As the days passed, Damian couldn't get Aria out of his mind. He thought about her constantly, her stubbornness, her talent, her beauty. He tried to stay focused on the contest, on the band, but his thoughts kept drifting back to her.
He thought of different ways to convince her, different approaches to gain her cooperation. But nothing seemed right, nothing seemed effective.
The deadline for the contest application was approaching fast, and Damian and the boys were growing restless. They were still short one member, and they needed someone fast.
Max, the band's bassist, spoke up during one of their rehearsals.
"We gotta find someone, man. The deadline's in a week. We need a pianist, or we can't participate"
Leo, the band's drummer, nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, and we've asked around, but no one's good enough. Except..."
He trailed off, giving Damian a significant look.

Damian knew exactly what he was hinting at. Aria.
He clenched his jaw. He had been thinking about her non-stop, trying to come up with a way to convince her to join. But she was stubborn as hell and seemed unwilling to listen. Damian clenched his jaw, his annoyance growing.
"What was I supposed to do, beg? She made it clear that she doesn't want anything to do with me or the band"
Leo chuckled skeptically.
"Ah, so that's the problem. You're just pissed because she rejected you"
Max chuckled, clearly enjoying Damian's discomfort.
"Well, well, well, looks like our golden boy has finally met his match"
Damian shot both of them a glare, annoyed by their constant teasing. He hated how perceptive they both were, how they always seemed to know exactly what was going on his head.
"Shut up, both of you. I don't care whether she rejected me or not"
Max and Leo both smirked, clearly not believing him for a second. Max leaned back, a smug look on his face.
"Yeah, sure you don't. That's why you've been moping around for the past week, acting all frustrated and moody"
Leo chuckled again, clearly enjoying Damian's predicament.
"Face it, man. You're smitten, and you can't handle the fact that she's not interested"
Damian scowled, feeling his temper rising. He wasn't in the mood for their mockery.
"Im not smitten, and I'm definitely not moping around. I just want someone with real talent for the band, that's all"
But even as he said the words, he knew it was a lie. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to her, that her talent was undeniable. He had to find a way in a week, or the contest would be a dream. Damian knew the clock was ticking and they needed a pianist, and fast.
He racked his brain, trying to come up with ideas. He couldn't lose the contest, not now, when they were so close.
He thought about talking to Aria again, pleading with her, begging even.
But he knew she would never agree without a good reason. He needed an ace. Something he could use to convince her.

Damian kept thinking about it when suddenly everything played in his favor.
They were in class when the teacher gave their test back. Aria and Dalia were in the first desk and Damian was at the bottom of the class.
He heard the teacher saying that Aria didn't do great in the test, apparently she wasn't academically smart. Damian, on the other hand, was the best in class. Damian couldn't believe his luck. The teacher's words echoed in his head, 'Heeler, the test was awful'.
Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind. He looked at Aria, sitting in the front desk with Dalia. She looked disappointed, clearly not pleased with her test results, but not surprised.
He smirked to himself, feeling a burst of anticipation. If she wasn't good at school, what if he could use that to his advantage?
A plan started to form in his mind when he saw her and her best friend sitting near the front of the class, talking quietly.

He waited until the class was over, carefully observing Aria. She was packing her things, still discussing her test results with Dalia, who was trying to console her. Damian waited until they turned to leave the classroom before making a move.
"Hey" he said casually, trying to keep his tone light "How was your test?"
Aria looked up in surprise, clearly not expecting to hear his voice. Her expression turned annoyed when she saw who it was.
"It was fine" she said tersely, clearly not wanting to engage in conversation with him.
But Damian wasn't deterred. He knew he had the upper hand now.
He smirked, leaning against the desk.
"Just fine? I heard you could've done better"
Aria's eyes narrowed at his remark. She hated that he had overheard the professor's comment. She tried to hide her embarrassment, but he could see it in her eyes. She looked annoyed, but also a bit vulnerable.
"And how do you know? Were you eavesdropping on me?"
He chuckled, amused by her defensiveness.
"No, I wasn't eavesdropping. But you're not exactly quiet. I couldn't help but overhear the professor's comment"
He took a step closer to her, enjoying the way she tensed up at his approach.
"So, you're not good in school, huh?"
Aria felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. She hated that he now knew her secret. She was never good in school, and it was always a sore spot for her.
"That's none of your business" she snapped back and tried to keep her composure, but he was standing so close to her that she could feel his breath on her skin. It was distracting, and she hated herself for feeling flustered.
He saw her flustered expression and his smirk widened. He was enjoying this, enjoying the fact that he had found her weakness.
He leaned in closer, almost invading her personal space.
"You're right, it's none of my business. But I'm curious, why aren't you good in school? You're smart, you're talented. What's the problem?"
Aria rolled her eyes and looked at Dalia who smiled and winked before walking out the class.
He chuckled at Aria's eye-roll, thinking how adorable she looked when she got annoyed. But he couldn't let her go yet. When he saw her about to leave too, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving.
"Hey, don't run away. I have a proposition for you"
Aria stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in surprise when he grabbed her wrist. She tried to pull her wrist back, but his grip was firm.
"Let go of me" she said, her voice firm but also a bit shaky.
She couldn't understand why he was so interested in her school performance all of a sudden, and she didn't like the way he was looking at her, like he knew something she didn't.
He chuckled, enjoying her reaction to his touch. He could feel her pulse beating fast in her wrist, a clear sign of her nervousness.
"I will, just hear me out"
He loosened his grip on her wrist, but he didn't let go completely, then leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur.
"I have a proposition that might benefit you"
Aria felt her heart skip a beat at his proximity. His voice was low and soft, making her insides flutter. She tried to ignore the feeling, telling herself it was merely a physical reaction to his closeness.
She tried to appear confident and unaffected.
"What kind of proposition?"
He knew he had her intrigued now, so he leaned back against the desk, still holding her wrist, his thumb gently swiping against her skin.
He smirked, knowing he had her attention now.
"It's a simple proposition" he said, his voice still low. "I help you improve your grades, and in return you do something for me"
"I won't go to bed with you, I like my bad grades"
He chuckled at her bluntness, completely taken off guard by her comment. He had to admit, he liked her feistiness. It was refreshing.
"That's not what I was going to ask" he said, shaking his head. "But thanks for stating your boundaries"
He paused, still holding her wrist. He knew he had to tread carefully if he wanted her to agree to his proposal.
"Go on"
He took a deep breath, preparing his words carefully.
"Okay, so here's my proposition. I'll help you study and improve your grades. I'll tutor you, basically. And in return, you will help me with the contest. You will play in my band"
She knew that he was about to ask that and she rolled her eyes, but she did't want to be suspended for her bad grades too... Her parents wanted her to finish college.
He chuckled at her eye-roll, unsurprised by her reaction. He knew she would have a hard time accepting his proposition, but he was determined to convince her. He took a step closer to her, their bodies almost touching.
"Come on, don't roll your eyes at me. You know I'm offering you a good deal. You get better grades, and I get a talented pianist for my band. It's a win-win situation"
She sighed as Dalia was looking at them as a love drama from the hall.
He noticed Dalia watching them from the corner of his eye, but he didn't pay her any attention. His focus was solely on Aria. He could feel the tension between them, the air crackling with electricity.
"So, what do you say? Will you agree to my proposition?"
Aria was silent for a moment, trying to weigh her options. On one hand, she hated the idea of having to get help from him of all people. On the other hand, she couldn't afford to fail in school. She sighed, feeling defeated.
"Fine" she muttered. "I'll do it. I'll let you tutor me, and I'll play in your stupid band"
A satisfied smile spread across his face. He had succeeded in convincing her, and he couldn't deny that he felt a sense of victory. He was also feeling something else, a flicker of excitement at the thought of spending more time with her.
"Good. I'm glad you agreed"
He released her wrist, but his fingers lingered on her skin for a moment before letting go.
"When can we start?"

The next day, Damian gave the news to Max and Leo, meanwhile Aria was complaining with Dalia, who couldn't stop wondering at it as a love story. But Aria hated Damian and the feeling was mutual, there was no chance for a love story. Max and Leo were both surprised but pleased by the news. They knew Damian was smitten with Aria, even if he refused to admit it. And they were happy to have a talented pianist in the band.

"I don't know how I let him convince me to do this. I hate him" Aria said, her voice laced with irritation.
Dalia rolled her eyes, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama.
"Oh come on, you don't hate him"
Aria glared at her.
"Excuse me, yes, I do. He's arrogant, cocky, sarcastic, and he drives me crazy"
Dalia chuckled, clearly amused.
"That's just his charm, you can't deny it"
Aria shook her head, looking frustrated.
"That's not charm, that's just him being a jerk. And I have to spend time with him now, for who knows how long. I don't think I can handle it"
Dalia smirked, clearly enjoying herself.
"Don't pretend it's not exciting. You get to spend more time with the college bad boy, how many girls would kill to be in your shoes?"
Aria rolled her eyes again, pretending to ignore the flutter in her chest at Dalia's words.
"It's not exciting, it's aggravating. He's insufferable, always mocking me and trying to rile me up"

After school Aria and Dalia walked to Damian's house for rehearsal.
Suddenly Damian's dog jumped between Aria's arms moving its tail, it loved the girl since the first moment when she rescued him a month before. Aria chuckled as Damian's dog jumped into her arms, its tail wagging furiously. She immediately wrapped her arms around the dog, petting it gently.
"Hey buddy, I missed you" she said with a smile, scratching behind its ear. The dog nuzzled against her, clearly enjoying the attention.
Damian watched the scene with a mix of surprise and annoyance on his face. He hadn't expected his dog to be so fond of her, and he found himself feeling a pang of jealousy. He crossed his arms, trying to hide his irritation as he spoke up.
"Traitor" he muttered, referring to his dog.
Dalia chuckled beside him, clearly enjoying the situation.
"Looks like your dog doesn't share your distaste for Aria"
He shot Dalia a glare, silently telling her to shut up. He watched as the dog sniffed Aria's hair, its tongue flicking out to lick her cheek. It almost looked like it was trying to claim her as its own. He clenched his jaw, trying to ignore the irrational anger he felt.
"She has a way with animals" he muttered begrudgingly.
Dalia smirked, clearly amused by his reaction.
"Yeah, she has a way with people too, apparently"
Aria chuckled at Dalia's remark, clearly enjoying the fact that she was irritating Damian. She continued to pet the dog, her fingers running through its soft fur.
"Jealous, Damian?" she taunted him, a smirk on her face. He scoffed, feeling his irritation growing.
"Jealous? Of what? A dog?" he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
But deep down, he was jealous. Not because of the dog, but because of the way she interacted with it. The way she looked so comfortable and natural, as if she belonged there. He tried to push those thoughts aside, but they kept swirling in his mind.
"Let's rehearse" said Damian.

They all agreed and started rehearsing. Aria played the piano flawlessly, her fingers gliding over the keys with ease.
Damian tried not to focus on her too much, but he couldn't help but steal glances at her. Seeing her play the piano so effortlessly sent a pang of jealousy through him. She was so talented, so confident. He found it both infuriating and attractive. They went on like that for a while, with Damian trying to keep his eyes off of her and failing miserably.
Aria started to play to let Max and Leo decide if she was good enough.
Damian already hear her during their first encounter and was sure she was gonna make it Max and Leo listened intently as Aria started to play. They exchanged a look of approval, clearly impressed by her skill. He didn't say anything, but he couldn't keep the smirk off his face.
He knew she was good, but seeing her impress his bandmates was satisfying.
When she finished, Max and Leo both nodded in approval.
"You're in, no doubt about it" Max said, grinning at her.
Aria smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She had worked hard to become a good pianist, and it felt nice to be recognized for her talent.
Damian watched her, still struggling to keep his emotions in check. He knew bringing her into the band was a good idea, but he didn't realize how difficult it would be to be around her all the time.
"She's pretty damn good" Leo said, looking at Aria with appreciation.
Damian grunted in agreement, still refusing to give her any direct compliments.
"She's alright" he said nonchalantly, hiding the fact that he was actually very impressed by her skills.
Max and Leo glanced at each other, knowing that 'alright' was Damian's way of saying 'damn good'.
"Okay, we have one month to rehearse for the contest and to prepare for the final exams before Christmas break" Said Damian as Max and Leo nodded, looking slightly stressed at the mention of the upcoming exams.
"Yeah, that's gonna be rough" Leo said with a sigh.
Aria felt her anxiety spike at the mention of the exams, knowing that she was struggling in all her classes. She tried to hide her worry, not wanting to seem weak in front of Damian and his bandmates.

As days passed by, Aria was rehearsing at Damian's house. Max, Leo and Dalia exchanged glances at Damian's and Aria's secret but palpable chemistry. Over time, Max, Leo, and Dalia noticed the tension between Damian and Aria during rehearsals. They could see the way they bickered constantly, the way he would look at her when she wasn't paying attention, and the way she would get flustered whenever he was close to her.
One day, while Aria was taking a break, Leo leaned over to Max and Dalia, speaking in a hushed tone.
"You guys seeing what I'm seeing between those two?"
Max nodded, trying to suppress a grin.
"Yeah, it's hard to miss"
Dalia chuckled.
"They're practically sparking with electricity whenever they're together"
Leo chuckled in agreement.
"And don't even get me started on how protective he is over her. Whenever we invite her over, he acts like a damn guard dog"
"They're either gonna hate each other until the end of time, or they're gonna fall into each other's arms at some point. No in-between"
They all laughed at Leo's comment. They were amused by the constant bickering and snarky remarks between the two, but also secretly hoping that something would happen between them.
Meanwhile, Aria and Damian looked at them
"Why do you think are they laughing?" Asked the brown haired girl to Damian.
He simply shrugged, trying to act casual.
"Probably just gossiping about college drama or something"
But deep down, he had a feeling they were talking about them. He could tell from the sly grins they were giving each other. Max and Leo were always teasing him about Aria, making sarcastic comments whenever they noticed how often his eyes would linger on her during practice.
"So, tonight are we going to study at my place or here at yours?" Asked Aria when Damian looked at her, slightly taken aback by her question. He wasn't expecting her to ask him to study at her place.
He cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Uhh, we can study at mine again. My dog misses you" He added the last part as a joke, but there was a hint of truth to it. The dog did love her, and he was a little jealous of that fact.
Aria chuckled at his comment about the dog. She knew it was a joke, but secretly she found it kind of cute that his dog liked her so much.
"Okay, sounds good"
Max and Leo watched the exchange with amused grins on their faces.
They knew Damian was trying to act casual, but they could see beneath his cool exterior.

Once Max, Leo and Dalia left, Damian and Aria walked upstairs to do the study session. As they walked up the stairs, Damian could feel the awkwardness between them. He always felt self-conscious when he was alone with her.
He tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on the study session.
"So, what do you need help with tonight?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Aria sat on the couch as the dog jumped on her.
"Math?"
Damian sat down next to her, feeling a pang of jealousy as the dog settled on her lap.
"Math, huh?"
He grabbed a folder filled with math notes and opened it.
"Alright, what concept are you struggling with?"
Aria explained her struggles with a particular mathematical concept, all the while stroking the dog that sat on her lap.
"I just don't get it" she said, sounding frustrated.
Damian listened intently, trying to keep his focus on the math and not the way her fingers moved over the dog's soft fur.
As Aria looked at the massive notes in front of her, she held the dog closer.
"Maybe we can skip tutoring and have a break, my brain is too exhausted"
Damian looked at her, trying to hide his relief at the suggestion. He didn't realize how tense he was until she suggested a break.
"Yeah, sure. A break might be a good idea"
He closed the folder and leaned back on the couch, glancing at the dog in her lap with a hint of annoyance. He knew the dog was enjoying the attention, but he secretly wanted to switch places with it.
A few moments passed in silence as they both sat on the couch, the dog still resting on Aria's lap. Damian found himself stealing glances at her, watching the way she played with the dog's ears.
"So... you and my dog seem to have a special bond" he said, trying to sound friendly.
Aria chuckled as she rubbed the dog behind its ears.
"I guess we do. He's just too cute" she looked at Damian, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You don't seem too happy about it though"
It bugged Damian that she noticed his irritation.
"What? No, I don't care. It's just a dog"
He was trying to sound nonchalant, but there was a hint of annoyance in his voice. Aria chuckled, clearly amused by his reaction.
"I can tell it bugs you"
She continued rubbing the dog's belly, watching as it stretched out lazily and giving it kisses.