The morning of the retreat, I could already feel the tension hanging in the air like a thick cloud. Everyone had gathered in front of the office building, waiting for the bus to take us to the cabin. I was more than ready to get on that bus and sleep for the entire ride. I needed the energy to execute my plans, my carefully crafted evil plans for the weekend. There was no way I was going to let this retreat pass without making Tristan regret the day he decided to cross me.
I found a seat at the front of the bus, away from everyone. My eyes were already heavy with exhaustion. The stress of knowing I was about to be trapped in a cabin with Tristan was more than I could handle. I needed rest to be sharp, to stay focused.
But as soon as I settled in and leaned my head back against the seat, I felt a shadow fall across me. I opened my eyes, and to my absolute disbelief, there he was, Tristan, sitting right beside me.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
He grinned at me, clearly enjoying the fact that he’d caught me off guard. “What? Can’t I sit here?”
I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. “You’ve got plenty of friends, Tristan. Why don’t you sit with them?”
“I don’t know,” he said, leaning back and stretching his legs out, clearly settling in for the ride. “I just wanted to see if you were as interesting awake as you are when you’re asleep.”
My eyes narrowed, the words from yesterday flashing in my mind. He was trying to get under my skin. And as much as I hated it, I could feel the anger building inside me. “I’m not your entertainment, Tristan,” I snapped.
He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he leaned closer, dropping his voice lower. “Well, if you decide to sleep, I might just take a few pictures of you. Wouldn’t it be fun to print them out and put them on my desk, just to remind me how ugly you used to be?”
The words hit harder than they should have. I had thought I was past all the insults, past all the things he used to say. But hearing him say it again, so casually, made something inside me snap. My skin burned with a fury I hadn’t felt in a long time.
I glared at him, not even caring if he saw the hatred in my eyes. “You wish you could make me feel small again,” I said through clenched teeth, my hands balled into fists at my sides.
Without another word, I yanked my jacket off, the heat of my anger practically radiating from me. I was suddenly acutely aware of my body, my tone muscles, and the way my tank top clung to my skin, exposing the toned abs I’d worked hard for.
Tristan’s eyes flickered downward, his gaze lingering a fraction longer than I wanted. His eyes seemed to widen slightly, and I could see the flicker of distraction in them before he quickly tried to recover, his lips twisting into a mocking smile. “Well, well, Mia. Didn’t know you had that in you.”
His friends, who had been sitting a few rows back, must have noticed the sudden shift in attention, because one by one, they started looking over. And of course, they all noticed. Tristan, clearly feeling emboldened by their attention, leaned back in his seat, his grin widening.
“You think you can impress me by showing a little skin?” he asked, his voice dripping with mockery. “I’m sure this is all just a ploy to get me to notice you. But you’re still the same girl I remember. Nothing’s changed.”
I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped my lips, though it was more of a scoff than anything else. “If you think this is about you, Tristan, you’ve seriously lost it. I’m not here to impress you. I’m here to remind you that I can take everything you throw at me.”
He sat up straighter, suddenly interested. “Oh? You think I’m throwing things at you?”
I leaned closer, closing the space between us, my voice low and challenging. “You’ve thrown everything at me for years. It’s time I made you pay for it.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the fact that I wasn’t backing down. But as much as I wanted to keep pushing him, keep playing this game of insults and retorts, I couldn’t deny it: I was tired. The exhaustion from the night before, the constant mental battle of staying in control, was taking its toll on me. I just wanted to sleep.
And just as I closed my eyes, letting my body relax for a brief moment, Tristan nudged me with his shoulder.
“Are you really going to sleep this whole trip away?” he asked, teasing me.
I glared at him but said nothing, doing my best to ignore him. I had to focus. I had to get my strength back. But Tristan wasn’t letting it go that easily.
“Go ahead,” he said, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of something else. “Sleep all you want. But when I wake up tomorrow, I’ll have some fun with you.”
I gritted my teeth, still not responding. My heart was still racing from the adrenaline, but I tried to breathe evenly. I couldn’t let him see how much he affected me.
***
The bus finally came to a stop, and I was jolted awake by Rina’s voice. “Mia! Wake up, we’re here.”
I blinked and rubbed my eyes, groggily sitting up as the other passengers started to shuffle off the bus. Tristan was already up and walking toward the door, and I forced myself to follow behind. I wasn’t going to let him get to me.
The cabin wasn’t exactly what I expected. It was cozy and modern, with sleek lines and large windows, offering a beautiful view of the woods around us. But when I stepped inside and saw the bed, singular, a knot formed in my stomach. There was no way I was sharing a bed with him.
Tristan, of course, didn’t seem to care. He immediately walked over to the bathroom door and claimed it. “I’m taking the bathroom first,” he said, almost as if it was his right.
I was still standing near the doorway, watching him with a mix of frustration and resignation when I heard the bathroom door creak open slightly. Tristan had left it just wide enough for me to catch a glimpse of him as he stood there, shirtless, adjusting his hair in the mirror.
I froze. I couldn’t help it. There was something about seeing him like this, exposed in such an intimate way, that made my breath catch in my throat. I tried to look away, but my eyes were glued to the sight of him. His chest was lean and sculpted, his muscles defined under his skin.
He must have noticed me staring because I heard his smirk from behind the door.
“Like what you see?” he called out, his voice taunting.
I immediately turned my head away, trying to act unaffected, but my heart was racing. I couldn’t believe he’d caught me. He always seemed to find a way to get under my skin.
I didn’t respond, pretending to busy myself with unpacking. But the tension was unbearable, and it was only getting worse.
***
The rest of the night passed with the kind of strained energy I had grown accustomed to with Tristan. Every word, every glance felt like an unspoken challenge. It was like we were both trying to outdo each other, constantly testing how far we could push without completely losing control. The sarcasm, the jabs. It was like some twisted game we were playing, and neither of us was backing down.
Tristan, ever the instigator, leaned back in his chair, his eyes flicking to me every so often. "You know, Mia, I’m starting to think you really enjoy all this," he said with a smirk, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. “I mean, I don’t blame you. Who wouldn’t want to spend a day with me?”
I raised an eyebrow, pushing my drink aside. “Oh, believe me, Tristan. The only thing I’m enjoying right now is the thought of you getting on my nerves.”
He laughed, a low chuckle that sent a shiver through me. “Sure, sure. I’m just that irresistible, huh?”
I rolled my eyes, unwilling to admit the annoying truth. “Keep telling yourself that,” I muttered, crossing my arms in front of my chest. It was becoming impossible to ignore the pull between us, but I refused to acknowledge it. I couldn’t afford to. The more I did, the more I found myself feeling it. And that, of course, made me furious.
“Don’t worry, Mia,” he continued, leaning in slightly as if he were trying to get a reaction out of me. “I’ll try not to make it too difficult for you. I know I’m a little hard to handle.”
I leaned forward, meeting his gaze without flinching. “You know what, Tristan? If you were even half as charming as you think you are, maybe this wouldn’t be such a nightmare.”
His smile only widened, and I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. “Is that so? I’m starting to think you really don’t like me, Mia. I mean, you can’t even look at me without getting all tense.”
I couldn’t let him win. I refused to. “You’re delusional if you think I’m anything but annoyed by you,” I said, my voice laced with mock sweetness. “You’re the one who’s been making my life hell for years. Just because we’re stuck in a cabin doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to like you.”
He chuckled again, clearly enjoying my frustration. “I’m not so sure about that, Mia. Something tells me you’re just putting on a show. Maybe you’ve always had a thing for me.” He leaned back, giving me a once-over. “It’s okay. I understand. I mean, who could resist this?” He gestured to himself dramatically.
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Oh, please. You’re nothing but an ego with a pulse. I can’t think of a single reason why I’d want to waste my time on you.”
“You’re a tough nut to crack, aren’t you?” Tristan said with an exaggerated sigh, leaning forward and propping his chin on his hand. “I’ll admit, it’s kind of cute how hard you’re trying to pretend like you’re not into me.”
“I’m not ‘into’ you,” I shot back, my voice hard. “I’m into making sure you know who’s in charge here.”
He raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into something a little more knowing. “Oh, really?” he teased. “You think you’re in charge, huh? Funny, because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re just trying to convince yourself of that.”
I was about to snap back at him when I caught myself, realizing that every time we fought, every word exchanged, it only felt like we were getting closer to something we couldn’t ignore. The tension was building between us, thick and almost unbearable, but I wouldn’t let him see how much he was affecting me.
“Let’s be honest, Mia,” he continued, his tone a little more serious now. “You’re not fooling anyone. We both know there’s something between us. We’re not just playing games anymore.” I froze for a moment, my heart skipping a beat. The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, and I hated how true they felt. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t.
“You’re delusional, that’s cute” I whispered, my voice quieter than I intended. “There’s nothing between us, Tristan. There never was, and there never will be.”
Tristan didn’t back off. Instead, he leaned closer, his voice lowering to a more intimate tone. “Then why are you so worked up? You’re clearly not just annoyed. You’ve got something more than that, something deeper.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out. I felt cornered, exposed, like he’d already figured out what I was too afraid to admit to myself. I couldn’t keep pretending I wasn’t affected by him. Every word he said, every glance he gave me, pulled me deeper into this twisted game we were playing.
He noticed my silence, and his grin only widened. “That’s what I thought,” he said softly. “You like me, Mia. You’ve always liked me. You just don’t want to admit it.”
I pulled back, my heart hammering in my chest. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Tristan watched me for a moment, his eyes narrowing with that familiar look of amusement. But there was something else there, something I couldn’t quite place. Was he playing with me? Or did he know something I wasn’t ready to face?
I stood up abruptly, trying to shake off the growing tension. “I’m going to bed. I don’t have time for this.”
I started walking toward the door, but I felt him watching me. His presence seemed to follow me, like an invisible force I couldn’t escape.
“Goodnight, Mia,” he called after me, his voice carrying a note of challenge. “I’m sure you’ll dream of me.”
I didn’t turn around. I didn’t trust myself to respond.