Chapter 2
DIANA
Kai pants softly. His brows furrow in bewilderment as he takes in the projections swirling around the room.
“Ah, there he is!” Mellonbaum bellows.
No. He can’t possibly be in this class. It has to be a mistake.
My hopes are dashed when Kai turns to Mellonbaum, and his confusion eases into a warm smile. “Sorry I’m late, Professor. I’m just coming in from practice.”
Mellonbaum waves her hands. “You’re here now. Come in, come in. Your name is…”
She peers at her class list.
“Kainoa Mason-Maiau,” he answers, “You can just call me Kai, though. Everyone does.”
“Wonderful!” Mellonbaum beams. “You can sit down next to Miss Diana Huang. You will be partners for this introductory exercise.”
Kai’s gaze falls on me. I swallow hard, fighting to keep my breath steady. I can feel people’s eyes on us. Their whispers raise the hairs at the back of my neck as he comes towards me.
“He’s so fine.”
“Tell the heiress to watch her back. I bet he’s desperate for some clout.”
Kai settles down beside me. His tall silhouette consumes every ounce of space.
His legs stretch out from the table, and his shoulders brush against mine as he gets comfortable in his seat.
I can tell Kai just stepped out of the showers not too long ago.
His tan skin is slightly damp with steam, making his black hair curl endearingly against his brows.
The fresh, earthy scent of pinewood emanates from his black hoodie and sweats.
“It’s Diana, right?”
I gulp. His voice is so deep and rich; I swear it melts into my bones.
“H-How…how do you know my name?” I stammer.
“Mellonbaum said so,” Kai points out. There’s a playful light in his eyes as he shrugs. “And your face is everywhere.”
“Right.” I snap my head away. My entire body coils tight. He’s just a man, Diana. A gorgeous man, but still a man.
From the corner of my eye, I catch Kai chuckling a little before he holds out his hand. “I’m Kai.”
I look back at him.
“I know.” My eyes widen. “I-I mean, I’ve heard of you.”
Just shake his hand and shut up. I take his hand, and my breath catches when his fingers wrap around mine, gentle yet calloused.
Kai nods at my outfit. “So, are you going to an event later?”
My brows furrow. “No? Why do you ask?”
“Oh, I just thought…” he gestures at me, “you know, the heels, the makeup.”
“I like dressing up,” I assert. “It makes me feel prepared.”
Kai’s curiosity fades under the amused smile curling across his lips. “Well, you look good.”
My heart flutters. “Oh, um...t-thank you.”
“And you definitely look like you’re ready to raise hell if someone crosses you.”
I hide my smile behind the rim of my cup. “That might be in the cards, too.”
Kai laughs.
My nervousness unravels at the sound. I just want to keep hearing it over and over. Enough, Diana. Making Kai laugh is not part of our plans this year. I clear my throat and straighten up in my seat. “How are your people-watching skills?”
His brow arches at the projections swirling around the room. “Is that what this is?”
“What did you think it was?”
“I’ll be honest, I thought it was a ritual for human sacrifice.”
I laugh. “Well, we're actually supposed to look at the projections that pass over our faces, write down what they bring out in us, and share our observations with each other. This exercise will let us practice our analysis skills and get to know each other.”
Kai shakes his head, chuckling as he rubs a hand over his eyes. “This is some crazy shit they’re making us do at 9:45 in the morning.”
I arch a brow. “Don’t you wake up at the crack of dawn to swat around a puck?”
He rolls his eyes playfully. “Unlike this, hockey comes naturally to me.”
“This exercise can’t be so different from the sport.”
“You think?”
I set down my cup and turn towards him. My heel accidentally brushes against Kai’s ankle, making his breath hitch.
“Imagine I’m an opponent on the ice.”
“Alright.”
I keep my eyes on him with a bravado that unsettles and excites me all at once. “So, watch me closely.”
The expression in his eyes changes. What was once clear and relaxed sharpens into a calculating, analytical stare that leaves me breathless.
His gaze roves over my face, trailing over the faint arch of my brows, before lingering on the curve of my lips.
Kai’s throat bobs. My fingers tighten together, fighting to hide the slight tremor vibrating through them.
Kai’s gaze finally drops away from my lips and falls to my hands.
In the window behind him, I can faintly see my reflection.
Crowning my head is a projection of a serpent winding around a diadem.
Its jaws clamped down on the shimmering jewel, its skin slightly tearing at the effort.
“You’re quiet and sly in how you move…” Kai leans his forearms against his knees, drawing us closer together as he begins to unravel me piece by piece. “Judging by all the jewels, you’re hungry and determined for success.”
The air feels hot and frigid all at once. I shiver against the heat in his stare as it trails across my skin, stripping away the facades my parents taught me to put up. My hands tighten even more. “What else do the projections say about me?”
“Everyone might think you’re nothing except hunger and pride.” Kai angles his head. “Deep down, though…there’s a small part of you that…”
“What?”
“There’s a small part of you that wishes you can just let go sometimes.”
I stiffen. “You’re wrong about that.”
“You told me to study you like an opponent on the ice.” Kai nods at the emails pinging on my laptop before glancing at my hands. “So, I did.”
I look down. My hands are stacked tightly on top of each other, skin pale, knuckles stark. I tear them apart and straighten up. I shut my laptop.
I need to get away from this class. Away from these horrible, absurd projections. Away from Kai and his disturbingly disarming gaze.
“This is too much for a morning class,” I mutter.
Kai laughs, raising his hands in defense. “Like I said. But hey, these are just assumptions based on some creepy projections. I could be totally wrong about you.”
“You are,” I insist.
“Alright, then.” He draws back into his chair, propping his elbow against the back. “Now, do me.”
My eyes widen. “I will not!”
“I mean, it’s your turn to analyze me.” Kai cocks his head, mischief flickering over his face. “Where’s your head at this morning, Diana?”
“It’s. . .it’s your fault!” I sputter, “Who uses the words ‘do me’ in an academic setting?”
“To be fair, the words ‘do me’ can be completely appropriate in the right context,” Kai defends.
“We are in broad daylight, Kai. You need to stop saying the words ‘do me.’”
Mellonbaum halts in front of us, looking utterly disturbed. “Do I need to separate you two?”
“Yes—”
“—No.”
I want to sink into a hole and die. Kai, on the other hand, smiles at the floor with his arms crossed over his chest. I desperately turn towards the clock.
10:35. There are only ten more minutes left until the end of class.
Ten minutes. You can do it, Diana. Just get this exercise over with, and you never have to get this close to him again.
I gulp down the last bit of matcha in my cup before I turn back to him.
Kai raises his brow. “Well?”
A projection of broken and tattered wings unfurls behind him.
It would’ve made anyone look weak and despondent, but Kai looks powerful and resilient instead.
He bears the wings with a determined air, shoulders tall, chin held up high.
At the same time, there’s a restlessness in his eyes I can’t ignore.
My mind fumbles and blanks. I fiddle with my empty matcha cup, avoiding his gaze.
“At first glance—” I gulp. “I can tell that you’re strong. You’re good at lifting things.”
“Come on,” Kai groans, “you’re hardly trying.”
“I am.”
“You’re not even looking at me.”
My fingers dent the paper cup as I meet him head-on again. “I’m looking at you now.”
And I wish I didn’t because the way Kai watches me, waiting for my next move, unhinges all the good sense in my head. Something quiet inside me burns, threatening to rise and consume me if I ever get too close to him.
“What do you see?” Kai prods.
Temptation.
“Your time is up!” Mellonbaum shouts.
I flinch, backing away in relief. I don’t bother looking Kai’s way. I don’t have to anymore because we’re done with this exercise and I get to leave.
Mellonbaum smiles smugly at the class. “If you thought you could spend class time dawdling away on your little tablets instead of working on this exercise, you are very wrong.”
My stomach stirs with dread.
“The write-up for this exercise will be your first assignment. It will allow me to gauge your proficiency in writing and analysis,” Mellonbaum explains. “I encourage you to work closely with your partner in order to write the most meaningful, thought-provoking piece you can about one another.”
Oh dear God. Panic thrums through me. I could barely think straight when I was analyzing Kai for less than a minute. The thought of doing it all over again in close quarters. . .
I can’t. He’s a distraction that’s surprisingly, irritatingly hard to overcome and I can’t let him find out just how long I’ve felt this way about him.
All around me, the class begins packing up their things.
Kai swings his backpack onto his shoulder. “If you want to finish the write-up about me today, I’m free after my class at eleven.”
I hurriedly shove my laptop into my bag. “I’ll be fine.”
“You’ll need my input, though.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Diana—” Kai steps in front of me, making my head snap up. Concern softens his face. “Hey, did I…did I do something wrong?”
“No.” I gulp.
“If it’s the whole ‘do me’ thing, I swear it was bad wording on my part.” Kai frowns. “I wasn’t implying that I wanted you to—”
“Like I said, I’m fine.”
He slightly flinches at my tone. Guilt douses all the panic I feel inside. I sigh, reaching my hand out. “It was nice meeting you, Kai.”
He looks so confused, yet his hand wraps softly around mine. Warmth fills my skin again, trailing up to my cheeks.
“Same here.”
I rip my hand away and rush out the door. No matter how far I distance myself from room 102, I can still feel Kai’s touch all over me.