Chapter 213

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He’s Too Good At This.

Class started the same way it always did, with Mr Graves shuffling papers at his desk and mumbling something about the syllabus while half the room checked their phones under the table. I tried to focus. Really, I did. But Dean was sitting right next to me, spinning his pen like it was a weapon and tapping his boot against the leg of his chair in perfect, maddening

rhythm. He didn’t even pretend to be listening.

When Mr Graves turned to the board, Dean leaned toward me, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “So… how’s it

feel walking into class with the most popular guy in school p>

I didn’t even glance at him. “You’ve been here for twenty-four hours. Calm down p>

“Twenty-six,” he corrected, smirking. “But who’s counting p>

I scribbled something in my notebook, nothing useful, just lines that looked like I was taking notes. “Apparently you are p>

He grinned, resting his chin in his hand as he watched me. “You know, you’re way cuter when you’re pretending not to like

me p>

“Cute,” I echoed, deadpan. “That’s original p>

“Oh, I’ve got better lines,” he said easily, “but I figured I’d start small p>

Mr Graves turned, catching sight of him leaning across the aisle. “Mr Blackmore, is my lesson interrupting your

conversation p>

The class chuckled softly. Dean just smiled, unbothered, charming, precisely the way he always seemed to be. “Not at all,

sir. Just helping Macey with the notes p>

“Then perhaps you can help her in silence,” Mr Graves said dryly before turning back to the board.

I gave Dean a sharp look, mouthing, You’re impossible.

He shrugged. You love it, his lips mouthed back.

1 scoffed under my breath, turning my attention back to the notes that were quickly becoming unreadable.

A few minutes passed, filled with the low murmur of Mr Graves’s lecture and the faint scratching of pens on paper. But

Dean didn’t stay quiet long.

“So,” he whispered, “this party tomorrow, what’s the dress code? Do I need to impress anyone, or is my natural perfection

enough?

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He’s Too Good At This.

pressed my lips together, trying not to smile. “If you show up like this, they’ll probably build a shrine in your honour p>

He chuckled. “See? You do notice me p>

“Hard not to. You’re like a human spotlight p>

Dean laughed softly, the sound low and warm. “You keep talking like that, and people might think you actually like me p>

I turned toward him, meeting his gaze fully for the first time that morning. His grin faltered just a little, replaced by

something quieter and curious.

“I don’t,” I said, though the words didn’t sound as convincing as I wanted them to.

He smirked again, that spark of mischief back in his eyes. “Keep telling yourself that, Mace p>

Mr Graves cleared his throat pointedly, and both of us jumped a little.

“Some of us,” he said without turning around, “are still pretending this is an academic environment p>

The class snickered. Dean grinned, leaning back in his chair. And me? I stared at my notes, heart annoyingly loud in my

chest, and told myself that this, whatever it was, didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was running purely on too little caffeine and too much irritation. Dean had spent all of first period whispering smart remarks, half of second drawing doodles in the corner of my notebook, and by third, well, he’d somehow managed to charm the lunch lady into giving him two desserts. Now, of course, he was following Tessa and

me to our usual table, tray in hand, grinning like he owned the place. Tessa didn’t seem to mind.

“Dean!” she said, sliding into the seat across from me while he sat beside her like he’d been invited. “You’re officially the

most talked-about person in school today p>

He looked pleasantly surprised. “Already? That’s a new record, even for me.

Tessa laughed, tapping her nails on her drink cup. “You’d be surprised what counts as exciting news around here. New

people, big parties, who’s secretly dating who-it’s a whole soap opera p>

Dean leaned in elbows on the table. “You’re telling me there’s drama? Do go on p>

I rolled my eyes, stabbing at my salad. “Don’t encourage her p>

Too late.

Tessa’s grin widened. “Okay, so tomorrow night’s party? Everyone’s going. Even the seniors from the neighbouring schools

got invited. Half the football team’s already planning to sneak in a keg. Don’t tell the teachers! and rumour is, someone’s

bringing fireworks p>

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He’s Too Good At This.

Dran’s eyes lit up. “Fireworks? Now we’re talking p>

“Right?” Tessa said, practically bouncing in ker seat. “We’ve been planning what to wear all week. I’m thinking something

sparkly, maybe gold. You know, to stand out p>

Dean nodded seriously. “Solid choice. I’d go with sparkly too, but I’m afraid it’d clash with my natural glow p>

Tessa snorted into her drink while I groaned. “You two are going to be unbearable together, aren’t you p>

“Oh, absolutely,” Dean said. “It’s a gift p>

Tessa was already scrolling through her phone, showing him pictures of past school events, gossiping about who was

dating whom, who had broken up, and who had gotten caught making out behind the gym.

Dean soaked it all in, asking for details, tossing out perfectly timed jokes that made Tessa laugh so hard she nearly

dropped her fries.

I sat there, watching them, part of me amused, part of me… something else. He was too good at this. Sliding into people’s

lives like he’d always been there. Making everyone feel like they were the most interesting person in the room. When he

caught my eye, that grin softened, just for a second, and something in my stomach flipped.

“So,” he said, nudging his tray closer. “What about you, Mace? What are you wearing to this big event p>

Tessa answered before I could. “She’s wearing whatever I tell her to. Probably black, because she refuses to admit she looks

good in colour p>

I kicked her under the table. “That’s because I don’t look good in colour p>

Dean leaned back, his grin returning. “You’d look good in anything p>

Tessa gasped dramatically. “Oh my god, you did not just say that p>

Dean shrugged, shameless. “What? It’s true p>

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1 rolled my eyes again, pretending the heat in my cheeks didn’t exist. “You two deserve each other p>

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Dean teased, and Tessa laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair.

For a moment, despite the chaos, despite the confusion that still clung to me from the night before, I found myself

smiling too. It was easier, sitting here with them. Easier to pretend that everything wasn’t so complicated. That maybe,

just for now, I could let things be light.

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Goddess Of The Underworld

Juliet Zvayi

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