**Kyle's pov **
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I stood by the door of the empty classroom, watching Kiara as she gushed about Victor. She had that sparkle in her eyes, the one that always made my stomach twist with a mix of annoyance and protectiveness.
"Seriously, Kyle, he's so cute!" she said, her voice laced with excitement. She flipped her hair over her shoulder with a grin that could light up a room.
"I don't like him," I replied bluntly, crossing my arms. My heart raced at the thought of her being interested in him. I could feel my irritation bubbling up as she teased me. "What? You're just jealous!"
"Jealous? Of what?" I scoffed, trying to keep my cool. "He's just another guy trying to act all charming."
Kiara rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh come on! You can't deny he has that whole 'mysterious guy' vibe going on. Plus, he's really good at archery! I heard he won last week's competition."
Before I could retort, Victor walked in with an air of confidence that made my blood boil. He flashed that charming smile at Kiara, and I could feel a growl rising in my throat.
"Hey, Kiara! Want to join me for archery class?" he asked, completely disregarding my presence.
My fists clenched at my sides. "No way," I thought fiercely, not trusting him for a second. There was something off about Victor—something I couldn't quite put my finger on but instinctively knew to be wary of.
Kiara looked thrilled at the invitation, her eyes lighting up as she nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! That sounds amazing!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her toes.
I felt a surge of panic. "Kiara!" I called out, trying to keep my voice steady but feeling the urgency clawing at me. She turned back to me, confusion etched on her face.
"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. "I just… think you should think about it first," I said carefully. "I mean, have you really seen him shoot? What if he's not as good as everyone says?"
Kiara laughed lightly. "Come on, Kyle! It's just archery class! Plus, it'll be fun to learn something new together."
Victor leaned against the doorframe casually, his arms crossed as he watched us with an amused expression. "Don't worry; I promise to go easy on her," he chimed in with a playful smirk.
I shot him a glare that could cut glass. "Yeah? You're not going to pull any tricks or show off just to impress her?"
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unfazed by my hostility. "Tricks? Me? Never," he replied sarcastically before turning back to Kiara. "But seriously, it'll be great! You'll learn how to shoot arrows like a pro."
Kiara grinned wider at him and then turned back to me. "See? It will be fun! Plus, you can come along if you want."
"Yeah… right," I muttered under my breath, feeling the tension rise again as Victor shot me another knowing look.
"Why not join us?" Victor suggested casually. "You could use some practice yourself."
"I don't need practice," I shot back defensively.
"Aw come on! It'll be like old times when we used to hang out after school." Kiara said with a hopeful smile.
was involved.
"Besides," Kiara continued enthusiastically, "you can help me show off some skills!"
I sighed heavily but couldn't help but notice how excited she was about this opportunity. "Fine," I conceded reluctantly. "But if he tries anything funny—"
Victor cut me off with a laugh. "Relax! I'm just here to teach your friend how to hit a bullseye."
Kiara clapped her hands together in excitement and bounced slightly on her feet again. "This is going to be awesome!"
As they headed down the hallway together towards the archery range, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something complicated—and potentially dangerous—for both of them.
I had to keep an eye on them—especially on Victor.
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As we approached the archery range, the air was thick with anticipation. Kiara walked ahead, her excitement palpable, while I trailed behind, my mind racing with thoughts of Victor and his intentions. The sun streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden targets lined up at the far end of the room.
"Okay! Let's see what you've got!" Victor said, grinning as he picked up a bow and handed it to Kiara. He demonstrated how to hold it properly, his hands guiding hers as he explained the stance. I stood off to the side, arms crossed and brow furrowed.
"Remember to keep your elbow up," he instructed, his voice smooth and encouraging. "And focus on your breathing."
Kiara nodded intently, her eyes wide with concentration. "Got it! Breathe in… breathe out." She mimicked his movements, trying to absorb every bit of advice he offered.
I watched them closely, feeling a mix of frustration and protectiveness. Victor leaned in closer to Kiara as he adjusted her grip on the bow, his arm brushing against hers. My stomach twisted at the sight; it felt too familiar—too intimate.
"Hey! You're supposed to be teaching her how to shoot, not how to flirt!" I interjected, stepping forward.
Victor turned to me with that infuriating smirk. "Relax, Kyle. I'm just helping her get comfortable with the bow." He looked back at Kiara and added playfully, "Right?"
"Right!" she replied enthusiastically, oblivious to the tension brewing between us.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Just make sure she doesn't end up with an arrow in her foot," I muttered under my breath.
Victor chuckled. "Don't worry; I've got this covered." He stepped back and gestured for Kiara to take her shot.
With a determined look on her face, Kiara drew back the string and aimed carefully at the target. I held my breath as she released the arrow—it flew straight but fell short of hitting anything significant, landing just outside the outer ring.
"Not bad for a first try!" Victor encouraged with genuine enthusiasm. "You'll get better with practice!"
Kiara beamed at him. "Thanks! That felt amazing!" She turned to me with a sparkle in her eyes. "Did you see that? I actually shot an arrow!"
I forced a smile but felt my heart sink a little. "Yeah… great job," I said half-heartedly.
Victor picked up another bow and walked over to me. "Your turn," he said confidently.
I shook my head vehemently. "No way! This is about Kiara learning."
"Oh come on! You're going to let her have all the fun?" He raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Besides, it'll be good for you too."
"I'm not here for fun," I retorted sharply.
Victor leaned closer, lowering his voice just enough for only me to hear. "Look, Kyle—if you really care about her like you say you do, then support her instead of being a sourpuss."
His words hit harder than I expected. Maybe he was right; maybe I was being overprotective and jealous for no reason at all. But something about him still made me uneasy.
"Fine," I finally relented, taking a deep breath as I reached for the bow he handed me. "But if I embarrass myself—"
"You won't," he interrupted confidently as he stepped back to give me space.
Kiara clapped excitedly from behind me. "You can do it!"
I took my position at the line, trying to recall everything Victor had just taught Kiara: stance steady, elbow up, focus on breathing. I drew back the string and aimed at the target ahead of me with a mix of determination and nerves.
With one last deep breath, I released the arrow—it flew straight but veered slightly left before landing just outside the inner ring.
"Not bad!" Victor exclaimed again as Kiara cheered behind me.
I couldn't help but feel a rush of pride despite myself. "Okay… maybe that wasn't awful," I admitted grudgingly.
"See? You're already improving!" Victor said with that infuriating grin again.
As we continued shooting arrows and exchanging playful banter amidst laughter and encouragements from Kiara, something shifted in me—maybe it was just a sense of camaraderie forming or perhaps something deeper beneath all this rivalry.
But one thing was clear: this wasn't just about archery anymore; it was about navigating new dynamics—and figuring out where I fit into all of this.