The Williams mansion
Pacho sat quietly on his bed, shoulders still heavy from everything that had happened.
Rihanna sat beside him.
Close.
Careful.
Her leg still hurt but she ignored it.
For him.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Just silence.
But this time
It wasn't suffocating.
It was… gentle.
Pacho stared at the ground.
"I am sorry about your leg."
Rihanna smiled "You worry too much, I had bigger injuries than this when I wanted to learn how to ride a bike."
Pacho sighed"I remember seeing you fall and I was afaraid of even touching the bike but Maxim just picked it up and rode it as if he knew how to from birth."
Rihanna took a deep breath " I know how much you care for him."
" To me he is my brother. But i didn't know his words could hurt that much," he said quietly.
Rihanna's chest tightened.
"They only hurt when they come from someone you care about," she replied softly.
He let out a weak breath.
"…Then I must have cared too much."
That line almost broke her.
She turned slightly toward him.
"You're not what he said," she said firmly.
Pacho shook his head faintly.
"You don't have to defend me."
"I'm not defending you."
A pause.
"I'm telling the truth."
He didn't respond.
Didn't believe it.
She could see it.
And that hurt.
Rihanna moved closer.
"Pacho… look at me."
He hesitated.
Then did.
His eyes were still red.
She held his gaze.
And this time
She didn't joke.
Didn't tease.
Didn't hide.
"I love you pacho."
Silence.
Pacho blinked.
"…What?"
"I love you," she repeated, softer now. "Not as a friend."
His breath caught.
"You're kind," she continued. "You're real. You care about people… even when they don't deserve it."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"And you've always been there for me."
Pacho's lips parted slightly.
He didn't know what to say.
Didn't know what to feel.
"I don't care what Maxim said," Rihanna whispered.
"I don't care what anyone says."
A pause.
"I see you pacho, only you."
"…You really mean that? Or you just want to make me feel better. You don't need to lie to me you know, everyone knows you and Maxim are in love with eachother and I really don't want to come in-between " he replied quietly.
Rihanna smiled softly.
Instead of answering
She leaned in.
Slow.
Gentle.
And kissed him.
Pacho froze.
For a second.
Then
Slowly
He melted into it.
Careful.
Unsure.
But real.
When she pulled back
Their foreheads rested lightly together.
"…You thief you not only stole my heart, you stole my first kiss," she whispered.
"And I love the fact that you stole my first kiss."
For the first time that night
Pacho smiled.
Next day
The Sergei mansion
Maxim slowly opened his eyes as his head throbbed painfully .
"…What the hell happened"
He tried to sit up
Pain shot through him.
"Ah!"
Memories hit.
Carlos.
Fists.
The slam.
Maxim forced himself up.
Staggering slightly.
He looked toward the mirror.
And froze.
His face
Bruised.
Swollen.
Blood dried near his lip.
"…That fucking bastard. I would kill him…"
His hands clenched.
Fury rising fast.
He tried to move
Pain again.
But he ignored it.
A voice cut in.
" Good morning"
Maxim turned.
Esmeralda leaned casually by the door.
In full uniform.
A smile playing on her lips.
"How is my handsome elder brother doing?" she said sweetly.
Maxim's jaw tightened.
"Don't start"
She walked closer, examining his face.
Then laughed.
Openly.
"Oh wow… you look like a boxer after a heavy fight."
She tilted her head.
"Honestly? You deserved it."
That did it.
Maxim stood up.
Ignoring the pain.
Started toward her.
"You think this is funny huh, I will show you funny"
Just then the door opened.
Mr. Sergei entered.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
His eyes landed on Maxim.
And narrowed.
"…Who did this to you?"
Silence.
Maxim looked away.
Mr. Sergei's voice hardened.
"Dress up."
A pause.
"Meet me in my office in one hour."
Then he turned
And left.
Maxim stood there.
Breathing heavy.
Face still burning from humiliation.
And rage.
Esmeralda smirked slightly.
"…Looks like someone finally got put in their place."
Maxim didn't respond.
Esmeralda chuckled " seems like you misplaced your tongue. Well I am off to school bye bye brother."
She turns and leaves with sassy steps to infuriate Maxim.
Maxim sneered " I hate this bitch, I doubt if she's my sister."
Emirates Academy
The school was loud as usual.
Whispers everywhere.
"Did you hear? Carlos snapped yesterday"
"They said he nearly killed Maxim"
"No one's ever seen him like that"
"And it was over his brother"
Andre walked into the hallway.
Eyes followed him as he walked in.
"There he is."
Some girls immediately rushed toward Andre's direction.
"Hi Andre"
"Are you free later?"
"You're the one who scored 99%, right?"
"Please can I sit with you today?"
Marco blinked.
"…Oh come on."
Maria stood beside Andre
Watching.
Her expression shifted slightly as she forced a smile.
Misheal walked past with Hugo.
Glancing briefly.
"…"Ok we are out of here but things are getting really interesting," she muttered.
Hugo smirked.
"Very."
They continued to Class B.
Marco, meanwhile
Had his own mission.
"Time to shoot my shot."
He approached a girl confidently.
"Hey… so, since the whole school is going crazy today, how about we"
"No."
Immediate.
Marco blinked.
"…I didn't even finish"
"I'm in love with Andre."
She walked away.
Just like that.
Marco stood there.
Processing.
Slowly turned.
Looked at Andre
Surrounded by girls.
"…I hate this guy," he muttered.