Chapter 11

Seraphina

I couldn’t focus. Not on the lecture, not on the professor, and definitely not on the group chat buzzing with messages about the weekend’s parties. It wasn’t even noon, but it already felt like Friday had dragged on for ages.

I took a quick glance at the clock on my phone—just enough to ensure I wasn’t getting caught by the professor. We were covering material on existential psychology in my philosophy class, but my mind was a million miles away.

Of course, Damon wasn’t in this class. I’d seen him earlier this week, but after Wednesday’s awkward exchange, I’d done my best to avoid him. I was working so hard to ignore him and his friends but today felt… different. There was something in the air that I couldn’t quite place, even though they weren’t in my immediate line of sight.

I glanced to my left and saw Marius sitting across the room, his usual cool expression on full display. His eyes were focused on the professor, but I swore for a moment that they flicked in my direction, lingering just long enough to make my skin prickle.

It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed him looking my way, but today it was different. His stare wasn’t just cold—it was calculating, like he was weighing every move I made. I quickly turned back to my notes, hoping the slight heat I felt creeping up my neck wasn’t visible.

The lecture continued, and I forced myself to focus on something, anything. But then, something caught my eye—Damon. He was in the back of the class today, as far from the rest of us as possible, which was unusual. Normally, he’d sit closer, his presence impossible to ignore. But today? He had his earbuds in and didn’t even look my way once.

The absence of his attention—after everything that had been going on—was unnerving. And why did it make my stomach do a weird flip?

I tried to push it out of my mind, but my thoughts kept circling back to him. I had been trying so hard to maintain my distance, to stay focused on my studies and not get caught up in the drama. But as I glanced over at Damon again, I couldn’t help but feel off balance, when i had just started to get a handle on their obsession. It felt like he was intentionally ignoring me, and that was messing with my head.

By the time class was over, my brain was fried. I grabbed my things quickly and headed out the door, doing my best to avoid the clusters of students chatting in the hallway. I just wanted to get back to my dorm room, where I could shut everything out.

When I finally made it back to my dorm, I was greeted by a small parcel sitting neatly on my desk. No note, no return address. My first instinct was to rip it open, but a strange unease settled in my stomach. I didn’t recognize the packaging, and for some reason, that made my pulse quicken.

I opened the box slowly, and immediately, I regretted it.

Inside was an outfit—an incredibly scandalous outfit. A tiny black dress that barely covered half of what it should, with fishnet stockings and a set of high heels that were so impractical, I couldn’t even imagine wearing them. It felt like a slap in the face. I didn’t have to guess who it was from. I could practically hear Tyrone’s voice in my head, the smug arrogance that oozed from every interaction we’d had.

I was furious. I didn’t want to touch the thing, didn’t want to acknowledge that he thought he could manipulate me this way. Without a second thought, I stood up and marched over to my window, tossing the whole thing outside.

I didn’t know it, but Tyrone was watching. Of course, he was.

I flopped down onto my bed, picking up my philosophy book and reading through some of next weeks work. It was later that Angie popped her head into my room just as I was finishing up my makeup, trying my best to block out the lingering anger from earlier.

“Hey, Seri,” she said with a grin. “You’re coming to the party, right?”

I closed my eyes briefly, trying to ignore the feeling of dread creeping up on me. "I guess."

“Don’t ‘I guess’ me,” she said, stepping inside and plopping down on my bed. “Come on, it’ll be fun. Claire and Natalie are going too—maybe we’ll even get you a little attention from someone... you know, since you’ve been such a recluse lately.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully, I could tell she was trying to push me.

I leaned against the mirror, considering it.

“I really don’t want to go,” I said, my voice low. “You know how I feel about these things.”

Angie sighed, her patience wearing thin. “Look, it’s not about the party. It’s about… getting out there. You can’t keep hiding in your room forever. Just go, enjoy yourself, and have a drink or two.”

As if on cue, TJ stepped in from the door. He leaned against the frame with a grin that made me roll my eyes. “What’s the harm? Come on, Seri. We’re all going. It’ll be fun. You deserve a break. You’ve been so serious lately.”

I couldn’t tell if he was teasing or if there was something more to it. He had been acting different around me lately, something I hadn’t quite figured out yet.

“Fine,” I relented, exhaling in frustration. “I’ll go. But I’m not wearing anything ridiculous.”

Angie shot me a knowing look, but I knew what she was thinking. She was going to make sure I was dragged into the weekend’s drama whether I liked it or not.

As time started getting closer to when we would leave for the party, I pulled on my jeans and a loose, comfortable top, paired with my Converse sneakers. It wasn’t the most stylish look, but it was practical. I was barely going to this party, so the least I could do was not draw attention to myself.

As I walked down the hall toward the door, Angie and TJ were already talking excitedly about what was to come. They hadn’t stopped pushing me since I agreed to go, and now, here I was—on my way to another party I didn’t want to attend.

It wasn’t until we arrived that I saw Claire and Natalie again, who had apparently been on some mission to convince me to join in the weekend chaos. They greeted me with overly bright smiles, the kind of smiles that made my skin crawl just a little.

“You look great,” Claire said, her voice too sweet. “Come on, let’s get you a drink.”

I didn’t bother to reply. I was already bracing for whatever Tyrone, and his little games were going to throw at me next. As soon as I walked in, I felt the weight of all eyes on me—people staring, judging, and taking notice. There was no escaping it. But I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction. Not this time.

The party was in full swing, and the music pulsed through my body, vibrating against the walls. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as the lights flickered, and the crowd surged around me. Another night of chaos. Another night where I had to pretend to fit in.

Angie and TJ were already lost in the crowd, chatting with some people they knew. I wasn’t even sure where Claire and Natalie had disappeared to. I was alone for the moment, which was probably a blessing in disguise.

The moment I found my way to the bar and grabbed a drink, I noticed them—Marius, Damon, and Tyrone—hovering near the entrance like they owned the place. I didn't know how they did it, but they had a way of making their presence felt. The crowd seemed to part for them, as if they knew to make room for the trio.

I took a sip of my drink, watching them carefully. I wasn’t surprised when Damon and Marius made a beeline for Claire and Natalie, their smiles sharp and predatory. Their usual charm was on full display—flattering, suave, like they had just been waiting for these two to walk into the room.

I felt the tension building in the air. They weren’t even trying to hide what they were doing. It was all part of the plan. A little public display of attention to other women to get under my skin, make me feel something.

But the thing was, I had seen this before. I had been in similar situations before, at lavish parties with my ex—his psychotic need to make me feel inadequate, to make me fight for his attention. I recognized the game the moment it started. Marius leaned in close to Natalie, his voice low enough for her to giggle nervously, while Damon was doing the same with Claire. Tyrone stood back, assessing, watching, his calculating eyes catching mine for a fraction of a second before turning his attention back to the girls.

They didn’t speak to me. Not a word. Just these little charades to try and provoke something—anything—from me.

I watched the exchange, silently observing the way they played it out, the casual way they invited Claire and Natalie outside. As they made their exit, all five of them walking away together, I finished my drink and set the glass down on the counter with a slight thud.

I could see it for what it was. It was all an act—designed to make me feel small, like I was somehow missing out. But I wasn’t going to play. I had learned long ago that people like them only thrived on your reaction, on the power they had over you.

I glanced around the room, the sounds of laughter and chatter filling the space, but none of it mattered to me. I wasn’t here to be part of their game.

I turned to find Angie and TJ, who were still in their little bubble. TJ caught my eye and gave me a playful grin, but I could tell it wasn’t just play. There was something more there, something he wasn’t saying, but that was a conversation for another time.

“Good night,” I muttered to Angie as I walked up to her. She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, sensing my mood.

“You sure you don’t want to stay?” Angie asked, her voice laced with a little concern.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I replied, shaking my head. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

I didn’t need to stay. I didn’t need to be a part of whatever game they were playing.

And with that, I slipped out the door, leaving the music and the crowd behind me, knowing I had seen right through their little scheme.