused. "Tell me, Sinclair, how long do you think this little moment of yours will last?"

Ava shrugged. "Long enough to piss you off, apparently."

A sharp laugh rang out.

Nolan.

Ava's gaze snapped to him. He was watching her with open amusement, a lazy smirk on his lips.

"I like her," he said, almost to himself.

Adriana's hands curled into fists.

For the first time, she dropped the act.

Her smile vanished, and for just a second, Ava saw the truth beneath it—pure, undiluted rage.

Adriana Kingsley was furious.

Ava had won this round.

But the war was far from over.

The Aftermath

That evening, Ava found herself staring at her reflection in the mirror, replaying the events of the day.

Adriana wouldn't let this go.

And Nolan?

She wasn't sure what he wanted anymore.

A knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts.

She opened it to find him standing there.

Nolan.

Leaning against the doorway, hands in his pockets, looking as infuriatingly smug as ever.

"You know you just signed your death warrant, right?" he said.

Ava crossed her arms. "If I die, I'm taking you with me."

Nolan grinned. "Fair trade."

She sighed. "What do you want, Westwood?"

He studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Just checking in."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

His smirk faded slightly. "Because Adriana's not going to stop."

She already knew that. But hearing it from him made it real.

Ava met his gaze. "Are you warning me or enjoying the show?"

Nolan chuckled. "Can't it be both?"

She should've slammed the door in his face.

But she didn't.

Instead, she stood there, watching him, wondering if she had just gained a powerful ally—

Or if she had made the most dangerous mistake of her life.

Escalation

By the next morning, Adriana's rage had fully manifested.

Ava arrived at her first class to find a seat mysteriously missing from her desk.

"Looking for something?" Isla asked sweetly from across the room, twirling her pen between her fingers.

Ava didn't flinch. She grabbed a chair from an empty desk and sat down as if nothing had happened.

They wanted a reaction.

They weren't going to get one.

But the small pranks kept coming.

Her locker was jammed shut.

Her name was mysteriously left out of the group assignment list.

Her lab partner was switched at the last second.

Minor inconveniences.

But enough to send a message.

We see you.

Ava refused to crack.

But when she stepped into the courtyard after her last class, she found Nolan leaning against a tree, watching her with a smirk.

"Rough day?" he asked.

Ava sighed. "You knew this would happen."

Nolan pushed off the tree, stepping closer. "Of course I did."

She looked at him carefully. "And you still decided to put me in the middle of it?"

He shrugged. "I was curious."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Curious?"

He leaned in slightly, voice low. "To see if you could handle it."

Ava held his gaze, unflinching. "And?"

Nolan smirked.

"I think I made the right bet.

The Final Blow

Ava returned to her dorm that evening only to find her door slightly ajar.

She froze.

Slowly, she pushed it open.

Everything was trashed.

Her books scattered. Her clothes dumped onto the floor.

And in the middle of the chaos, sitting neatly on her desk, was another note.

Leave while you still can.

Ava exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of her desk.

She wasn't surprised.

But she was done playing defense.

Adriana wanted war?

Fine.

She was going to get it.

Adriana wanted her attention?

Fine, that isn't hard to give,or is it.

"Watch your back Adriana"