Driven to Despair, teleported to Danger

SARAH'S POV:~

Location~Rooftop

The late afternoon sun cast long, dramatic shadows across the rooftop, painting the scene in a surreal, almost cinematic light. Below, the schoolyard buzzed with the fading energy of the day, a distant hum that seemed to amplify the strange intimacy of this private moment.

Luca stood before me, his vibrant purple hair catching the golden rays, a stark contrast to the somber hues of the setting sky. Sixteen years old, yet his presence exuded an unsettling aura, a chilling intellect that seemed to hover just beyond my grasp. It was always difficult to decipher his emotions, a constant enigma behind those inscrutable eyes.

"Mind telling me why you summoned me up here?" I asked, my voice a bit breathless, the unexpectedness of the encounter still jarring my senses.

Earlier that day, he had gestured towards the rooftop with a cryptic urgency that had both intrigued and unnerved me. His earlier words to Leon, sharp and unsettling, continued to echo in my mind, leaving me with a lingering sense of unease.

Luca's lips curved into a faint, almost predatory smile, a stark contrast to the playful grin I usually associated with him. "Just wanted to offer some… advice," he said, his voice a low, silken drawl.

"Advice? From you?" I scoffed, "I'm not sure I'm interested in taking guidance from someone like you, Luca."

His smile widened, a touch of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, but you are. You're very interested, Sarah. Especially when it comes to… Leon, isn't it? I know you like him. Let me help you get closer to him."

My blood ran cold. "W-what do you want? What are you after?" I stammered, my voice betraying the tremor of my fear.

"Means I was right," he purred, his gaze unwavering.

The urge to strike him, to lash out in a whirlwind of frustrated anger, was almost overwhelming. But I knew I couldn't. A physical altercation with Luca would only escalate the situation, and Leon, ever the unpredictable wildcard, would undoubtedly be drawn into the fray.

"What are you thinking about?" Luca inquired, his voice a silken whisper.

"Why… why would you help me?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion. "We're not friends, Luca. We barely even acknowledge each other's existence."

"I'm a fan, you know," he said, his voice surprisingly sincere. "I admire you. And I want to see you happy."

"Don't lie to me, Luca," I retorted, my voice hardening.

"Believe me or not, it's up to you. But Leon… he's… he's in trouble, Sarah. If things continue as they are, he might… he might do something drastic."

My heart plummeted. "How… how do you know that?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Leon had been withdrawn lately, a shadow of his usual vibrant self. The carefree spirit that usually radiated from him had been replaced by an unsettling gloom. But I never imagined…

"I've known him for years, Sarah. Longer than you can even imagine. And I've never seen him like this before. He's… he's given up."

His words echoed in the silence, chilling me to the bone. Could Leon truly be contemplating such a drastic act? The thought was terrifying.

"Okay," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I'll trust you. But I have one condition. You have to answer my question honestly."

"Shouldn't that depend on the question?" he countered, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Sly," I muttered under my breath. "Why did you befriend him, Luca? You two are polar opposites. You… you despise the things he loves."

He chuckled, a low, melodic sound that sent shivers down my spine. "He's… he's amazing, you know. Unstoppable. If he sets his mind on something, he sees it through to the very end. He's bold, fearless. He… he inspires me."

He spoke with an unexpected fervor, a genuine admiration that surprised me. If this enigmatic, almost predatory figure truly admired Leon, then there had to be something truly special about him.

"But what does that have to do with you?" I pressed, still unconvinced.

"An actress, always bathed in the spotlight, wouldn't understand," he replied, a hint of condescension creeping into his voice. "But let's put it simply. I want to make him my business partner."

I blinked, bewildered. "Business partner? But you're still in school, Luca. Isn't it a bit early to be planning your future career?"

"The business world is a savage game, Sarah. Much more ruthless than your little world of glitz and glamour. We don't have the luxury of relying on our family connections, on inherited wealth. We have to plan, to strategize, to anticipate every move. And Leon… he's the key."

His words, though unsettling, made a strange kind of sense. Luca, with his calculating mind and his thirst for power, saw something in Leon that I, with my sheltered existence, had completely overlooked.

"But… how can I help?" I asked, still grappling with the complexities of his plan. "Leon… he barely notices me."

"You don't need to 'help' him," Luca replied, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Just tell him you want to be his friend."

"What if he refuses?" I asked, my anxiety rising.

"He won't," Luca assured me, his voice confident. "Everyone knows who you are, Sarah. Refusing you would be social suicide. He wouldn't risk the wrath of the entire student body, would he?"

He paused, his gaze intense. "The key, Sarah, is to make your declaration public. Tell him in front of everyone."

The idea both terrified and intrigued me. Could it really be that simple?

"If only he put that much effort into his studies," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head in disbelief.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the rooftop in an ethereal glow, I found myself pondering Luca's words, his enigmatic motives, and the unexpected turn my life was about to take. The game, it seemed, had just begun.

THE CURRENT SITUATION:~

LEON'S POV:~

The classroom buzzed with the fading energy of the school day, students packing up their bags and chattering excitedly about their plans for the afternoon. In the midst of this chaotic symphony, a voice cut through the noise, startling me.

"Would you like to go home together?"

I turned to find Sarah standing before me, her presence a beacon of unexpected warmth in the otherwise mundane setting. Her eyes, the color of a stormy sunset, held a captivating intensity that seemed to draw me in, despite my best efforts to resist. Those eyes, framed by lashes the color of silver, held a mesmerizing power that could easily consume a lesser man.

I found myself mesmerized, unable to tear my gaze away from her. It was dangerous, I knew. Dangerous to succumb to the allure of her gaze, to the allure of her presence. One wrong move, one careless glance, and I knew I would be irrevocably drawn into her orbit, swallowed whole by the intoxicating pull of her charisma.

One of her hand was playing with her long, elegent white hairs. She is waiting for a reply. And her face? As if I'd look at it. It's too dangerous for a dull boy like me. At worse, I might even end up falling for her. everyone's gazes are fixated on me, at least that's what it seems to me.

Oh shit, I forgot. You are supposed to respond in a conversation.

It's really unexpected, what should I say. someone of that Caliber wants to go home with me. But why?

seems like a trap

"Oh, Sarah," I stammered, my voice betraying a nervousness I desperately tried to conceal. "I… I'd love to, but I usually walk home with Luca. I'm really sorry."

"Okay but... Where is he?" she inquired, her voice a soft melody that seemed to soothe the lingering chaos within me..

When I looked over the class, I realised that I was in the worst situation, he has already left.

What a bad coincidence, now I have no choice.

"looks like he has already gone. okay wait"- I asked her to wait

I quickly gathered my belongings, my fingers trembling slightly as I fumbled with my notebook and pencil.

We began to walk side-by-side, an awkward silence hanging heavy between us. I maintained a respectful distance, acutely aware of the chasm that separated our worlds – her world of privilege and fame, and my own quiet, ordinary existence

"Hey, why are you walking so far away from me?"

"I thought since you're a famous actress, it would be better to maintain at least this much distance"- I exclaimed

"Of course I'm an actress, but not in a school. so feel free to treat me the same way you treat your normal friends. if you have, that is"

Did she just made fun of me

After taking a quick peek, I found that no one is around us, not enough to hear what I'm going to say, otherwise it would be embarrassing for me

Then I said that

"Hey Sarah, as far as I know, you go home in your car. And that would be really unpleasant if-"

"Don't worry, our houses are in the same direction. I will drop you wherever you want. if you want, I will drop you to your house too."- she said while while smiling

She didn't even let me complete my sentence.

But, why is she behaving like we're very close friends. Let's leave it for now, I have many things to do today, so I don't wanna waste time in these types of things.

Most importantly, I have to think about how I should die.