Venecia
Last night, Romeo called me. His voice had been laced with something I couldn't quite name—excitement, fear, maybe both. He had found something. Proof that our families weren't just enemies, but once allies. Partners in a secret neither of us fully understood yet. I should have been thinking about that. The weight of it.
The danger it might bring. But all I could think about was the way he had looked at me before he left. The way his lips had met mine, hesitant at first, then certain. I buried my face in my pillow, groaning at myself. The world could be falling apart, and here I was, replaying a kiss.
We kissed... WE KISSED. The memory kept playing in my mind, like a melody I never wanted to forget. It wasn't just a kiss; it felt like an unspoken promise, a seal of something deeper between us. And I told him about the photo I found in my dad's study.
Last night, Romeo and I talked endlessly after our meeting, finally exchanging contacts. It was funny how something so simple felt monumental for us. Before we ended our call, we agreed to meet in the library during lunch and discuss the next steps on unraveling the secrets our families are hiding. From there, we'd head into the forest to search for anything—anything—that could help us untangle the curse binding our lives.
The morning felt impossibly bright and new. As soon as I threw on my clothes and grabbed an apple, I dashed out the door before Mom could catch me. I wasn't in the mood for her usual barrage of questions.
"Good morning, Paul!" I said cheerfully to our driver as I climbed into the car.
"Good morning, young miss," Paul replied, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. "You seem very happy this morning."
"Do I?" I smiled. "Well, that's good!"
The ride to school felt unusually short. As soon as the car stopped, I jumped out with a lightness in my step. My mind was laser-focused on Romeo. The promise of seeing him made every other thought in my head disappear.
But of course, Liana had other plans.
"Necia!" she called, jogging up behind me. Her face was a mixture of curiosity and concern, and I immediately knew I was in for a conversation I hadn't planned on having—at least not yet.
I smiled nervously as she caught up to me. "Morning, Lia."
"Don't 'Morning, Lia' me," she said, falling into step beside me. "You've been acting weird for days. There's no hiding it now, so spill."
I sighed. There was no way to avoid this conversation, especially not with her eyes drilling into the side of my head.
"Can we talk after class?" I tried, offering her my sweetest smile.
"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "Whatever it is, I want to know now."
Her determination made me laugh a little. This was why she was my best friend—annoying, relentless, but someone I couldn't hide anything from.
"Fine," I said, pulling her into an empty classroom.
"Okay," she said, crossing her arms and leaning against a desk. "What's the deal? And don't give me that vague 'nothing' nonsense."
I hesitated. Then, I took a deep breath and finally said it: "I kissed Romeo."
Liana's eyes widened. "You what?"
"It just... happened," I admitted, feeling my cheeks burn. "We met behind the school to talk about the curse, and it just... it felt right. I didn't plan it, I swear."
Liana stared at me in silence for a moment before letting out a low whistle. "Damn. So, are you... into him?"
Her question made my stomach do a flip. "I don't know," I said honestly. "I think I am. But everything's so complicated right now. The curse, the dreams, the marks..."
Liana put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey. If you like him, you like him. But just promise me you won't let this curse mess with your head, okay? Don't lose yourself in all of this."
I nodded, grateful for her words. "Thanks, Lia."
She smiled. "That's what best friends are for. Now, let's get to class before the bell rings."
********************
Romeo
"You kissed her?" Damien's voice came out louder than I expected, drawing a few stares in the hallway. I groaned, tugging him into an empty stairwell for privacy.
"Yes, okay? I kissed her," I admitted, trying to keep my voice low.
"Damn, Romeo," Damien said, leaning against the wall. "What is it with you two and all this... intensity?"
"It's not like we planned it," I said, running a hand through my hair. "It just happened. And honestly... I don't regret it."
Damien gave me a long, scrutinizing look. "So, what now? You can't just pretend it didn't happen." "I'm not pretending," I said firmly. "I'm meeting her at the library during lunch." After that, we're going to the forest to see if we can find any clues about the curse."
"You sure this is a good idea?" Damien asked. "I mean, going into the forest alone with her? You guys barely have a grip on what this whole curse thing even is."
"That's why we're going," I said. "We have to figure it out, Damien. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it gets."
Damien sighed. "Alright. Just... be careful, okay? And try not to set anything on fire this time."
His comment made me wince. I'd only discovered my strange ability to manipulate fire recently, and it was still unpredictable at best. But I didn't let him see my hesitation.
"I'll be careful," I promised, though a small part of me wasn't sure how much control I really had.
Later that Day: The Forest
The forest was quiet, safe for the sound of our footsteps crunching against the leaves. Venecia walked beside me, clutching an old map we'd found in the library.
"I think this area used to be sacred or something," she said, pointing to a section of the map marked with strange symbols.
"Says who?" I asked, glancing at the crumpled paper.
"Says whoever left this in the library," she said with a small smirk.
We both laughed, the sound breaking the tension in the air. For a moment, it felt like we were just two normal teenagers, not two people bound by an ancient curse.
But as we moved deeper into the forest, the atmosphere grew heavier. The light filtering through the trees seemed dimmer, and an unnatural stillness settled over everything.
"I don't like this," Venecia whispered, clutching my arm.
"Stay close," I said, my voice steady despite the growing unease in my chest.
We didn't know exactly what we were looking for, but we both felt it—that invisible pull drawing us further into the unknown.
Then, we saw it.
Half-hidden under a cluster of moss and tangled roots was a worn stone tablet. Strange markings covered its surface, their shapes faintly glowing as though lit by an unseen energy.
"Do you see that?" Venecia whispered, her fingers tightening around my arm.
"I see it," I murmured, stepping closer.
Kneeling, I brushed away the debris, revealing more of the tablet. The markings seemed to pulse faintly in response to my touch, and a strange heat emanated from the stone.
"What are these symbols?" Venecia asked, crouching beside me.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But it feels... alive."
As the words left my mouth, the tablet reacted. A thin plume of smoke curled upward, and the glowing patterns flickered faster.
"Romeo, stop touching it!" Venecia hissed, tugging at my arm.
"I'm not doing anything!" I said, but even as I spoke, I felt the energy in the air shift, surging toward me.
The symbols flared, and suddenly, flames erupted from the ground around the tablet, swirling in a ring. Venecia yelped and stumbled backward as I leapt to my feet, the heat biting at my skin.
"Romeo, what's happening?" she cried.
"I don't know!" I shouted, instinctively raising my hands. But as soon as I did, the flames obeyed, shrinking and forming a ball of fire hovering above the tablet. My heart pounded as the realization hit me: I was controlling it.
Venecia stared at me, wide-eyed. "You're doing that. How are you doing that?"
"I—" I swallowed hard. "I don't know. I just... can."
"Put it out!" she said, panic rising in her voice.
I focused, trying to will the fire to disappear. For a moment, it flickered uncertainly before vanishing completely, leaving nothing but scorch marks on the forest floor.
We both stood there, breathing heavily, the silence around us deafening.
"That was reckless, Romeo," Venecia said, her voice trembling.
"I didn't mean to," I replied, clenching my fists. "It just happened. Again."
We turned back to the tablet, which now lay cracked and dark. Venecia crouched down, brushing a hand over it.
"There's something here," she said, squinting at the faint markings that hadn't been destroyed. "It's a warning, I think."
I joined her, studying the words. "What does it say?"
Her brows furrowed as she traced the symbols. "Something about fire and emotion. It says... 'The one who burns bright risks consuming all.'"
"What does that mean?" I asked, unease curling in my stomach.
Venecia looked at me, her expression grave. "I think it means you, Romeo. Your powers—they're tied to the curse, but they're dangerous."
I stared at the scorched earth around the tablet, my chest tight. I hadn't meant to display my power like that, but it was getting harder to control. The fire was a part of me now, and I was starting to realize just how dangerous it could be.
**************
And that's a wrap! 🎉 Thank you so much for reading. Your support means everything! If you enjoyed the story, let me know your thoughts.