Locked Fates

(Jazlyn’s POV)

The faint scent of old paper and ink still clung to my fingers when the knock came at the library door. Jane looked up from the pile of magazines she was flipping through, eyebrows raised.

“Miss Mercado, the headmaster wants to see you,” the student aide said, his tone cautious—as if saying my name alone was a crime.

I felt every eye in the room shift toward me. Whispers followed, faint but sharp. Here we go again. I closed the book I hadn’t been reading and stood, dusting off my skirt.

When I stepped outside, the air felt heavier. He must have called Adrian and Camille, too.

And I was right.

By the time I reached the headmaster’s office, Adrian was already there—arms crossed, fake boredom painted on his face. Camille sat beside him, pretending to look nervous while secretly enjoying the drama she had created. Sebastian leaned against the far wall, his expression unreadable. He didn’t look at me, but I could feel his eyes the moment I walked in.

“Miss Mercado,” Headmaster Reeve began, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. “I’ve been informed of a commotion earlier today. Care to explain what happened in the court?”

I kept my voice calm. “A misunderstanding, sir.”

Adrian scoffed loudly. “Misunderstanding? You call attacking Camille and disrespecting me a misunderstanding?”

I turned to him, lips twitching into a smirk. “Funny. I didn’t know being falsely accused now counts as ‘disrespect.’”

“Enough.” Headmaster Reeve slammed his palm on the desk. “All of you were involved. You’ll serve a disciplinary task together. Maybe that will remind you what cooperation means.”

“Together?” Camille gasped, her eyes widening in mock horror.

“Yes, Miss Laurent. The four of you.”

I caught Sebastian glance upward slightly, like he was silently asking the universe why me.

The headmaster continued, “You’ll assist the maintenance staff for the rest of the week—cleaning classrooms, sorting storage, and delivering materials to the administration. You are dismissed.”

Adrian muttered under his breath, “Perfect. The queen gets to mop floors.”

I ignored him, though my jaw clenched. Fine. If this is the game, I’ll play it better than all of you.

---

The next afternoon was pure hell.

The sun beat down on the courtyard as we carried stacks of boxes from one building to another. Sebastian worked silently, efficiently, barely breaking a sweat. Adrian, on the other hand, leaned against the wall, barking orders like he owned the place.

“Hey, Jazlyn, you missed a spot!” he shouted, smirking. “Or maybe you’re too used to people cleaning for you?”

I shot him a glare. “You can always do it yourself, Adrian.”

He laughed. “Oh, come on. You owe me, remember? After everything—eight years, wasn’t it? Eight years of following me around like some lost puppy.”

My spine stiffened. Eight years of wasted affection. Eight years of being blind.

“Yeah,” I said coolly. “Eight years of stupidity. But you know what? I’m cured now.”

He blinked, clearly not expecting that.

Camille rushed between us, her voice sickly sweet. “Jaz, please don’t say that. Adrian’s just upset. Don’t make it worse.”

She reached for my wrist, pretending to hold me back—but when she “slipped,” she tugged me hard enough that I stumbled into a stack of boxes.

“Oops!” she gasped dramatically. “I’m so sorry! She didn’t mean to, Adrian, really—”

“Stop pretending,” I snapped, shoving the box upright again. “You’re not fooling anyone.”

Camille’s lips trembled, eyes watering instantly. “I know you hate me, Jazlyn, but I never meant to hurt you. I can’t help who I love.”

And there it is—the fake tears.

Adrian stormed closer, fury twisting his face. “You don’t talk to her like that!”

“Or what?” I said.

His hand shot up before I could blink—

But it never landed.

Sebastian’s fist collided with his jaw so fast the sound echoed across the hallway.

Everyone froze. Adrian stumbled back, clutching his face, eyes burning with humiliation and rage.

“You—”

Sebastian’s voice was cold, controlled. “Don’t raise your hand against a woman.”

His tone wasn’t loud, but it silenced the entire floor. Even Camille stopped crying.

Adrian pointed at him, furious. “You think you can protect her? You’re just a charity case here, Sebastian! You don’t belong in our world!”

Sebastian didn’t answer. He just turned away, brushing dust off his sleeve like Adrian wasn’t worth his time.

I watched him, something tightening in my chest. That’s right. You’ve always been like this—even when I didn’t know your name, even when I was dying.

Headmaster Reeve appeared moments later, summoned by the noise. His expression could’ve cracked stone.

“Enough!” he barked. “You’re all confined to the west wing storerooms for the rest of the afternoon. And no one leaves until the area is organized. Understood?”

We nodded, silently. Adrian shot me a deadly glare before storming off. Camille followed, whispering something to the headmaster that I couldn’t catch.

---

Hours passed in that dusty corridor. The west wing was a maze of forgotten rooms, crates, and broken desks. The others were assigned to different areas—Adrian near the gym, Camille sorting old uniforms.

I was left to stack supplies in one of the smaller storage rooms.

The air was warm and dry, and the smell of wood and cleaning fluid filled my lungs. I wiped sweat from my forehead and exhaled.

Finally, silence.

Until the door slammed shut behind me.

I spun around. The knob rattled—but it didn’t move. Locked.

“Jane?” I called. “Camille?”

No answer.

Footsteps approached, and my pulse quickened. Then the door creaked open again—just a little—and a tall figure stepped inside.

Sebastian.

He froze mid-step, holding a clean white shirt in one hand. His dark hair was tousled, damp with sweat from the day’s work. His chest rose and fell as he looked at me, utterly startled.

For a second, neither of us spoke.

Then he sighed and muttered, “You again.”

“I didn’t—” I started, but words tangled in my throat. He’s… changing?

He turned slightly, running a hand through his hair. “Door stuck?”

“Locked,” I replied quickly, forcing myself to look anywhere but his half-unbuttoned shirt. “I think someone—”

“Camille,” he finished, voice flat.

I blinked. “You think she—”

“I know she did,” he said simply. “She told Reeve she’d ‘handle’ something. She’s not subtle.”

I bit my lip, frustration burning beneath my skin. “She wants them to think we ran away together.”

Sebastian smirked slightly, crossing his arms. “Then she’s not very smart. You don’t look like the type who runs away.”

“And what type do I look like?” I challenged.

He stepped closer, shadows tracing his jawline. “The type who burns everything instead.”

For a heartbeat, the air between us shifted—heavy, electric. My heart pounded so hard I thought he could hear it.

I turned away quickly, pretending to inspect the door again. “We should find a way out before someone gets the wrong idea.”

“Too late for that,” he murmured.

I glanced at him. “You don’t seem worried.”

“I’m not,” he said softly. “I’m curious.”

“About what?”

His eyes met mine, calm but searching. “About what changed you, Jazlyn Mercado.”

I froze. The way he said my name—quiet, deliberate—made my stomach twist.

What changed me? Death did. Fire did.

But I didn’t answer. Instead, I took a shaky breath and muttered, “Let’s just get out of here.”

He nodded, walking toward the window. I followed, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling.

---

Narrative (outside POV)

By the time dusk settled over Ravensworth University, Camille stood before Headmaster Reeve, crocodile tears glistening in her eyes.

“I—I think Jazlyn and Sebastian ran away together,” she whispered. “I saw them near the storage rooms… and then they were gone.”

Headmaster Reeve’s expression hardened. “Run away?”

Camille nodded, clutching her hands dramatically. “Please don’t punish them too harshly. They’re just… confused.”

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