Hazel Nash had always been the one person I couldn’t stand. Every time I saw her in the hallways, her head buried in some book, I felt my blood boil. She had taken my topper spot and made it hers, and every time I saw her name above mine, it felt like a personal insult. But there was something else, something I never admitted to myself until that day. It was late after school, and the halls were empty. I was heading to the library when I heard soft humming. Following the sound, I found Hazel sitting alone in a corner, her eyes closed, lost in her music. For a moment, I just watched her. She looked so different, so...peaceful. “Enjoying the view?” she asked, not opening her eyes. I felt my face heat up. “Just wondering how you always manage to look so smug,” I shot back. She opened her eyes and met my gaze, and for the first time, I saw something other than rivalry in them. There was a softness, a vulnerability that took me by surprise. “Maybe because I don’t see you as a rival, Ace,” she said softly. “Maybe I just see you.” Those words hung in the air, and something shifted between us. We both knew we were supposed to hate each other, but in that moment, it felt impossible. The days that followed were confusing. I found myself drawn to her, seeking her out in the library, walking her to classes. We’d argue, of course, but there was a new undercurrent, a tension that was hard to ignore. One evening, as we were studying together, our hands brushed. It was a simple touch, but it sent a shock through me. “Why are you doing this, Hazel?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “Because,” she replied, “I think there’s more to you than just the competition.” That night, under the dim library lights, we kissed. It was tentative at first, then urgent, as if we were trying to make up for all the lost time spent hating each other. In that moment, all the rivalry melted away, replaced by something far deeper. But it wasn’t easy. We had to keep it a secret, sneaking around, hiding our feelings from everyone. Warren would never understand, and Amber would be furious. The school would explode if they knew. Yet, every stolen moment was worth the risk. One day, we were nearly caught by Warren. We had been in the music room, hidden from the world, when we heard footsteps. Hazel panicked, but I held her close. “Trust me,” I whispered. We stayed still until the footsteps faded away, and then she kissed me, harder than ever before. “Someday, Ace, this won’t have to be a secret,” she said. “Someday,” I agreed, hoping that day would come sooner rather than later. Until then, we would live for the stolen moments, the secret smiles, and the forbidden kisses. Because despite everything, despite the rivalry and the risks, Hazel Nash had become the one person I couldn’t live without.
Chapter 1 A present
"Dumb!!" He teased as she was all alone, left in the field. There he stood with his boys with his famous smirk. Hazel turned around to give him the most annoyed look. Ignoring him, like always she grabbed her small backpack. As she turned to leave she heard Amber mock her, "ones a topper can't be always a topper!?" She says making her hurt and fresh tears gathered in her eyes. Her green pearls shined differently with tears.
Hazel’s heart raced as she spiked the volleyball, her eyes fixed on Lila, Ace's girlfriend, who stood poised on the other side of the net. The gymnasium was a cacophony of noise, with students cheering, shouting, and jeering. Hazel's muscles ached from exertion, but she pushed through, determined to win this match. It wasn't just about volleyball; it was about proving herself.
With one last powerful serve, the game ended. The whistle blew, and Lila’s team celebrated their victory, hugging and high-fiving each other. Hazel’s heart sank, the sting of defeat settling in. She had given it her all, but it hadn’t been enough. She dropped to her knees, panting heavily, her spirit bruised.
As Hazel tried to catch her breath, she noticed a group approaching from the corner of her eye. Ace, the school’s notorious bad boy, led the pack. His dark eyes gleamed with mischief, and his signature smirk played on his lips. Behind him, his friends followed, ready to mock and torment.
“Well, well, well, look who’s on the ground,” Ace said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Lost the match, didn’t you, Hazel?”
Hazel stood up slowly, her legs feeling like jelly. She tried to meet his gaze with a steady look, but her heart was pounding too hard. “It was a tough game,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
“A tough game?” Ace echoed, laughing coldly. “You were pathetic. Couldn’t even beat my girlfriend.”
His friends joined in, their laughter echoing in the gymnasium. Hazel felt a lump in her throat and blinked back tears. She clenched her fists, trying to maintain her composure.
“Leave her alone, Ace,” Lila said, stepping forward with an uncertain glance at her boyfriend. “She tried her best.”
Ace shot Lila a sharp look. “Defending the nerd now, are we?” He turned back to Hazel, his smirk widening. “You know, Hazel, I’ve been thinking. Your eighteenth birthday is coming up soon, right?”
Hazel’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s it to you?”
Ace took a step closer, his eyes locking onto hers. “Well, I’ve got a special present planned for you,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “I’m going to take your first kiss.”
The blood drained from Hazel’s face. “What?”
“You heard me,” Ace said, his smirk turning cruel. “Your first kiss, Hazel. On your eighteenth birthday.”
Hazel felt a wave of shock and horror wash over her. The gym seemed to spin, Ace’s words echoing in her ears. She took a step back, her legs trembling. “You’re disgusting,” she spat, trying to sound braver than she felt.
Ace’s friends laughed louder, clearly enjoying the scene. “Oh, come on, Hazel,” Ace said, his tone mockingly sweet. “Don’t act like you haven’t thought about it.”
Hazel’s cheeks burned with a mix of anger and humiliation. “Stay away from me, Ace,” she said, her voice shaking but louder. “I mean it.”
Ace’s eyes narrowed, his smirk fading. “Or what?” he challenged, his voice dropping to a threatening whisper.
Hazel swallowed hard, her heart racing. She didn’t have a plan, didn’t know how to fight back against someone like Ace. But she refused to let him see her fear. “Just stay away,” she repeated, her voice stronger this time.
Ace stared at her for a long moment, his gaze piercing. Then, he shrugged, the smirk returning to his lips. “We’ll see,” he said casually, turning away. “Come on, guys. Let’s get out of here.”
As they walked away, Hazel felt the tension drain from her body, leaving her weak and shaky. She sank onto a nearby bench, her hands trembling. Lila approached her, a look of concern on her face.
“Hazel, I’m sorry about Ace,” Lila said softly. “He’s… he’s a jerk.”
Hazel looked up at Lila, forcing a small smile. “It’s not your fault,” she said. “Thanks for… for trying to help.”
Lila nodded, looking relieved. “If you ever need anything, just let me know,” she said before walking away to join her teammates.
Hazel sat there for a long time, the gymnasium emptying around her. She felt a mix of anger, fear, and determination. Ace might think he could intimidate her, but she wasn’t going to let him win. Not this time.
As she stood up to leave, she made a silent promise to herself. She would find a way to stand up to Ace, to show him that she wasn’t afraid. And when her eighteenth birthday came, she would be ready. Her eighteenth was just in next fifteen days!!
She ran out of the stadium as fast as she could their voices seems to be faded her now her mind reminded her that she was weak! A cursed left her mouth. That made her remember the each bullying of her mother to her. As the darkness consumed the earth, she was found walking alone on the narrow street back to her home.
Fear gripped her heart, as there was no human found here after 7pm. She fastened her speed. Meanwhile here, Ace hoped on his bike with Lila behind him. They wore their helmets. "Ace what were you talking to her?" She asks as she helds his shoulders. Ace paused at her words.
"Nothing special" he smoothly lied to her which she believed. Meanwhile Amber, who was jealous of her own cousin Lila, couldn't help and called out Her, "hey Lila mom was asking about you" she says smiling fakely to her.
"Say hey to aunt Karen" lila says waving a bye. As Ace roared his bike engine on the road. Lila hugs him tightly as he rides his bike, his mind was already full of Hazel and her teary eyes. Her eyes says it all. Her eyes were too beautiful too resist and so was her presence
Other books by jannat zeenat
More