THE MOMENT 💞

VIOLET

A wave of cheers rose from the crowd, mixed with a few groans, and I felt my heart sink slightly. Evelyn glided up to the stage, her smile dazzling, as she accepted her tiara with a flourish. She glanced around, her eyes sweeping the room until they landed on Ryan.

The sight of them together stirred something unpleasant in my stomach.

I forced myself to clap along with everyone else, trying to shake off the feeling.

I watched as Evelyn, radiant under the dim glow of the dance floor lights, slid her arm through Ryan's, her smile as dazzling as the jewels in her tiara. She looked like she belonged beside him, and that thought alone felt like a bitter sting. My chest tightened as I tried to ignore the way her gaze lingered on him, a silent claim that felt somehow stronger than any title or crown.

The whispers started as they took their places at the center of the floor. People murmured, voices hushed but loud enough that I caught the meaning:

"They’re perfect together, aren't they?"

“Ryan and Evelyn—now that’s a power couple.”

“I don’t get why he’s with Violet. Evelyn suits him so much better.”


Their words were sharp against my skin, making it harder to breathe. They said it all like I wasn't standing just right here.
I swallowed hard, feeling my cheeks grow warm, my gaze locked onto the floor as I tried to block out the murmurs surrounding me.

I forced myself to keep watching, even though every part of me wanted to look away. Of course, Evelyn looked like she belonged beside Ryan. She was tall, graceful, with a confidence that made her look flawless. Her presence filled the room, captivating everyone in it—and Ryan, standing by her side, seemed to fit her image perfectly.

A shaky breath escaped me as I tried to steady myself. The idea of calling Ashley crossed my mind; maybe she’d know what to say to pull me out of this spiral. But I pushed the thought away. She deserved to be with Kyle tonight, to have her own moments without being pulled into mine.

Unable to bear it any longer, I turned and slipped out of the hall, the laughter and music fading behind me. The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside calming the emotions swirling in me moments ago

I leaned against the wall, my arms wrapped around myself, my gaze on the stars dotting the sky above, allowing myself a rare moment to breathe.

But then, a familiar scent drifted through the air, warm and unmistakably his. My stomach clenched as the footsteps grew closer, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“What are you doing out here, Violet?” Ryan’s voice was low, filled with that same, steady intensity that had always unnerved me.

I kept my gaze forward, letting the silence stretch between us, though my heart raced, hammering against my ribs. “I just…needed some air,” I replied, keeping my tone light, as if I hadn’t just left the room because of him.

He let out a scoff, stepping closer until he was beside me. “Needed air or needed to escape?” His voice held an edge, and I felt the weight of his gaze as he watched me, scrutinizing every word, every slight movement.

I turned to face him, meeting his eyes with a flicker of defiance. “Maybe both,” I admitted, keeping my chin up. “But I thought you’d be too busy with Evelyn to notice.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking almost amused. “Evelyn isn’t my girlfriend..never was. We were just crowned together because of some stupid tradition.” He shrugged, his gaze darkening. “But that doesn’t mean anything, and you know it.”

I swallowed, trying to ignore the way my chest fluttered at his words. “You looked so comfortable with her” The words slipped out before I could stop it, carrying more jealousy than I intended.

Ryan took a step closer, closing the gap between us until I could feel his breath against my skin. “And what about you, Violet?” His eyes bore into mine, unreadable but intense. “I asked you to be my date tonight. So why weren’t you by my side?”

Heat rose in my cheeks, and I took a shaky breath, fighting to keep my composure,the memories of minutes ago flooding my head–the almost kiss that happened “I didn’t think it mattered to you,” I replied, my voice barely a whisper. “You seemed… pretty occupied.”

His gaze didn’t waver. “Is that what you think? That it doesn’t matter?” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, teasing yet heated. “Are you jealous, Violet?”

The question hung in the air between us, charged and electric. I wanted to deny it, to tell him that he was wrong, but the words caught in my throat. Instead, I could only stare up at him, my pulse pounding, betraying the answer I didn’t dare voice.

He smirked, a glint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes. “You are, aren’t you?”

I swallowed, finally managing to find my voice. “No,” I protested, but it sounded weak, even to my own ears.

“Liar,” he murmured, his voice almost a taunt. “If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have run out here the second they announced us as king and queen.”

I looked away, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. “I wasn’t running away from you. I just… didn’t feel like watching the two of you together.”

He laughed softly, the sound low and infuriatingly charming. “That sounds an awful lot like jealousy, Violet.”

“Maybe I just don’t enjoy seeing people who look… right together,” I shot back, hating how vulnerable I felt in that moment. “Like… you and her.”

Ryan’s eyes softened, and for a moment, his expression shifted to something gentler, something almost tender. “Look, you can believe whatever you want about Evelyn and me,” he said, his tone quieter, “but the only person I asked to be here with me tonight… was you.”

My breath caught, and my heart gave a traitorous flutter. Something about the sincerity in his eyes made it impossible to doubt him, even if I wanted to. I looked up at him, momentarily lost, my heart pounding as if it were answering an unspoken call. This wasn’t normal—not the way he looked at me, not the way my pulse thrummed wildly in response. .

Normal had never felt this electrifying. Normal was overrated.

With two deliberate steps, he closed the distance between us, the intensity of his gaze never wavering. My back pressed against the cool brick wall, grounding me even as my pulse quickened. I was trapped, and yet, even if I had the chance to run,I wouldn't have taken it. I’d known, somewhere in the back of my mind, that this was inevitable—that from the moment our eyes locked across the room, the night had been building to this.

Part of me had wanted it, craved it, despite every warning my mind tried to throw up in protest.

Ryan’s voice was a soft murmur, laced with that familiar edge of teasing, pulling me deeper into his orbit. “Not jealous, huh?” he whispered, leaning in so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin, sending a shiver through me.

My breath caught as his hand moved up my arm, his touch searing, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. His fingers grazed my shoulder, lingering, as if he knew exactly what his touch was doing to me. Every point where his skin met mine felt like a spark, lighting up something primal and intense that I couldn’t ignore.

He looked at me, his gaze dark and questioning. “Not jealous huh?”he asked, his voice low and teasing, brushing over my skin like a caress. He leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek, and a shiver raced through me.

My breath hitched as his hand slipped around the back of my neck, his fingers curling gently, but firmly, grounding me in place. I felt my body arch slightly, drawn to him in ways I couldn’t control, my heart pounding so hard that I was sure he could feel it. His eyes flickered with something that felt dangerously close to possession, making my pulse race even faster.

“I asked you a question, Violet,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, rough whisper that sent a thrill down my spine. “Are you really not jealous?”

A shiver spread through me, pooling in every part of me that felt his touch, his presence, his gaze.

“No” I swallowed, struggling to find my voice. "I'm..I'm jealous" I breathed, barely louder than a whisper

A deep shuddering breath escaped him,his expression shifting from teasing to something much darker,more intense

And that was the only warning I got before he pulled me to him and his lips slammed against mine