He reached out and caught her wrist before she could hop out completely, tugging her back just enough to steal another quick kiss. "Behave yourself today," he murmured against her lips. "I need my focus intact."
She laughed, pulling free this ti. "No promises."
Athena stepped out of the car, and Azrael followed. He gave her a teasing look. "You should have at least let be a gentle guy and open the door for you."
"That isn’t necessary," Athena said, brushing past him with a grin.
Azrael shook his head, mock horror in his eyes. "What kind of husband would that make ?"
Athena rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips. "The kind that’s dramatic and stubborn," she teased.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough for her to feel it. "Or the kind that gets to steal another kiss before school," he said, grinning devilishly.
Athena laughed, shaking her head, and leaned up just long enough to press her lips against his cheek. "You’re hopeless," she said, letting him pull back with that satisfied smirk.
"Hopelessly yours," he replied.
Athena entered the school hall with Azrael’s hand resting possessively on her waist.
She was a little stiff, especially with the strange looks she was receiving from the students, but Azrael kept leaning in to whisper words into her ear, making her slowly forget her worries.
It was as if no one could believe she was now with Azrael.
Athena avoided their gazes and focused only on the man beside her.
They parted ways later, and Athena took a deep breath before entering her classroom.
The mont she stepped inside, all the voices died down.
She looked up, and her eyes collided with Theo’s.
The instant his gaze landed on Athena, his heart skipped painfully. He hadn’t realized how much he missed her until now.
Athena made her way to her seat beside him and sat down, deliberately avoiding his eyes.
"Hi," Theo said softly.
"Good morning," she replied with a small smile, and Theo smiled back.
Athena didn’t know how to react around him anymore, so she kept her eyes fixed on the board like it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
Theo, on the other hand, couldn’t stop staring at her, afraid she might disappear at any mont.
He cleared his throat. "Did you... ahem... when did you arrive?"
"Yesterday," Athena replied without looking at him, ignoring how wildly her heart was beating.
Theo nodded slowly. "Oh... yesterday," he repeated, like the word needed ti to sink in.
An awkward silence followed next.
Athena shifted slightly in her seat, adjusting her bag as she pull out a note book and pen still refusing to look at him. Theo opened his mouth to say sothing, anything, but closed it, then tried again.
"So... uh... how was the trip?" he asked.
"Fine," she replied quickly. "It was fine."
Another silence again.
Theo scratched the back of his neck. "You look... good," he said, then imdiately regretted it. "I an, not like you didn’t before. I just..."
"It’s okay," Athena cut in softly, finally glancing at him for half a second before looking away again.
Her heart was racing. Being this close to him felt too familiar... and too dangerous.
Theo exhaled quietly. "I didn’t know if you were coming back," he admitted. "For a while there, I thought..."
"That I disappeared?" she asked, her voice gentle but cautious.
"Yeah," he said. "That."
Athena tapped her pen against her notebook. "I’m here now," she said finally.
Theo looked at her then. Studying her face, the curve of her nose, her lips, down to her sexy neck. "Yeah," he replied quietly. "You are."
The teacher walked in at that mont, breaking the tension, and both of them turned their attention to the board quickly.
But even as class began, neither of them could focus. Because so conversations didn’t need words to be painfully loud.
The teaching didn’t last long. The lecturer went over a few notes, reminded them about the upcoming exams, and dismissed the class early, telling everyone to study hard.
As the room slowly filled with noise again, Athena packed her bag quickly. She could feel Theo’s stare on her back, like he was burning a hole through her.
She paused, then slowly looked up at him.
A small smile curved her lips. "You know," she said lightly, "if you keep staring at like that, people might start thinking I grew an extra head."
Theo blinked, caught off guard, then chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn’t an to. I just—"
"Relax," Athena laughed softly. "I’m still the sa person."
He smiled at that, relief flickering across his face. "Yeah... I guess you are."
The door suddenly burst open.
Eryx stord into the classroom, his eyes searching wildly, until they landed on her.
His shoulders sank.
Athena stiffened. She had known she would see him eventually. She just hadn’t expected it to hurt this fast.
Just the sight of him standing there, looking at her like that, made her heart slam violently against her ribs.
Get a grip, Athena. Get a grip.
But Eryx didn’t hesitate.
In two long strides, he crossed the room and pulled her into his arms so suddenly she was lifted slightly off her feet. Gasps rippled through the class. Chairs scraped. Soone even whispered,
"What the hell?"
Everything froze.
Athena’s body went rigid in his hold. Her hands hovered uselessly at her sides. She wanted... God, she wanted, to hug him back. To lt into him like she was supposed to.
But she didn’t.
Eryx buried his face into the crook of her neck, breathing her in like he was afraid she might vanish again. "You don’t know how much I’ve missed you," he whispered, his voice breaking.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Athena placed her hands against his sides, trying to pull away gently. "Eryx..." she started, but the word barely made it past her lips.
His arms tightened instead. "Just a little longer," he murmured, almost pleading. "Please."
Theo looked at them, then look away, then back ag them, as sothing he refuse to na tugged at his chest.
Athena closed her eyes.
Slowly, carefully, she steadied her breathing, and gathered the strength to do what her heart was screaming against.
"Eryx," she said again, firr this ti. "You can’t do this."
Finally, he let her go. But his hands didn’t leave her. They slid down and rested firmly on her hips as he looked at her like she was sothing fragile he had just gotten back. "I thought I would never see you again," he said, his voice raw.
Athena’s throat tightened. She avoided his gaze. "I’m here now," she murmured, pressing her palms against his chest, trying to create distance between them.
Instead, his grip tightened.
Athena squeezed her eyes shut, a sharp breath leaving her. "Eryx... we’re inside the classroom."
He didn’t care, neither did he loosen his hold. "Can we have a mont? Sowhere private." he mumred his lips hovering near hers.
Her heart skipped violently. No. Absolutely not.
Athena shook her head imdiately. She didn’t trust herself for even one second alone with him. Not when her body was reacting this strongly towards him. And definitely not when her heart was already betraying her.
She would do sothing stupid. And Azrael didn’t deserve that. Again.
"I don’t want to," she said, firr now, pushing against him once more.
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