Chapter 2

The first few weeks of school were a nightmare for Emma. Chloe was like a shadow, a constant presence who targeted her at every turn.

In class, Chloe would deliberately take the seat Emma had saved, forcing her to stand in the back or squeeze into a corner, unable to look up for the entire lecture.

In the cafeteria, Chloe would "accidentally" knock over Emma's tray. A mocking curl tugged at the corner of her lips. Her eyes remained chillingly vacant, watching Emma kneel to clean up the mess.

During club activities, Chloe would subtly sabotage Emma, making her a target for ridicule and exclusion.

Everyone assumed Chloe's behavior was because of Lucas. The gossip spread through campus. Some pitied Emma. Others thought Emma was getting what she deserved for aiming too high. And some simply joined in on the bullying to curry favor with the powerful Linwood family.

Emma endured it all in silence. She never complained and never fought back. She just studied harder, lived more quietly, and did her best to avoid Chloe and all the drama that came with her.

But the more she retreated, the more aggressive Chloe became.

Watching Emma's perpetual submissiveness filled Chloe with a mix of anger and pain. She wanted to scream at Emma to stand up, to lash out, and to be anything but this silent victim.

She was furious that Emma wouldn't react and wouldn't even acknowledge her. And her heart ached when she saw Emma suffer so much. It killed her to see Emma swallow all the bitterness without a word.

She wanted Emma to hate her.

She wanted Emma to remember her, even if it had to be for the worst reasons.

One afternoon, the sunlight streamed through the library window, illuminating the spot where Emma was reading. The light fell on the crown of her head and her long, delicate eyelashes, creating a scene of impossible gentleness.

She was completely lost in the moment, a soft smile brushing her lips. It was a look so pure and healing, like a delicate wildflower blooming in secret.

Chloe, searching for a book, happened to see it. Her heart skipped a beat.

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Chloe's own breath caught in her throat. She gripped the book in her hand, her knuckles turning white, and strode over to the table to slam her hand down on it.

The loud noise was jarring in the quiet library, and it made Emma jump.

She looked up, her eyes wide with the frightened, helpless look of a startled deer.

"Chloe, you..." Emma started.

"Who gave you permission to read here?" Chloe barked viciously and shot Emma an icy stare, frowning. "I was saving this spot."

Emma glanced around. The library was full of empty seats. She bit her lip and said nothing, quietly gathering her things to leave.

But just as Emma stood up, Chloe's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

Emma's wrist was so small, and her skin felt soft and cool. The sensation of holding her was so intoxicating that Chloe found herself tightening her grip, refusing to let the moment end.

Chloe's heart hammered against her ribs, and a flush crept up her cheeks. Fixing Emma with a deliberate scowl, Chloe bit out a sharp retort, though her voice tightened in spite of herself. "Are you that scared of me, Emma?"

The grip was a little too tight, and Emma struggled slightly, her voice soft and hoarse. "Chloe, we have no reason to be enemies. I don't want any trouble."

Chloe laughed, a frantic edge to the sound that betrayed a panic even she didn't recognize. "No reason? The moment you showed up next to Lucas, we became enemies."

She deliberately brought up Lucas, watching the flicker of disappointment and hurt in Emma's eyes. But it brought her no satisfaction, only a dense, aching pain in her own chest.

Emma lowered her gaze, whispering, "There's nothing between Lucas and me. You don't have to do this."

Chloe violently let go of Emma's wrist with a sharp, clumsy force. "That's not your call to make. Stay away from Lucas. Or I won't let you off easy," she bit out coldly with a flicker of panic she hoped no one had noticed.

With that, Chloe turned and fled, almost as if she were escaping.

She was on the verge of snapping. One more minute, and the forbidden words would slip out; one more look, and she would give in to the overwhelming urge to pull that fragile, heartbroken girl into her arms.

Confused, Emma watched Chloe rush off, gently rubbing her reddened wrist. There was something strange about the way Chloe treated her.

Chloe's tone was dripping with hostility, but that split-second hesitation when she grabbed Emma's wrist told a different story. The flicker of raw emotion in her eyes wasn't hate. It was far too complex for something as simple as loathing.

What was even stranger were the other moments.

Even as Chloe targeted Emma, Chloe was also, in her own quiet, unacknowledged way, protecting Emma.

Once, several thugs blocked the school gate, harassing Emma with crude words and unwanted touch. Pale and trembling, she stood utterly alone, her heart sinking as fear paralyzed her in a world that suddenly felt cold and defenseless.

And then Chloe had appeared.

Her presence was a force of nature, and her eyes were icily furious. With a few sharp words, she sent the guys scattering. The way she had stood in front of Emma, a shield against the world, felt incredibly safe.

But afterward, Chloe had only shot Emma a cold glance, her tone scathing. "Pathetic. You can't even protect yourself."

Another time, Emma had been crippled with period cramps, slumped over her desk, unable to move. Her face was pale and covered in a cold sweat.

It was Chloe who, under the pretense of throwing something away, had quietly left a warm mug of milk on the corner of her desk before walking away without a backward glance.

Emma saw all of it. She remembered all of it.

She was beginning to realize she didn't understand Chloe at all.