Unraveled Desires

Chapter 5: Testing the Waters

Saige's POV:

The days blend into each other. I keep telling myself that I'm just imagining things, that I'm overthinking everything about Kehlani. But deep down, I know it's more than that. There's a tension between us now that I can't shake, like every glance she throws my way lingers just a little too long. At first, I chalked it up to my overactive imagination, but now? I'm not so sure.

This morning, when I walked into the school's main office, I almost collided with her. Kehlani, standing just outside the door, her eyes locked on mine with that same intensity that's been making my heart race for weeks. But this time, there was something more in her gaze. A quiet, deliberate kind of attention that made my stomach flip.

"Sorry," I mutter, trying to step around her.

Kehlani doesn't move. She stays right there, close enough that I can feel the warmth of her presence, like a gentle but heavy weight. Her fingers brush against my arm as I pass, just enough to make me freeze for a second. I pull my arm away quickly, pretending I didn't notice, but my pulse is racing.

"You're fine," Kehlani says, her voice smooth, like velvet. "You've been working hard. I can see it."

I don't know what it is about the way she says it—so soft and loaded with meaning—but it makes me flush. She tilts her head, looking at me like she's reading me, like she knows me in a way that no one else does.

I clear my throat, trying to shake off the weird feeling. "I'm just trying to keep my head down."

Kehlani steps back, but not too far. She's still too close, and I feel her presence like a shadow that won't leave. "I understand. Just remember, you don't have to do it alone."

I nod, avoiding her eyes as I step past her into the office. But the feeling lingers, that strange weight in the air between us, and I can't shake it.

Da'Miyah's POV:

Something's definitely wrong with this place. I keep telling myself I'm overthinking it, but it feels like the walls are closing in. Every time I see Kehlani, there's this subtle tension. I try not to pay attention to it, but it's hard when I feel like her eyes are always on me, always watching me, as if she can see straight through my skin. She always knows when I'm uncomfortable.

It's not just me either. I notice how Saige reacts whenever Kehlani's around. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but now? Now, it's obvious. Saige, who's usually so confident, seems to freeze when Kehlani's in the room. And then there's Zoey, who's been more withdrawn lately. We all feel it—the magnetic pull of Kehlani's presence, and the way she's always lingering, like a storm waiting to hit.

I pull Saige aside in the hallway, away from the prying eyes of the other girls. "You good?" I ask, my voice quiet but serious.

She shrugs but avoids my gaze. "Yeah, why?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "Don't play with me, Saige. You've been acting weird lately."

She sighs, rolling her eyes. "It's nothing. You know how I get. Just tired, that's all."

I don't buy it. There's something off about her, something she's not telling me. "If you say so. But you know I'm here for you, right?"

She gives me a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Da'Miyah."

Before I can say anything else, Kehlani walks by, her eyes flicking toward us for a second too long. She doesn't say a word, but there's something in her gaze—an unspoken challenge, maybe. Something that makes the air feel thicker. I try to ignore it, but the discomfort is undeniable.

Zoey's POV:

I don't like how quiet everything's gotten. The days feel like they're dragging on, and every time I look around, it's like the air is heavier. Kehlani's presence is suffocating, but it's not just her being around—it's the way she watches us. Her eyes linger just a little too long, and the subtle touches, like that brush of her hand against Saige's arm the other day, make me tense up.

I don't know what it is about Kehlani, but it feels wrong. Not just because she's the headmaster and we're her students, but because there's something behind her eyes that I can't quite put my finger on. She's always testing the waters, like she's trying to see how far she can push us without us noticing. And I don't like it.

The other day in the cafeteria, I caught her staring at me. Not just a casual glance, but a long, intense stare, like she was seeing right through me. It made my skin crawl, and I swear she smirked for a split second before looking away. But it was too late. The damage was done. I felt her eyes on me the rest of the lunch period, like I couldn't escape.

I catch Da'Miyah glancing at me, concern written all over her face. "What's up, Zoey?" she asks quietly, like she's trying not to attract attention.

"Nothing," I say, forcing a smile. "Just... tired."

She doesn't buy it, but she doesn't push it either. Instead, she leans in closer, her voice low. "Kehlani's been acting strange, huh?"

I nod, my throat tight. "Yeah. It's like she's testing us, pushing us to see how much we'll take. I don't know how much longer I can handle it."

"I know," Da'Miyah mutters. "I feel it too. But we can't let her see that. Not yet."

I just wish I could figure out what the hell she wants from us. Kehlani's playing some kind of game, but I can't tell if we're winning or losing.

Saige's POV:

The rest of the day drags on. I try to focus, to pay attention in class, but Kehlani's presence keeps pulling at my attention like an invisible thread. I catch myself stealing glances at her, wondering what she's thinking, what she's feeling. I know it's wrong. She's my headmaster. She's in control of everything, and I'm just a student. But there's this pull, this magnetic force that's drawing me toward her.

I catch her watching me from the other side of the room during lunch, her eyes dark and unreadable. For a moment, I think she's about to get up and walk over, but then she looks away, breaking the spell between us. I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way my heart skips a beat. What the hell is happening to me?

I try to brush it off, telling myself it's just my mind playing tricks on me. But it's harder to ignore the signs. Her touches have become more frequent—always brushing against my arm or gently resting her hand on my back when she's passing by. Each time, it's like a jolt of electricity shoots through me, but I can't tell if it's fear or excitement.

"Saige, are you okay?" Da'Miyah asks, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn't even realized I was staring off into space.

I blink and force a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

But Da'Miyah's eyes are sharp. She knows me too well. She can see through my bullshit.

"I know that look," she says softly. "You're not fine. You've been acting weird. We all have."

I don't answer her right away. I don't know how to explain the strange feelings swirling inside me, or the fact that I'm beginning to crave Kehlani's attention even though I know I shouldn't. It's like I'm caught in a web, and I can't get out.

Da'Miyah's POV:

I see the way Saige reacts to Kehlani. Every time she's near, there's this shift in her energy. She freezes, and I can almost see the conflict in her eyes. She doesn't want to feel this way. Hell, none of us do. But there's something about Kehlani that makes it impossible to look away, impossible to ignore.

"I don't know what she wants from us," I mutter to Zoey, the words barely escaping my lips.

Zoey looks just as uncomfortable as I feel. "I don't either. But whatever it is... it's not good."

We sit in silence for a moment, each of us lost in our thoughts. The atmosphere feels heavy, like the air itself is thick with unspoken tension. I don't know how much longer we can keep pretending that everything's fine. Kehlani's not just the headmaster. She's something else entirely, something more dangerous than we can imagine.

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