"Don't be someone's sometimes."
Willa
𓇼𓇼𓇼𓇼

There are a lot of things that should feel weird about walking into school with Dominic West's arm wrapped around my shoulders like he owns me.

The lingering stares. The whispers. The way Dom looks like he dared anyone to say something about it.

But it doesn't. It doesn't feel weird at all.

It feels right.

And maybe that's because it isn't new. Not really. There was a time—before the leaving, before the heartbreak—when this was just us. When I was always tucked under his arm, his fingers tracing mindless circles on my skin, his lips against my temple like it was instinct.

That's exactly how it is now. Like he never forgot how to touch me. Like his body remembers even when his mind tells him he shouldn't.

His hand dips lower, fingers sliding under the hem of my shirt to press against my hip. My stomach tightens, heat curling low, and I twist my head up to glare at him.

"Hands where people can see them, West."

He smirks, eyes dark with amusement. "What? You didn't seem to mind last night, Myers."

I swat his chest. "Dom!"

He just laughs, tugging me closer as we pass the lockers.

Up ahead, I spot Alex leaning against hers, her arms crossed as she watches us approach with the most Alex expression ever—somewhere between unimpressed and entirely too entertained.

"Morning, lovebirds," she greets, pushing off the lockers and flicking her gaze between the two of us.

Dom grunts in response, which is the most he acknowledges anyone that isn't me.

Alex just rolls her eyes before grabbing my wrist and tugging me away from him. "I need to steal my best friend before her brain turns to mush."

Dom doesn't let go right away, his fingers brushing over mine before finally releasing me.

Alex and I walk down the hall, but I feel his eyes on me the whole time.

The second we turn the corner, Alex spins to face me, her brows raised. "So..."

I bite back a smile. "So?"

She sighs dramatically. "So, are we finally acknowledging that you two have been disgustingly in love since we were kids?"

I smack her arm. "You're being so dramatic."

She gives me a pointed look.

I groan, covering my face with my hands. "Okay, fine. We're together."

"No shit," she snorts. "I'm just surprised you managed to resist the urge to scream it from the rooftops."

I huff, leaning against the lockers. "You know, you could at least pretend to be surprised."

Alex just laughs. "Willa. Everyone knew this was happening. It was just a matter of when."

I open my mouth to argue, but... okay, yeah. That tracks.

We make our way to the cafeteria, where the rest of our friends are already gathered. Alec is leaning back in his chair, feet kicked up on an empty one. Roman is stealing fries off someone's tray.

As soon as I sit, Dom pulls me right back into his lap like it's the most natural thing in the world.

Everyone just looks at us.

Roman's the first to speak, smirking. "Finally."

Alec snorts. "Took you two long enough."

Alex groans at the PDA, "Jesus Christ."

I blink. "You guys aren't even a little surprised?"

They all exchange a look before answering in unison.

"No."

Dom chuckles against my shoulder, pressing a kiss there just because he can.

I narrow my eyes. "Well, that's rude."

Dom just tightens his arms around me, his voice low in my ear. "Let them talk, butterfly."

Maybe I don't care if they do.

𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚 𝜗𝜚

I don't think I've ever smiled this much in my life.

Like, genuinely, my cheeks might start aching from how hard I'm grinning, but I don't care. Not when Dom's fingers are laced with mine under the table. Not when he's pulling me into his lap every time we sit down. Not when everyone who looks at us just knows.

Dominic West is mine again.

And the whole world can see it.

Alex and I walk side by side down the hall, dodging clusters of students still lingering before the bell rings. She side-eyes me, shaking her head. "I swear, you're glowing."

I flip my hair over my shoulder. "It's the power of true love."

Alex snorts. "You're unbearable."

"I try."

We reach our lockers, grabbing our books before making our way toward the foreign language hall. Dom, Roman, and Alec are already there, leaning against the wall near the classroom door. The three of them together are ridiculous—tall, broad, and the kind of effortless cool that makes the underclassmen do double takes.

The second Dom sees me, he pushes off the wall and pulls me into his chest. "Took you long enough."

I roll my eyes. "It's been two minutes."

"That's two minutes too long, butterfly."

Alex makes a gagging noise before nudging my arm. "I'm leaving before I witness something traumatic."

She slips inside her Spanish classroom while I head into French, where Alec and Roman already claimed our usual seats.

I settle into my chair beside Dom, and the moment I do, his hand lands on my knee under the desk, fingers squeezing just enough to send heat curling low in my stomach.

I swat his arm. "Behave."

His lips curve. "No promises."

Class starts, but we don't. I try to focus—I really do—but Dom keeps making comments under his breath, his voice low, teasing, impossible to ignore.
"You're staring at me," he murmurs.

I arch a brow. "You're delusional."

"You're obsessed with me."

I scoff. "You wish."

He smirks. "You literally couldn't wait to get me alone last night."

I kick his foot under the desk, and he chuckles.

Roman watches our exchange, looking vaguely disturbed. "Can you guys not?"

Dom ignores him, leaning in, voice just for me. "How do you say my girlfriend is obsessed with me in French?"

I make a face. "I don't know."

His smirk widens. "Wow. And you're the one who actually tries in this class."

I shove him. He laughs.

Unfortunately, we are not being as subtle as I thought because our French teacher clears her throat, pinning us with a look. "Willa, Dominic," she says, unimpressed. "Since you seem to have so much to say to each other, would you care to share it with the whole class?"

I freeze, my face burning.

Dom, however, leans back in his chair like he owns the place, completely unbothered. He tilts his head at me, his fingers tracing slow, lazy circles on my knee under the desk. Then, in a voice so smooth it makes my stomach flip, he says—

"Je parlais juste à la fille à qui appartient mon cœur"
I was just talking to the girl who owns my heart.

I stiffen. My breath catches.

Because I understood that.

And he said it so well.

The entire class stares at him, but I'm still just processing.

His perfect French.

My eyes snap to him, wide and accusing. "You listen in class?"

Dom smirks, all lazy confidence. "I pick things up."

"You understand this whole class?" I whisper, still stunned.

He shrugs. "I understand you."

Roman, sitting beside him, looks completely lost. "Okay, but what did he say?"

I glare at Dom, my cheeks burning, but he just tightens his grip on my knee like a silent dare.

Our teacher sighs and turns back to the board, giving up on us entirely. But I'm still reeling. I shake my head, biting my lip to keep from smiling.

Dominic West is full of surprises. And, judging by the way he's still looking at me, thoroughly enjoying my reaction, he knows it.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, my pulse still racing from his words, his touch, him. And as much as I want to lean in, to drown in this moment, I can't shake the quiet, gnawing fear that history is waiting to repeat itself.

That one day, I'll wake up, and he'll be gone all over again.

𓇼𓇼𓇼𓇼

so this is lowk filler chapter, they major drama happens in like 9 chapter or so😞😞😞😞😞

Also the vibe of this chapter is 'champagne coast' by blood orange cause that's what I was listening to when I was writing this😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛