Like you are disappointed in me

Elise’s POV

I bolted out of the library and kept running until I reached the street. Tears streamed down my face, dripping off my chin like rain. I wiped them away with trembling fingers, then used my sleeve to dry my cheeks.

“I am so stupid. So unbelievably stupid for thinking Damien could ever be decent!” I shouted at myself as I forced my legs to move faster. The night was dark and threatening, but I did not care. My humiliation burned hotter than my fear.

Why would he pick up my letter and read it out loud? Why would he do something so cruel? What was wrong with him? I could not make sense of it.

My chest ached as if my heart were breaking apart. Of all the people I could have developed feelings for, why did it have to be him? Damien Lancaster, the biggest bully on campus.

Fresh tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. I was sweating from running, yet I could not stop crying. Damien was heartless. I genuinely did not understand why every girl on campus adored him. What made him so popular?

Of course, I knew the answer. They did not care about his arrogance or how cold he could be. All they saw was his perfect face and his family's money. Yes, he was handsome, but that did not change the fact that he had treated me like trash in front of everyone in the library.

And the worst part? I had been foolish enough to believe we were starting to become friends. Then he went and humiliated me in the cruelest way possible.

I wiped another tear with my sleeve.

People brushed past me on the street, and when someone's shoulder knocked against mine, I was reminded of how dangerous it was to be out here alone. My steps quickened, almost breaking into a run. Strangers could not be trusted. I had already been hurt once before, and I refused to let it happen again.

My pulse thundered at the thought. Every time someone passed me, my heart beat harder, pounding painfully against my ribs. The weak streetlights barely illuminated their faces, leaving me with nothing but stretched shadows and smiles that made my skin crawl.

I needed to get out of here. Fast.

Then a large hand landed on my shoulder.

My body jerked, and I spun around, bracing myself for the worst. Instead, I found Damien towering over me.

Relief washed over me despite everything. He might be cruel, but I knew he would never lay a hand on me in that way. No, he preferred to crush me with his words until I had nothing left of my confidence.

“What do you want?” I snapped.

The last thing I needed was for him to realise that I felt safer with him around. If he knew, his ego would explode.

“You should not be walking home alone in the dark,” he said, his voice low. “It is not safe, especially for someone as small as you.”

There it was again. That condescending way he spoke to me, as if I were some helpless child who could not look after herself.

It was insulting.

And yet, a part of me did not want him to leave.

I swallowed hard. “Are you going to walk me home, then?”

His gaze met mine. “I... I do not know.”

I lifted my chin stubbornly and glared up at him. “You do not know?”

“Elise.”

“No. I asked you a question.”

He let out a heavy sigh. “You are angry with me.”

“For a very good reason. Did you come here to apologise?”

“I do not... Damn it, I do not know.”

“That much is obvious.” My voice dripped with sarcasm, and for once, I was proud of myself. For once in my life, I was standing up to him without backing down. My anger gave me courage, and I silently congratulated myself.

You have got this, Elise.

I just had to resist the temptation to look too closely at his face, at that sharp jaw and those eyes that sometimes softened like those of a confused puppy. One look, and I knew I would weaken.

He sighed again. “I thought you already knew I was an asshole.”

“I did. But I also thought maybe we were moving past that.”

“Moving past it? What does that even mean?”

“Becoming friends.”

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, he asked, “What do you want from me, Elise? Honestly?”

“Respect, Damien.”

I stopped walking and faced him directly. It was irritating how much taller he was, forcing me to tilt my head back just to meet his eyes.

“Respect?” he repeated slowly, as if he had never heard the word before.

That alone made my anger flare.

“Yes. Respect. I am your project partner, not your servant. And about that fake girlfriend deal we made, if you expect me to go through with it, you need to treat me better. Do not read my private things without asking first.”

I could hardly believe I had to spell it out for him. These were basic things everyone should understand.

Part of me wanted to scream and ask if his parents had dropped him on his head as a child. What else could explain why someone could be this infuriating?

Since I was clearly the more mature one here, I took a slow breath and tried to steady myself. I chose my next words carefully.

“Tell me something, Damien. When you are with your other friends, do you just take their belongings without asking first?”

“Yes.”

Unbelievable. Jesus Christ.

“Well, do not ever try that with me again.”

I could hardly believe I had managed to say it without raising my voice. He did not deserve that much restraint from me, but I gave it anyway.

“Fine,” he muttered. “I messed up by reading that letter.”

“Thank you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Then why do I still feel like you are mad at me?”

“Because you are missing the point. Do you actually mean that apology? Do you even understand what was wrong with what you did? Do you know why it hurt me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I am talking about you not understanding why I reacted the way I did. Do you really get it?”

“I do... I am not completely stupid.”

“Right.”

Except he clearly did not understand a thing.

I started walking again, my arms crossed tightly over my chest, while Damien let out a long, frustrated sigh behind me.

“I said I messed up. What else do you want from me? How many times am I supposed to say it before you stop glaring at me like that?”

“Like what?” I muttered.

He looked genuinely frustrated, his eyes catching the light from the streetlamps.

“Like you are disappointed in me. Because, let us be honest, Elise, people are not perfect. I am definitely not. I am an asshole, and you already know that.”

Instead of snapping back, I felt something inside me give way. The anger that had kept me going moments ago faded into something heavier, almost like defeat. My shoulders slumped.

“You really do not get it, do you?”

“No.”

“You have been doing little things to disrespect me ever since we started working together. I have no idea what I ever did to deserve it, but you have not treated me like a friend. Not once. And honestly, I do not need that version of Damien in my life. So yes, we can be project partners. I will even go along with being your fake girlfriend. But right now, we are not surrounded by people. Nobody is watching us. So let me walk home alone, all right?”

“Elise...”

“No! Be quiet! I am done listening to excuses. And stop saying my name like that!”

“Elise, please. If you would just calm down...”

“No! Are you deaf?” My voice rose before I could stop it. “You cannot keep telling me what I should or should not do. I am finished being intimidated by you.”

For some reason, Damien still did not leave. He stayed right beside me.

“Okay, Elise. Then let me make one thing clear. I never set out to scare you.”

“Do not lie to me. You want everyone to fear you.”

I tried to walk faster, but his longer strides made it impossible to get away from him. He looked completely unbothered, as if keeping up with me required no effort at all.

Typical football player stamina.

“Well,” he said after a pause, “I do not want you to fear me.”

“Then what do you want? To humiliate me all over again?”

I gasped as I climbed an incline that I could have sworn had not been there before. My legs were burning.

“Why is there suddenly a hill here?”

Damien glanced at me, a look of offence crossing his face. “Wait. Are you mocking me?”

“Maybe,” I replied, panting. My lungs were clearly not built for this kind of exercise.

“You are seriously making fun of me right now?”

“Who knows?”

Before I could step around him, Damien suddenly blocked my path. I stopped and glared up at him in the middle of the street.

For a moment, it felt as if we were two strays circling each other, waiting to see who would make the first move.

I refused to show even a trace of fear.

He stood tall before me, his expression stormy and his eyes shadowed with exhaustion.

God help me, Damien was breathtaking.

His blue eyes, thick brows, and messy sandy hair made him look as if he had just rolled out of bed and somehow still managed to look perfect. His lips were distracting, the kind you could imagine kissing far too easily. His cheekbones looked as if they had been carved by hand, and his strong jaw clenched as he stared down at me.

“I am not letting you leave until we sort this out,” he said.

I hissed back, “Then you will be waiting a long time, because this will not be solved tonight.”

“Fine.” He shrugged, maddeningly casual. “Then I am walking you home.”

“What?” I snapped. “You cannot do that. My roommates...”

Before I could finish, he bent down, grabbed me, and hoisted me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.

“Put me down!”

I kicked and pounded his back, but he barely reacted. The idiot kept walking, carrying me like some kind of prize. People stared, and he actually greeted them with a smile, as if nothing unusual was happening.

“Release me!”

“How about no?” he replied smoothly, continuing his stroll.

“You are such an asshole!”

My fists itched to smack him, but my head was level with his backside. And God, even that part of his body looked unfairly perfect.

I refused to touch it.

“Relax, Elise,” Damien said with a yawn. “All I want is to talk. Give me that, and I will put you down.”

“Screw you!”

“Ah,” he drawled, smug as ever. “Walking home together it is.”