Aria was so lucky on her first day that she instantly made friends with a girl named Delia, she was in her same class. The two girls walked to the lunch room together when Max and Leo approached them. Max and Leo, always on the lookout for mischief, spotted Aria and Delia walking to the cafeteria together.
Max, being the more social and outgoing one, smirked as they approached the girls. Leo trailed behind him, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Well, look who we have here. The new girl already made a friend."
Max said, the tone of his voice dripping with a hint of mockery. Aria rolled her eyes, already anticipating their snarky comments. She squared her shoulders and met their gazes with a challenging stare.
"Yeah, I made a friend. Got a problem with that?" Max chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter. He turned to Leo, who had an amused smile on his face.
"Seems like the new girl has some attitude."
Leo nodded in agreement, his eyes roaming over Aria as he spoke.
"Yeah, I like it"

That evening, Sara was waiting for Damian and was having a shower when he knocked at the door.
With surprise, Aria opened the door and was confused to see him.
"What are you doing here? Are you lost? Or are you stalking me?"
Surprise washed over Damian when the door opened and he found himself face-to-face with Aria. He hadn't expected to see her there.
"No, l'm not stalking you. And as for being lost..."
He trailed off, realizing the situation looked suspicious. Was he at the right address or got really lost? His mind was still reeling from the unexpected encounter.
"I'm actually... looking for Sara. Is she here?"
Aria's expression changed from funny to surprised. She raised an eyebrow at his explanation, a hint of skepticism in her expression.
"Sara, huh? She's in the shower. Why are you looking for her?"
She crossed her arms, her gaze studying him as if she was trying to figure out his intentions. Damian shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, realizing how it must look.
He hadn't expected to run into Aria, and now he had to come up with a believable excuse for why he was there.
"We, um, we have some stuff to discuss. Band-related things."
It was the best he could come up with on the spot, hoping it sounded somewhat convincing.
"Really? Sara hates bands and stuff like that" Said Aria standing at the doorframe and crossing her arms.
Damian mentally cursed himself for his poor excuse. He'd panicked and blurted out the first thing that came to mind, hoping it would fly, but could tell from her expression and crossed arms that Aria wasn't buying it.
He sighed, realizing he had to come up with something better.
"Uh, right. I meant, we have to talk about the music class. You know, assignments and stuff"
"Since when Sara attends music class? She barely know what notes are"
Damian wanted to kick himself for digging this hole even deeper. He was usually much better at coming up with believable excuses, but for some reason, he was fumbling this time.
He scratched the back of his head, feeling the heat of embarrassment rising in his cheeks.
"Okay, okay. You got me. I'm not here for any class-related stuff. I'm... I'm here to see Sara"
"Yeah, for the sex I guess" Said annoyed Aria.
Damian froze, caught off guard by her bluntness. He was already feeling uncomfortable and on the defensive, and her comment hit a nerve.
"How do you... what makes you say that?" He managed to ask, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Why should you be here then? Anyway, I don't think I want to listen to you both scream and moan in my house, so bad luck for you, you have to go back to your own house"
Damian's face flushed red at her words, a mix of embarrassment and irritation creeping up his spine. He clenched his jaw, trying to regain his composure.
"Look, it's not like that, okay? And... Since when you live here at Sara's house?"
He knew his argument sounded weak, even to his own ears. The truth was, he was there to see Sara for exactly the reason Aria was implying. The brown haired girl leaned against the doorframe, her arms still crossed.
"Since I'm in college and I don't have the money to rent a place by myself, so she's kind enough to let me stay here while I study"
She explained in a sarcastic tone. Sara never get along with her and both preferred to not having contact, that's why no one knew that they knew each other. But when Aria's parents moved abroad, she needed a place to stay and finish college. She knew she had figured things out, and was taking pleasure in seeing him fumble for excuses. Damian felt a pang of irritation mix with the embarrassment. He wasn't used to being caught off-guard or having to explain himself.
"Look, I don't need to justify myself to you. It's none of your business what I'm doing here, okay?"
He tried to sound authoritative, but his voice betrayed a hint of defensiveness. Aria rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed.
"You're right, it's none of my business. But it's my house too now, so goodbye"
She closed the door in his face.

Damian stood there, stunned, in front of the closed door. He couldn't believe that she had just slammed it in his face. Frustration welled up inside him. He had come here with the intention to see Sara, and now he was facing an unexpected confrontation with her annoying roommate. He sighed heavily, realizing that he wasn't getting anywhere here. Might as well cut his losses and go home.
As he turned to leave, the memory of Aria's defiant look and sarcastic remarks haunted him. Why was he letting her get under his skin like that?
She was just a bratty college girl, nothing more. He walked away from the house, still seething with irritation. Why did Aria have to be so damn stubborn? Why did he care what she thought about him anyway? He didn't need her approval.
But as much as he tried to brush it off, the image of her face, with her defiant eyes and crossed arms, lingered in his mind. He couldn't understand why he felt so frustrated. He was used to getting what he wanted, and having girls swoon over him. But Arias attitude had thrown him off. She wasn't intimidated by him, and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind.
He hated to admit it, but there was something attractive about her fiery spirit. She wasn't like the other girls he'd been with. She was different. He shook his head, trying to shake off the thoughts.
"She's just some annoying girl. Nothing special"
He repeated to himself, not fully convinced. The image of Aria's sarcastic smirk stayed in his mind, refusing to leave. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about her like this.

Days passed by and Aria and Damian avoided each other. They never talked or interacted, mostly because he was embarrassed and annoyed, while Aria was just irritated by his face. He didn't like her and only wanted to get her out of his mind and going back to his normal life. Damian tried to put Aria out of his mind. He had other girls to entertain, other girls who were more than willing to fall into his arms.
But no matter how many times he went out with other girls, his thoughts always seemed to drift back to Aria. Her sarcastic tone, her defiant eyes, everything about her haunted his mind. He tried to ignore it, telling himself that it was just a momentary infatuation. But the more he tried to push her out of his mind, the more she seemed to linger.
Suddenly, Max and Leo run to Damian and distracted him,
"Look, there is a contest for bands! Let's do that and win the first prize. The contest it's in a month"
Damian looked up at Max and Leo as they approached him.
"A band contest? Sounds like a good opportunity"
He tried to sound nonchalant, but in reality he was quite interested.
"What's the prize for the winner?"
Max and Leo shared a smirk, clearly excited about the idea.
"The winner gets to play in one of the biggest music festivals in the state. Plus, there's a cash prize too"
Leo added, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"The only problem is that the minimum number of participant in a band must be four, we are in three..." Said Max leaning against the wall.
Damian frowned, realizing the potential hitch in their plan.
"Four, huh? We don't have a fourth member"
He paused for a moment, deep in thought, then an idea seemed to occur to him.
"Wait, maybe I know someone who can join"
Max and Leo looked at him, clearly intrigued by the possibility.
"Who? You know someone?" Leo asked, a hint of skepticism in his gaze.
Damian hesitated for a moment before answering, knowing that his suggestion might be met with resistance.
"You won't like it, and I don't like it either... But I know someone who has a lot of talent and is a good fit for the band. The only problem is that she..." He trailed off, not entirely sure how to break it to them.
Leo and Max looked at him expectantly, sensing that there was more to the story.
"What? Tell us already" Max insisted, impatient to hear who Damian had in mind.
He sighed, knowing that he couldn't avoid it any longer.
"She's... a difficult person. She has a sharp tongue and a bit of a temper. She's stubborn and snarky and doesn't shy away from voicing her opinion" He paused for a moment, then finally dropped the bomb "And I'm 90% sure she hates me" Damian sighed, knowing he had to come clean.
"It's Aria. Our fourth member would have to be Aria"
As soon as Damian mentioned the name, Max and Leo's expressions changed from intrigued to surprised, and then to complete disbelief.
Leo let out a bark of laughter.
"No way. You can't be serious. You want us to form a band with THAT girl?!"
"What makes you think she will accept?" Asked Leo as Damian shrugged, trying to seem casual.
"I don't know if she will accept or not. But she's a damn good piano player. Probably the best I've ever seen" He took a deep breath and continued "And let's be real guys, we don't have many options here. If we want to participate in that contest, we need four people. We need HER"
Max and Leo exchanged a look, silently communicating their skepticism.
But deep down, they knew Damian was right. They needed a fourth member to enter the contest, and Aria was the best option they had right now.
Max sighed, clearly reluctant but realizing they had no choice.
"Fine. But if she causes any trouble, it's on you"
Damian nodded, feeling relieved that they had agreed.
"I'll talk to her and see if she's up for it"
He tried to sound confident, even though he had no idea what he was going to say to Aria. He knew that this could potentially go either really well or really badly. But he was determined to convince her.

After class, Damian waited outside Aria's classroom, leaning against a locker. He felt a mixture of nervousness and determination as he waited, hoping she would agree to his proposal. When he saw her approaching, he pushed himself off the locker and walked over to her.
She was surprised to see him, but her expression quickly turned into one of annoyance.
"What do you want?" She asked, crossing her arms, her usual defiant demeanor on full display.
Damian felt a pang of irritation at her tone, but he tried to stay calm. He didn't want to start an argument right away, not when he needed her help.
"Listen, I need to talk to you" He said, trying to control his own attitude. He knew this wouldn't be easy because felt like Aria wasn't the kind of girl who was easily persuaded.
"Why? You want to ask me to give you free home so you can have fun with Sara?" Asked her as Damian clenched his jaw, feeling a wave of frustration at her sarcastic remark. But he took a breath and tried to stay calm.
"No, it's not about that at all. I need your help" He paused for a moment, steeling himself for her reaction.
"There's a contest coming up soon. A band contest. Max, Leo, and I want to participate, and for that we need a fourth member"
"Wow, you good at math, congratulations" Aria continued walking, not looking at him.
Damian felt his irritation growing at her dismissive attitude. He had come here to ask for her help, not to be mocked and belittled.
He followed her, determined to get her to listen to him.
"Look, I know you're not exactly my biggest fan right now. But we need a fourth member, and you're the best piano player I know"
Aria stopped walking and turned to face him. Her eyes were filled with skepticism and annoyance.
"And why should I agree to help you? After knowing the way you treat girls and the fact that you and MY cousin are a thing, why I should be helping you with something that's so important to you?"
Damian was confused, who was her cousin? He was caught off guard by Aria's statement.
"Wait, who are you talking about?"
Aria rolled her eyes, clearly frustrated by his cluelessness.
"Sara. I'm talking about Sara, your little plaything. She's my cousin, in case you didn't know"
Damian was speechless for a moment. He had no idea that Sara and Aria were cousins. This changed everything.
"I... I had no idea. I didn't know that she was your cousin"
He tried to keep his demeanor stoic, but on the inside, he was panicking.
This made things more complicated than he had expected.
"Yeah, I bet you didn't. You don't care about anything other than having a good time with girls like Sara" She took a step closer to him, her eyes narrowing. "How can you spend so much time with her and not even know something so basic about her family?"
Damian felt the weight of her words hitting him. She was right, he had spent a lot of time with Sara, but he had never bothered to truly learn anything about her background or her family. He felt a mix of guilt and embarrassment, realizing just how shallow his "relationship" with Sara really was. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to compose himself.
"You're right. I should have known. I just... never asked"
Aria rolled her eyes again.
"Of course you didn't ask. People like you don't care about details. You just want the thrill of the chase, the excitement, the power of having women drooling over you"
She crossed her arms, looking at him with a mixture of judgment and irritation.
"That's not true" He retorted instinctively, even though he knew deep down that her words held some truth. He was used to women throwing themselves at him, and he had never bothered to dig deeper than the surface.
"Look, I know I haven't always been the best person, okay? I haven't always made the best choices. But for the band thing..."
Aria interjected, her tone cold and dismissive.
"It's a no"
She started to turn away, but Damian grabbed her arm, holding her back without thinking.
"Wait, wait, wait. Just listen to me for a minute. Please"
Damian pleaded, his grip on her arm preventing her from walking away.
Her proximity made him realize how close they were to each other. He could feel her breath on his face, and her scent filled his nostrils. Aria hesitated for a moment, her eyes locked with his. She could feel his hand on her arm, and the intensity of his gaze made her heart race. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest and stay annoyed.
"Let go of me" she said firmly, trying to pull her arm away from his grip. Damian loosened his grip on her arm gently but didn't let go completely.
"I'll let go, but please, hear me out. I really need your help"
He spoke softly, his voice almost a whisper. The intimacy of the moment was almost overwhelming. Here they were, standing in the hallway, their bodies so close together they were almost touching. He couldn't ignore the attraction he felt towards  her. Aria couldn't help but shiver under the intensity of his gaze. She wanted to resist, to keep being annoyed, but his gentle tone and close proximity were having an effect on her. She took a deep breath and reluctantly relented.

"Fine. Talk. But make it quick"
Damian breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, thank you"
He paused for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked up close. Her eyes, her lips, her smell... his mind was racing.
"There's a band contest coming up soon, and the guys and I want to participate. We need four people, and you... you're the best pianist I know. We need you. Please"
Aria listened intently to his words, her expression still guarded. But his compliment about her piano skills seemed to soften her a bit.
"Why do you need me specifically? Can't you find someone else to play?"
Damian shook his head determinedly.
"No, we can't. You're the best option. I've seen you play, and you have a unique talent. No one can play like you do"
He took a step closer, reducing the gap between them even more. He could feel the heat radiating off her body, making his own temperature rise. Aria felt her heart skip a beat as he moved closer. The proximity of their bodies was making it hard for her to concentrate. She tried to keep her cool, but his words were getting to her.
"Flattery will get you nowhere" She said finally, trying to keep her tone sarcastic. Damian chuckled softly, a sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Oh, I don't know about that. It seems to be working, at least a little"
He leaned in slightly, his breath brushing against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Doesn't it?"
She stepped back.
"That doesn't change my mind, I won't do that"
He sighed, frustrated that she was still refusing. But there was also a hint of determination in his eyes.
"Why not? What's stopping you? Is it because of Sara? Is it because you don't want to be associated with me?"
"Yeah, maybe, all of that. Sara and I have different lives, different paths for a reason, it's better keep the distance, I don't want problems... Also I don't I want to get involved with you... Or music"
He clenched his jaw, feeling her words like a blow. Part of him wanted to snap at her, to be angry and bitter. But something in her tone made him hesitate.
"You don't want to get involved with me? Because of what, because l'm a bad guy? Because I'm not the type of guy you want to be seen with? And why no music? When you played I could tell you loved music as I do"
His voice held a hint of hurt, a vulnerability that he rarely showed.
"Because you and Sara are a thing and I don't want any problem. Also I don't really care about music, find someone else"
His expression darkened as he heard her words.
"Sara and I... We're not a 'thing'. In fact, we've never been anything serious" He looked at her straight in the eyes, his gaze intense and honest. "And as for that, you don't care about music? That couldn't be further from the truth. I've seen you play, l've seen how much you love it. I know you care"
Aria's eyes widened slightly at his words, surprised by his perception. It was true, she loved music, even if she tried to deny it. But she wasn't about to admit that to him.
"You don't know anything about me. I don't care about stupid contests or bands" She retorted, her jaw set stubbornly.

Aria left the hallway and headed back home while Damian watched her leave, his frustration growing. He wanted to scream, to shout after her to come back, but he knew it was useless.
"Damn it" he muttered under his breath. He leaned against the wall, his thoughts swirling in his head.
Why did she have to be so stubborn? Why did she have to be so damn beautiful. He knew he should just give up, find another participant for the contest, but the thought of seeing her play, of hearing her music, was too tempting. He couldn't let her go that easily.
He made up his mind right then and there. He wasn't going to give up, not yet. He was going to convince her, no matter what it took.