CHAPTER SEVEN
SECRET RENDEZVOUS

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎  ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ━ I'm very sure my roommates were so wasted after the party that they didn't realize I wasn't with them or Damian at all. Everything was confirmed two days later when I saw them.

Lucia struggled to recall the night, saying, "And then… you went to… get… a… drink… and then… I think… we danced… a lot?" Valeria only giggled and nodded, fully clueless.

"And then..." Lucia trailed off, brow wrinkled. "And then... I think... we sang karaoke?" Valeria, still giggling, added, "Yeah!" We totally did karaoke! "What about that guy with the guitar?"

I burst into laughter. "The guy with the guitar? You guys did karaoke with that guy?" Lucia blinked, perplexed.

"Didn't we? I swear, we did. And you were there. You sang 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with us." I shook my head, unable to control my amusement.

"I did not sing 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with you all. I was elsewhere." Valeria, who had finally sobered up, gave me a troubled look.

"Grace, where were you? We were worried."

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I… I went on a walk. To clear my head."

Lucia nodded, indicating her comprehension. "Of course. Sometimes you need to get some fresh air." Valeria, however, was still skeptical.

"A walk? Is that all? You were gone for hours, Grace." I avoided her look.
"I… I ran across a few people. I spoke with them for a while." Valeria's eyes narrowed.
"Who? Rigel?" I tensed. "No. Not Rigel."

Valeria appeared skeptical, but she didn't press further. "Well, whatever happened, I hope you're okay." I managed a feeble smile. "I'm fine, just a little shaken."

Lucia offered me a kind glance. "We're here for you, Grace." If you want to discuss it…" I appreciated the offer, but I felt I wasn't ready to reveal the specifics of my experience with Rigel.
Not quite yet. Valeria was so suspicious of my alibi for where I was last night that I could almost see thunder clouds forming over her.

While Lucia and I sat peacefully in the library, Valeria was continually examining the room, her eyes darting back and forth like a scared bird. "Damian!" she screamed, noticing him across the room. He walked passed her with a purposeful stride and a focused air, not giving her a second glance.

I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her. Valeria, despite her occasionally aggressive demeanor, was a faithful friend. It pained to see her hurt. "What was that?" Lucia spoke in wonder, and I simply shook my shoulders, although knowing well what the situation was.

That was me.

Valeria let out a disappointed breath. "He's been ignoring us since last night," she continues, before a fresh notion enters her mind.

"You were with him, what happened?" she asked me, and after a few students interrupted her, I just shrugged my shoulders. "Everything was normal"

"How was it normal if you went out to walk, remember?" she asked me again, this time with skepticism in her voice.

"Why are you interrogating me as if I killed a man?" I ask, agitated. "We split up after I visited you two. I went for a walk and when I returned, he wasn't there," I said through my teeth.

Our dispute is cut short by the on-duty professor, who politely requests that we leave if we continue to annoy the students. I put my belongings back in a room so I could study, but all I could think about was Rigel.

My textbook lay open on the desk, a meaningless tangle of words flashing before my eyes. I tried to concentrate, to bring my thoughts back to the allotted chapter, but it didn't work. The image of Rigel, his gaze dark and passionate, his lips brushing against mine, kept interrupting my thoughts. I remembered the feel of his hands on my skin, and how his body had melded to mine. The remembrance sent chills down my spine, a bizarre combination of longing and remorse.

What had I been thinking? I groaned and ran a hand over my hair. I needed to divert myself, clear my mind. Perhaps a walk would help.

As I was about to leave the room, my gaze landed on the crumpled map that had fallen out of my biology book. The "X" on the location in the old abandoned greenhouse seems to beckon me.

Curious, I paused.
Was it wise to investigate?
What if it was a prank? Or worse, a trap?

But the prospect of meeting Rigel again, even if it was a chance encounter, was curiously appealing. With dread and excitement, I put the map into my pocket and walked out the door. I tightened my coat around me as I exited the main hall.

The air outside was much colder, and the greenhouse, hidden away at the edge of the school grounds, appeared to offer an even chillier atmosphere. I pushed against the rusted metal door, its hinges groaning in protest. Before I could regret my decision to come here, a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Looking for something?" I froze, my heart racing into my throat.

Rigel was a few steps away, leaning against the grimy glass wall, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He appeared more like a gloomy vampire than a rebellious teenager, and the sight of him stole my breath away.

"I just..." I began, blushing up my neck. "I was… curious." He lifted an eyebrow, a gradual smile spreading over his lips.
"Curious about what, Grace? Abandoned greenhouses? "

"Or maybe... me?" His stare locked on mine, a challenge in his eyes. I felt a chill run down my spine, a combination of anxiety and an odd, wonderful sensation.

"Neither," I murmured, attempting to appear indifferent.

"I was just… exploring." Rigel took a big suck on his cigarette, smoke swirling around his face.

"Exploring, huh? With a map?" He pointed to the crumpled piece of paper remaining in my fingers.

I hastily shoved it in my pocket, feeling a rush of panic. "It was just a coincidence," I muttered, my voice scarcely audible. Rigel didn't appear convinced. He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing.

"A very convenient coincidence, don't you think?" I felt trapped by his gaze. His presence was a powerful combination of danger and attraction, leaving me breathless and perplexed.

"What are you doing here, Rigel?" I managed to ask, attempting to move the emphasis away from myself. He shrugged and took another suck on his cigarette.

"I'm just killing time. I couldn't tolerate being cooped up indoors any longer.

He peered about the old greenhouse, his gaze drawn to the shattered glass and overgrown plants. "Used to be a beautiful place," he whispered, his voice tinged with sadness.

A hush fell between us, broken only by the crackling of the fire in the background. I felt a peculiar attraction to him, a want to understand the enigmatic character that was Rigel Wilde.

"Why are you avoiding me?" I blurted out the question before I could stop it. Rigel's eyes widened significantly, and amazement spread across his face. He took a deep suck on his cigarette, the smoke masking his expression.

"Avoiding you?" he said, his voice low and hoarse. "I wouldn't say I'm avoiding you, Grace."

"Then why haven't you spoken to me all day?" I pushed, my voice wavering slightly. He finally looked at me, his eyes piercing.

"Because… because I don't know what to say to you." His confession took me by surprise. I felt a burst of optimism, a glimmer of warmth in the chilly depths of my misery.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely audible. Rigel paused, his gaze probing mine.

"I… He said, "I don't know how to feel about what happened." His voice was raspy. "About… us."

The word "us" hung thick in the air, full with unsaid feelings. I felt a flutter in my gut, an odd combination of joy and trepidation.

"What about it?" I whispered, my heart beating against my ribcage. Rigel took another suck of his cigarette, his gaze locked on the ground.

"I… I don't want to hurt you, Grace," he whispered softly. "I don't want to… lead you on." His statements astonished me. I had anticipated him to be uninterested, to dismiss our encounter as a worthless fling. But the anxiety in his voice and the vulnerability in his eyes moved me greatly.

"I don't think you're leading me on, Rigel," I replied softly, my voice barely audible. He looked up with a glimmer of optimism in his eyes. "You don't?" I shook my head, my eyes focused on his.

"I'm not sure what I think," I acknowledged, my voice shaking. "But I know I can't stop thinking about you."

Rigel's eyes broadened, and a gradual smile appeared on his face. He took a step forward, his eyes fierce. "Grace…" His speech drifted off, and his gaze dropped to my lips. I could feel my breath freeze in my throat. The tension between us was almost terrible.

A huge blast resonated throughout the greenhouse. We both jerked, shocked. "What the…?" Rigel mumbled, his gaze darting across the room.  I felt a rush of adrenaline, and my heart raced.

What was the noise? We exchanged anxious looks before moving slowly towards the source of the sound. As we neared, a stranger appeared from the darkness, a spotlight illuminating his face.

It was Damian.
And he looked furious.

"Did you fucking follow her?!" Rigel snapped at Damian with a low, threatening voice. Damian glanced at us, his face expressionless.

"I wanted to talk with her," Damian finally said, his voice unusually calm. Rigel's hands reflexively reached for my waist, pushing me gently behind him.

"We're in the middle of talking right now," Rigel remarked, his voice full of a possessive edge that astonished me. "Wait for your turn."

Damian's eyes widened in surprise, and a flash of envy crossed his face. "Didn't you guys talk last night?" he asked Rigel, his tone tinged with surprise.

Then his gaze went to me, staying for a few seconds before he averted it. "Anyway, Grace, where were you? I waited for you last night."
The question sat thick in the air, reminding me of the lies I told my friends. I felt a flush crawl up my neck. How was I expected to convey what had really happened?

Rigel, noticing my unease, moved closer to hide me from Damian's focused gaze. "She was with me," he stated simply, his tone domineering. "We had… some things to discuss."

Damian scoffed. "Oh, really? And what exactly did you two talk about, may I ask? " Rigel's jaws constricted.

"That's none of your business, Lillard." The anxiety in the air was palpable. I felt trapped in the crossfire, like a pawn in an intensifying game. This was rapidly getting out of control.

"Look," I whispered, moving out from behind Rigel. "I need to go." When I turned to leave, Damian stepped in front of me, blocking my route.

"Not so fast, Grace," he warned, his voice tightening. "I want some answers." I experienced a flash of panic. This was turning into a mess.

"There's nothing to answer," I muttered, attempting to go past him. But Damian wouldn't move.

"Yes, there is," he emphasized. "Where were you last night?" "And what were you doing with Rigel?" I felt trapped, surrounded by two angry boys. The issue was fast growing, and I had no idea how to handle it. A tremendous crashing bang echoed throughout the greenhouse. We all turned to investigate the source of the noise.

The old, wobbly table in the center of the greenhouse had toppled, dumping a rain of pots and soil onto the floor.

I rushed out of the greenhouse, my heart thumping in my chest. I didn't look back; I just continued running, my feet hammering on the pavement. I needed to get away from the uncomfortable situation and the suffocating environment. I finally stopped in front of our dorm, panting for air.

When I saw Lucia in the common room, I ran inside, my face hot. "Lucia!" I gasped and caught my breath. "You have to join me! Now!"

Lucia looked up from the book she was reading, surprised by my abrupt entrance and furious voice. "What's wrong, Grace? You look like you saw a ghost."

"It's Rigel," I murmured, attempting to recover my breath. "And Damian. They're at the greenhouse. "And I think...they might be fighting."

Lucia's eyes widened. "Fighting? Are you sure? "

" I heard a loud crash after I got out," I explained, still out of breath.

"And they were both… well, they weren't exactly friendly." Lucia's cheeks turned pale. "Oh, my God. "We have to go."

Her expression furrowed with concern, she picked up her jacket and followed me out the door. We rushed to the greenhouse, and I told her what had transpired, leaving out the part about my run-in with Rigel.

The tension in the air was palpable when we arrived at the greenhouse. The door was partly open, and we could hear angry voices, muffled. Hovering her hand over the doorknob, Lucia hesitated.

She said in a whisper, "Are you sure we should go in?"

I confessed, "I don't know," with a wave of anxiety. "But we can't just leave them there." Lucia pushed the door open after taking a big breath.

We were met with a wild scene. Soil and pots littered the floor, and the table remained flipped over. With their faces flushed with rage, Damian and Rigel faced one another.

"I told you to stay out of it!" Rigel's voice was tight with rage as he shouted.

"And I told you to stay away from her!" Damian shot back, his tone just as angry. Lucia's eyes widened in surprise as she gasped. I had a surge of fear. I had brought them into this mess by accident.

"This is so bad," Lucia said in a tremulous tone. "I know," I agreed, feeling a wave of dread wash over me.

They were first blind to our presence in the doorway. Rigel's eyes widened in surprise as he stopped speaking. But initially, Damian didn't appear to notice us. I was hit on the head by his slashing hand. My temple erupted in a searing ache. I clutched my head as I staggered back.

Rigel became enraged. He said, "You fucking bastard!" with fury in his voice.

He pinned Damian against the greenhouse's glass wall with a lunge. "You hit her!"

As the two of them grappled, their rage growing with every second, I stared in terror. Lucia's eyes widened in terror as she gasped.

"Stop it!" My voice trembled as I sobbed. "Stop it now!" However, the noise of their conflict drowned out what I had to say.

"Rigel..." I yelled his name, but the commotion of their conflict was too loud for him to hear.

Lucia was kissing my head and embracing me when someone else stepped out of the darkness. The gardener stood there, his face red with rage.

"Out! Now!" he called out. "All four of you, to the director's office immediately!"

Still keeping Damian at away, Rigel turned to face us. A expression of concern replaced the anger in his eyes, and he appeared to droop a little. "Are you okay, falena?" he said softly in a whisper.

"You didn't stop..." With a shaky voice, I whispered. "I begged you to stop fighting and you kept doing it."

Rigel spat out, "He hit you," his eyes flaming with rage. "Am I supposed to stay still after that?"

I remained silent as a flood of disappointment swept over me. I thought he would shield me, break up the altercation before it got out of hand. However, he had become engrossed in the situation, motivated by rage and a desire to protect me.

Lucia's hand tightened around mine, sending a secret comforting message. She hung on even though I tried to move away.

"Let me help you," Rigel said, having worried eyes. His arms were strong and reassuring as he gently raised me up. As he carried me out of the greenhouse, I experienced an odd feeling of relief. I felt oddly secure in his embrace, even if he was part of the battle.