The Enemy Within

The snake didn’t strike when I saw it.

It waited—Just like him.

The first time I felt it, it wasn’t fear. It was something worse.

A shiver that didn’t belong to the air or the moment—but to the people standing too close to me.

Behind me, his hand rested on my shoulder. Steady, Familiar—Dangerous.

I didn’t turn around. I didn’t need to.

I knew his touch the way you know a lie you’ve told too many times.

"You feel it too," I said quietly.

A pause.

Then his voice—calm and unreadable. "Yeah."

That was all. But it wasn’t just the air that had changed.

It was us.

*. *. *

Co-Wave Academy was loud like always—voices, laughter, movement—but it felt distant. Like everything was happening behind glass.

Because across the courtyard— She was there. Still and reserved…watching.

The girl didn’t try to blend in. She didn’t have to. Attention bent toward her like it didn’t have a choice.

And wrapped around her wrist…

A snake.

It moved slowly. Controlled.

Not like a normal wild snake. Not even afraid. Just… waiting.

My chest tightened.

Not because of the snake. Because I recognized her.

And somehow, I knew— This wasn’t random.

"Don’t react," he murmured behind me.

His grip shifted slightly on my shoulder, Possessively—Like he was reminding me where I stood. Or who I stood with.

I almost laughed.

If only he knew.

"She’s new," someone whispered nearby.

"No,"I said under my breath, but he heard me.

“Then what is she?” he asked.

I didn’t answer immediately. Because the snake lifted its head. And then— So did she. Her eyes met mine. Not curious like the others. Not even surprised seeing me.

Certain—Like she had been waiting for this exact moment.

A slow smile touched her lips. The kind that doesn’t ask questions— It makes promises.

Another shiver.

But this one didn’t come from fear.

It came from recognition. From memory. From something I hadn’t told him.

Wouldn’t tell him.

Couldn’t.

Behind me, his voice dropped lower. "Tell me what you’re not saying."

There it was. The tension. The suspicion. The beginning of something breaking.

I exhaled slowly. "She doesn’t rush," I said.

He frowned slightly. "What?"

I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on her. On the snake curling tighter around her wrist. On the way she didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t miss anything.

"The snake that bites…" I said softly,

"…takes its time."

Silence.

Across the courtyard, she tilted her head slightly. Still smiling. Still watching. Like she could hear every word. Like she was already part of this. Already inside it.

And in that moment— I realized something I should’ve understood a long time ago:

This wasn’t just about power.

Or control.

Or whatever game was starting to unfold.

This was about history. About things buried. About choices that don’t stay buried.

And worst of all—It was about him. Standing right behind me, trusting me—while I stood there—Keeping secrets that could destroy everything.

The shiver came again—Stronger this time.

The space between us felt wrong.

Not empty, missing, or broken. Just... misaligned—Like something that used to fit perfectly—and didn’t anymore...........

**************

"Zik."

The voice came from my left.

Leo.

I hadn’t noticed him step closer, but now he was there—close enough to be part of this. Close enough to feel it too.

But his eyes weren’t on me. They were on her. And from the way his jaw clenched, I knew he was quite as unsettled as I was.

“You see it too, right?” he said quietly. No—not fear. Something else. Something older.

My chest tightened. Because the way he was looking at her— It wasn’t confusion. It was recognition.

The kind you don’t question. The kind you don’t want to explain. And for a second, something unspoken passed between us.

A memory. A name we weren’t saying. A version of us that didn’t exist anymore.

Across the courtyard, the snake lifted its head. And then—So did she. Her eyes met mine first. Then—they shifted.

Not slowly. Not dramatically. Just enough.

To Leo.

And that was all it took. His jaw tightened again. Barely noticeable.

But I saw it. Because I knew him. Because I used to know her too.

And there I knew that some things don’t fall apart all at once.

They start small.

A look, a secret, a lie….. and then—everything follows.

___________________

Hey guys! Here’s the beginning. The beginning of a story.

A story where dark and untold things unfold. Where things start….. or maybe end. Where you might come to find out that the one person you trusted with your life is the event planner of your funeral…….

Okay! Okay!….. just kidding.

This isn’t a mystery, neither is it a romance, or dark fiction…..

It’s about friendship….. and the price it pays.

T.E.W’s my first book….. and I hope y’all’ll love it…..

Thanks for reading…..

I’m Godslove.