Neti (16) & Adolph (20)
Neti
The rooftop had always been our secret spot. The world below was loud and chaotic, but up here, it was just the two of usâfar from expectations, far from reality.
I climbed up with ease, swinging my legs over the edge before plopping down beside Adolph, who was already there, leaning against the ledge like he owned the night. He always did thatâlike the world was just something he let exist.
"Youâre late," he muttered, flicking his cigarette into the wind.
"Youâre predictable," I shot back, smirking. "Always up here, always brooding, always trying to look mysterious. Itâs exhausting, really."
Adolph turned his head slightly, giving me a lookâone of those unreadable, infuriating stares that made my stomach do things I refused to acknowledge.
"You talk too much," he said lazily.
"And you talk too little," I countered. "Maybe thatâs why we work so well together."
He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. I lived for those momentsâwhen I could pull a reaction out of him.
"So," I continued, leaning in conspiratorially. "Who is she?"
His brows furrowed slightly. "Who?"
"Your crush," I teased, my eyes gleaming with mischief. "Come on, Adolph, I know thereâs someone. Youâve been acting weird lately."
He exhaled slowly, tilting his head like he was so done with me. "And what, exactly, have I done to make you think that?"
I tapped my chin, pretending to think. "Hmm. You space out more, youâre less grumpyâwell, marginallyâand you havenât threatened to throw me off the roof in at least a week."
Adolph smirked. "That last one is debatable."
I gasped dramatically. "So you do like someone!"
He rolled his eyes, but I didnât miss the way his jaw clenched slightly. Interesting.
I leaned closer, my grin widening. "Is she pretty?"
"Netiâ"
"Does she know you like her?"
"Drop it."
"Ohhh, she doesnât, does she?" I gasped, placing a hand over my chest in mock sympathy. "Adolph, are you secretly a coward?"
His gaze snapped to mineâsharp, unreadable.
"Careful," he murmured, his voice lower, more dangerous.
But I wasnât scared. I never was.
Instead, I smirked, poking his shoulder. "Youâre deflecting."
"Youâre insufferable."
"And youâre avoiding my question."
He let out a slow breath, then suddenly reached forward, his fingers brushing under my chin as he tilted my face up.
My breath hitched.
Adolphâs smirk deepened.
"Maybe she does know," he murmured, voice like silk. "Maybe sheâs just too oblivious to see it."
My heart thudded so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.
But before I could react, he released me, standing up with his usual effortless grace.
"Go home, princesa," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.
I stared after him, stunned, confused, flustered.
â¦Wait.
Did I just get played?
The cool night air brushed against my skin, but my face felt like it was on fire. My thoughts scrambled in all directions, trying to make sense of what just happened.
Adolph had neverâneverâflirted with me like that before. Sure, he teased, and yeah, sometimes heâd say things that made my stomach flip, but this? This was different.
"Wait," I called after him, scrambling to my feet. "Thatâs it? Youâre just gonna walk away after saying something like that?"
He didnât stop. Didnât even turn around.
"Adolph!"
Still, nothing.
Oh, hell no.
I jogged after him, grabbing his sleeve just as he reached the rooftop door. "You canât just drop some cryptic nonsense and leave!"
Finally, he stopped. Slowly, he turned his head, looking down at me with that same unreadable expressionâthe one that made my heart pound for all the wrong reasons.
"Cryptic?" he echoed. "I thought I was pretty clear."
I scowled. "You were not clear."
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "And what exactly do you need clarification on, princesa?"
Oh, I hated when he called me that.
Mostly because it made my stomach do that stupid thing again.
"Who is she?" I demanded, ignoring the way his gaze dropped to my lips for a fraction of a second. "Your little mystery girl? Does she know? And if she does, why havenât you made a move?"
His smirk widened. "Who says I havenât?"
I scoffed. "Yeah, right. Youâd neverâ"
Adolph took a step closer.
I took a step back.
He kept advancing, his movements slow, calculated, like he was enjoying this.
"Never what?" he murmured, tilting his head.
My back hit the rooftop wall.
Shit.
His arms came up, caging me in without even touching me.
The smirk was still there, but there was something else nowâsomething darker.
"Never make a move?" His voice was quiet, but it held weight. "Never go after what I want?"
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing.
"Y-yeah," I muttered. "You overthink things too much."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, Neti," he murmured, low and smooth. "You have no idea."
The way he said itâlike he was amused. Like he knew something I didnât.
Like I was the joke, and he was enjoying every second of it.
I glared at him, ignoring the heat creeping up my neck. "Youâre such an asshole."
His smirk widened. "And yet, here you are."
I opened my mouth, ready to fire backâexcept nothing came out.
Because Adolph leaned in, close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my ear.
"Sweet dreams, princesa," he whispered.
Then, just like that, he pulled away and disappeared down the stairs, leaving me standing thereâflustered, confused, and way too aware of the fact that my heart was beating way too fast.
Damn him.
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Adolph
I didnât go straight to my room.
Not yet.
Instead, I lingered in the hallway, leaning against the cold stone wall with my hands shoved deep into my pockets. The adrenaline from teasing her was still humming in my veins, but underneath it, there was something else. Something heavier.
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair.
She had no idea.
No idea how long I had been holding back. No idea how many times I had come closeâso closeâto crossing the line.
It was a game to her. A playful, teasing conversation about some faceless mystery girl. But to me?
She was the girl.
And she didnât even know it.
I could still see her standing there, pinned against the rooftop wall, her eyes wide, lips parted.
Dios mio.
I had to get out of there before I did something Iâd regret.
Before I proved her wrong.
She thought I wasnât the type to make a move? That I overthought things too much? She had no clue how much effort it took to hold backâto not grab her by the waist, pull her close, and show her exactly how wrong she was.
I shut my eyes, exhaling through my nose.
I was twenty. She was sixteen. I had no right to feel this way about her.
But I did.
I had for years.
I clenched my fists, jaw tightening as I pushed off the wall.
This was exactly why I kept my distance. Why I always kept things light, teasing, never serious.
Because the second I let my guard downâthe second I slippedâthereâd be no turning back.
And I wasnât sure Iâd be able to stop.
I had to keep my distance.
Not just because she was too young, not just because I was too aware of what I wantedâbut because she was untouchable.
The daughter of the man my parents worked for.
The girl born into privilege while I was raised in servitude.
Neti never saw it that way, of course. In her eyes, I was her equal. Her friend. The boy who sneaked her out of boring parties, who helped her climb trees in silk dresses, who covered for her when she slipped away from the guards.
She didnât see the leash around my neck.
But I did.
And I couldnât afford to forget it.
I kept my expression lazy, unreadable, as she poked my arm, grinning. âSo? Who is she?â
I raised a brow, exhaling a slow breath of smoke from the cigarette I had stolen earlier. âWhoâs who?â
She rolled her eyes, dramatically throwing her head back. âYour mysterious, secret crush. The one youâre too much of a coward to confess to.â
I smirked, tilting my head. âCoward? Thatâs bold talk from a girl who runs at the sight of her own father.â
She gasped in mock offense, shoving my shoulder. âThatâs different!â
I chuckled, taking another drag. âSure it is.â
She huffed, crossing her arms as she squinted at me. âI bet sheâs some boring, rich girl your family wants you to marry.â
My jaw ticked.
If only she knew.
She was the only girl my family would never let me have.
I leaned in slightly, letting my lips ghost near her ear. âMaybe I just like the chase.â
Her breath hitched for a split second. There. That moment of hesitation, that flicker of something she didnât understand yet.
But I did.
She swallowed, forcing her voice to stay light. âThen youâre even more of an idiot than I thought.â
I grinned, stepping back. âThat makes two of us, princess."
There was it
My love for her that was never shown before becoming into hatred she's living with
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Why damn he's like this?ð