The classroom buzzed with quiet energy as students murmured softly to each other. Suyen sat at her desk, absentmindedly doodling in her notebook while Collie sat a few rows behind her. Marcus, as usual, was nearby—watching. His gaze was fixed, relentless, and no matter how much she tried to ignore him, it never wavered.
“Why are you here?” Suyen asked, her voice low enough to avoid drawing attention.
Marcus gave her that irritatingly calm smile. “Same reason you are. Class.”
“You don’t need to follow me everywhere,” she muttered, glancing away.
“I’m not following you. Just happened to be in the same place at the same time.”
“Sure,” she replied dryly, turning her attention back to her notes.
The silence between them was more uncomfortable than words could have been. Suyen tried to concentrate, but Marcus's constant presence was a distraction she couldn’t shake. He was just there, no matter where she went.
After class ended, Suyen headed straight to Maneski. She had a match to focus on—a distraction she needed. But, of course, Marcus wasn’t far behind.
“Why are you even here?” Suyen asked, not even sparing him a glance as she set up her gaming station.
Marcus placed a bag of food on the desk next to her. “You didn’t eat much earlier. Thought you could use something.”
Suyen stared at the bag, her stomach rumbling. Damn him for knowing exactly what to do to get to her. With a resigned sigh, she picked out a burger and took a bite, the taste grounding her. “You didn’t need to.”
“I wanted to.” His voice was low, almost a whisper, but the implication wasn’t lost on her.
“I don’t get you,” Suyen said, shaking her head, still chewing. “You make everything so complicated.”
Marcus leaned against the desk, watching her with that same calm demeanor. “Maybe I like complicated.”
“That’s convenient,” she snapped, the anger creeping back. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”
“Because I’m not done apologizing,” he said quietly, almost sheepishly, like it was difficult to admit.
Suyen stared at Marcus, her heart pounding in her chest. “You don’t need to apologize,” she said, her voice quieter than she intended.
“Yes, I do,” he responded, his tone steady, almost soft. “I messed up, Suyen. I know that. And I’m sorry.”
Her breath hitched for a moment. She wanted to snap back, to tell him to go away, to leave her alone. But something about his quiet sincerity left her unsettled.
“I don’t get you,” she murmured, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. “You keep showing up like… like it’s nothing. Like it doesn’t matter what you did.”
Marcus stayed silent, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her want to look away. She fought the urge to, though. She couldn’t let him win that easily.
“I’m not trying to win,” he said softly, his voice like a whisper. “I’m trying to make things right.”
“You can’t fix this,” she snapped, a sudden wave of anger washing over her. “You can’t fix what you did. Not in a day, not in a week. It’s too late.”
“Maybe,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying.”
Suyen’s breath hitched again, but this time it was because of the unexpected softness in his voice. It was the opposite of what she expected—a sincere apology that seemed to carry more weight than anything else.
“I don’t need another apology,” she said finally, her voice cold and steady now. “I need you to leave me alone.”
Marcus stared at her, his expression unreadable. “I can’t.”
She raised an eyebrow, the frustration bubbling back to the surface. “Why not?”
“Because I want to be here,” he said simply, and his words hung between them like an unresolved promise.
Her stomach twisted at the thought, and for a brief moment, she felt lost. She hated the way he could do this to her—make her feel things she didn’t want to feel.
“You’re annoying,” she muttered, looking down at her hands.
“I know,” he responded softly. “But you don’t mean half the things you say when you’re this pissed.”
Suyen froze, her mind whirring. She glanced back up at him, only to be met with his calm, unwavering gaze. It was infuriating how calm he was—like he knew something she didn’t.
“I mean every word,” she said coldly, but her voice wavered slightly.
“No,” he whispered, almost too low for her to hear. “You don’t.”
Her breath hitched again, but this time, it wasn’t because of anger. It was something more—something that gnawed at her. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, Marcus closed the gap between them, his lips pressing softly against hers.
Her heart stopped. His kiss was gentle, almost tentative, like he wasn’t sure if she’d pull away. But instead of pulling back, she let herself feel it—his warmth, the way his breath smelled faintly of something familiar and calming.
When he pulled away, his voice was barely a whisper. “See? You don’t mean it.”
Suyen stared up at him, breathless. She hated how her mind was screaming at her to push him away, to tell him he was wrong, but her heart was struggling to catch up.
“You’re an idiot,” she finally muttered, her voice soft but steady.
Marcus smiled—a genuine, soft smile that made her chest ache. “Maybe. But I’m your idiot.”
Before she could respond, he leaned in again, brushing his lips against hers. This time, it wasn’t just a kiss. His fingers brushed against her cheek, gentle and tender, and for the first time, Suyen let herself feel something other than anger.
Her skin warmed, her heart thudding in her chest, and for a fleeting moment, everything else faded away.
“I hate you,” she whispered, half in defiance, half in surrender.
He laughed quietly, pressing one last soft kiss to her lips. “No, you don’t.”
And as much as she hated to admit it, maybe—just maybe—he was right.
****