The butterflies were wild in my stomach as I logged into my Student Centre on my phone. The professor had just finished grading the quiz we'd done a few days back and even though I studied, I felt like the questions absolutely annihilated me.

Liam sat one seat away from me while his friend, Sam sat next to me. It seemed that however I tried to avoid him, it would backfire.

Rip it off like a band-aid. I thought as I clicked onto the "grades" section of the page.

I let out a breath of relief — I passed with flying colours. Not my best work, but I passed at least.

"There are two students who managed to score above a C," the professor's voice echoed through the lecture hall. I grinned to myself, one of them was me. "Congratulations to them."

I glanced over when Liam slid his phone past Sam over to me. My eyebrows furrowed as I picked it up. It was Liam's student centre.

I rolled my eyes when I saw his grade for the test. It was the same letter grade as mine, but still above a C. My lips curled down in a frown as I slid his phone back to him.

Of course he was the other student who got above a C. Who else would it have been? I had really thought I'd beat him this time.

Liam smirked at me and I stuck my tongue out. Sam looked between us, raising an eyebrow.

"That will be all for today, see you all tomorrow," the professor called out from the front of the room. I didn't need to be told twice. I stood up, shoving my textbook and pen into my backpack.

"Let me guess... you failed the quiz?" Liam's cocky voice piped up from beside me. I met his eyes for a short moment before tearing them away, swallowing down the warmth that began to creep into my cheeks. I should not be feeling that way.

Sam walked off, giving me a slight nod of recognition before he left the room, his golden blonde hair disappearing within the crowd of students in our class.

"No, I got the same mark as you," I said with pride.

"Doubtful," Liam chuckled.

"Neither of us got an A, I think you've lost your touch," my lips curved into a smile.

"Oh, please," Liam scoffed. "It was a one off and I barely even studied. For you on the other hand..."

With that, the infuriating smirk was back on his face as he left the class, leaving my blood boiling. I had studied all night for this quiz and managed to get the same mark as someone who didn't study.

I shoved my laptop into my bag roughly and swung it over my shoulder. The class was already empty as I exited, shutting the door behind me.

It was noon and I didn't have another class for a couple of hours. I headed to the parking lot, deciding that lunch at home would be a better alternative than fast food at the food court. My mom would have my head if she knew how many burritos I ate this week.

I was blinded by the sun as I stepped out of the building, black spots appearing in my vision.

When my pupils adjusted to the light, I was perplexed to see a royal blue Jeep Wrangler moving awfully close to my motorcycle as it reversed from its spot. I gasped when the back of the Jeep finally smacked against it and my motorcycle fell over on its side from the impact.

My motorcycle was my pride and joy, and someone had just smashed into it. My legs moved without my brain's consent and I ran over towards the Jeep.

"Excuse me! You've hit my bike!" I called out, running to the driver's side of the Jeep. I reached the driver's window before stopping in my tracks, groaning. "You've got to me kidding me."

Liam sat in the car, a questioning look on his face as he rolled down his window.

"That was your bike?" he raised an eyebrow. He glanced back at my toppled motorcycle. "Whoops."

"You—" I started, as he rolled his window back up. "I'm getting you back for this." I growled. A large grin spread over his face as he raised a hand, flipping me the bird.

My jaw slackened as he drove off, leaving me in his dust, eating the exhaust from his car.

I jogged over to my motorcycle, standing it back up. Blood rushed through my ears at the damage Liam had caused. There was a large scratch on the side where the copper paint had been scraped off.

No one touched my motorcycle, let alone Liam. I was going to kill him.

I clipped my helmet on and drove after him.

L I A M

I shut the door and locked it behind me when I got to my house, letting out a relieved breath. I had sprinted from my car all the way in and Thalia was nowhere to be seen.

Dodged a bullet there.

I walked down the hall to the kitchen. The white walls were bare at my house since my parents liked to keep things "clean", which apparently included keeping pictures and paintings off the walls. I dumped my backpack on the floor, where it wouldn't get in the way.

I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to my best friend, Sam in the parking lot. I was too busy running.

Opening the fridge, I took out the sandwich that sat inside. My mom and dad had taken theirs to work.

My parents never hired butlers or maids to help around the house, so I usually took on the chores that my parents didn't want to do — including making the lunches, cleaning and the dishes. My mom helped out when she could.

I smirked to myself, Thalia hadn't managed to follow me back from the school parking lot. Driving into her motorcycle was genuinely an accident, but she probably didn't see it like that. I probably should have stopped and paid her for the damage.

My smirk morphed into a soft smile at the thought of Thalia — or Ophelia. She was different than I remembered her to be two hundred years ago. She was less shy — that was the main thing, and her hair wasn't blonde anymore. It was dark, and somehow it made her even more beautiful.

I was infuriated at her after she punched me, since obviously, I still had the reminisce of a bruise on my jaw. But I was also infuriated at her for what she had caused two centuries ago. Now, it felt futile to feel that way.

Two hundred years ago, my family was prosecuted along with hers for Treason. What she had done angered the King so bad that he had her whole family killed and mine since we were engaged. Guilty by association I guess.

It was a boy from another country that she was adamant about helping. And of course she was, he may as well have been dying. I'd always admired that about her, I just didn't think it would cost us our lives.

But once Ophelia had left, guards from the palace arrested the boy and I. I was brought to the palace immediately in front of the King. I never knew how the King knew about Ophelia and I wanting to help the boy.

I had hated her for that, and bothering her was entertaining, but I couldn't bring myself to really hurt her. I couldn't hate someone who just wanted to help.

I chuckled to myself as I took a bite out of the sandwich. She had it out for me now, even though I was the one who died because of her. She had escaped prosecution for some reason.

That was the memory that came back every single time I saw her, and yet, I couldn't bring myself to hate her all the way. What I'd felt two hundred years ago hadn't left.

She still made my heart race. She still caused my palms to become clammy every time she was near. I still couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Her smile still made me want to sweep her off her feet. I still wanted her in my life, bad.

But I refused to act on it — not after what she caused. I took a large bite of my sandwich, pushing all thoughts of Thalia out of my mind.

The main doors opened and my mom stepped in.

"Hey mom," I called out to her, my mouth still half full.

"Hello Liam," she appeared in the kitchen, her breath ragged and looking exhausted. She was dressed in her usual attire in a suit and her hair done up. She shot me a disapproving look. "Don't talk with food in your mouth."

I returned with a sheepish smile, "Can't promise you that, mom."

T H A L I A

Even though I had barely been listening to the meaningless conversation between the Riveras and my family, I still vaguely remembered where Robert had told us they lived. It was another street full of mansions and expensive cars — much like mine.

I sped there as fast as I could, weaving between and cutting in front of cars and barely going the speed limit. My hair blew in my face, getting tangled with every second I rode, but I would fix that later.

I entered onto Liam's street and slowed down, scanning the mansions for a familiar Jeep Wrangler. My eyes landed on it halfway down the street and I pulled over on the side of the road.

I smirked to myself at the thought of Liam's face at the sight of me. He must've thought he'd gotten away with it. But he would not have — not without payment for a new paint job. Or maybe I'd just punch him again. Kidding, kidding.

My feet took me to his main entrance, walking through a cement path that led me there, lined with boxwood spiralled trees and LED lights that would have looked more impressive at night.

My knuckles rapped against the large mahogany doors. I shuffled side to side on my feet, waiting for an answer.

Finally, the door opened, revealing Liam on the other side of the threshold. His eyes widened when they landed on me and he attempted to swing the door shut in my face.

"Oh no you don't," I pushed the door back open with as much strength as I could muster and Liam staggered back. "You scratched my motorcycle."

"It was a mistake, you wouldn't hold your business partner against that now would you?" he slapped a cheeky smile on his face.

Yes I would actually. Especially if you were the one who caused it. I thought.

Oh, how easy it would be to wipe that smile off of his face.

"How would I know you'll never touch my motorcycle again?" I challenged, I could just about feel my eyes glistening with mischief. "Either pay for the damage with money, or with your face."

"My face — again?" his eyes widened. "You can't, it's too pretty. I can't risk another bruise."

My face crinkled, "That must be a joke."

"Well, its not," he said flatly.

"Its not like you make money with your looks, otherwise you'd be broke," I guffawed and his eyes shot daggers at me.

"What's so funny?" a woman's voice sounded from over Liam's shoulder. I hadn't considered that anyone would be at Liam's house when I chased after him. Obviously, I should've.

I noticeably grimaced when my eyes landed on Liam's mom.

★★★

𝐻𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠!! 𝐼 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑜 𝑣𝑜𝑡𝑒, 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜 <3

𝐴𝑤𝑘𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑! 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑆𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑜?

~ 𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠𝐼𝑛𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑆𝑎𝑙𝑡