Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 174 174: The Prettiest Girl

Third-person POV

Seraphina stood abruptly, her chest heaving with anger as she glared down at Electra. She couldn't believe the audacity of this girl. Her body trembled slightly, not from nerves, but from the boiling rage surging through her veins.

Electra, still sitting on the bench, tilted her head in confusion, her brows furrowing. "Did I say something wrong again?" she asked, her tone cautious but genuinely confused.

Seraphina crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her glare intensifying. "Did you say something wrong?" she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Electra, if my confession wasn't embarrassing, then why did you completely brush me off as some drunk, drugged-up idiot with no self-control?"

Electra blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I didn't mean to—"

"Didn't mean to what?" Seraphina cut her off, her voice rising slightly. "Belittle me? Dismiss me? Make me feel like my feelings were some kind of joke?"

Electra stood now, her expression a mix of frustration and guilt. "Seraphina, I didn't belittle your feelings," she said firmly. "I just... I didn't want to take you seriously because I thought there was a chance you were only saying those things because of the alcohol—or whatever was in your system. I didn't want to... I don't know... take advantage of you."

Seraphina let out a sharp, bitter laugh, throwing her head back. "Take advantage of me? Is that what you think this is about? You were 'saving' me from myself, is that it?"

Electra took a step closer, her own frustration building. "No! That's not it at all! I didn't want to take you seriously because I wasn't sure if it was real or just the drugs talking!"

"And now?" Seraphina shot back, stepping forward, her tone challenging. "What was the purpose of kissing me just now? Was that your way of accepting my feelings? Was that some grand gesture to prove a point? Or was it just another way to mess with my head?"

Electra hesitated, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words. "It wasn't... It wasn't to mess with your head," she finally said, her voice quieter now. "I kissed you because I wanted to show you that your feelings aren't embarrassing. That you don't have to feel ashamed about what you said."

Seraphina's glare didn't waver, but her eyes flickered slightly, betraying the hurt behind her anger. "You think that makes it better?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You think that erases the humiliation I felt when you brushed me off? You think a single kiss fixes everything?"

Electra sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Seraphina! I really don't know how to handle this, okay? Your confession really just threw me off guard, and I'm just trying to figure this out like you are!"

Seraphina scoffed, taking a step back. "Figure what out, Electra? How to string me along? How to make me feel small every time I try to open up to you?"

Electra's expression hardened. "That's not fair, and you know it," she said, her voice low. "I'm not trying to string you along, and I'm not trying to make you feel small. I'm just... I'm trying to protect us both from making a mistake."

"A mistake?" Seraphina repeated, her voice breaking slightly. "You think my feelings for you are a mistake?"

Electra's eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. "That's not what I meant," she said quickly. "I meant... I meant rushing into something could be a mistake. Especially in this messed-up reality we're stuck in. We both know that this world isn't real, Seraphina. We're not even living our real lives right, so how can we—how can I—take anything seriously right now? You might only like me now because of the situation we're in. Your feelings might not even be real."

Seraphina's shoulders slumped slightly, her anger giving way to exhaustion. She shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips. "You know what, Electra? Maybe you're right. Maybe none of this is real. Maybe my feelings aren't real. Maybe I'm just some messed-up girl who doesn't know what she wants."

"Seraphina, don't—" Electra started, but Seraphina held up a hand to stop her.

"No, it's fine," Seraphina said, her voice cold now. "You don't have to say anything else. I get it. You don't want me, and that's fine, but don't you dare act like you're doing me some kind of favor by pushing me away. Don't you dare pretend that you're being the reasonable one in this."

Electra's jaw tightened, but she didn't respond.

Seraphina turned away, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "I'm going back to my room," she said over her shoulder. "So enjoy the rest of your day, Electra."

Just as Seraphina was about to leave, Electra's voice rang out behind her, halting her steps. "Seraphina," she called out. "Why do you even like me? After everything I've done to you in our real lives… how can you?"

Seraphina froze. Her back stiffened, and her breath hitched in her throat. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she turned to face Electra. The sincerity in Electra's expression surprised her, and the sudden vulnerability in her tone caught Seraphina completely off guard.

For a moment, Seraphina was silent, unsure of how to respond. The seriousness of Electra's question unsettled her, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a sigh and gave a small shrug. "I wish I could give you a clear answer," she admitted. "I've thought about it a lot myself, and I still don't know why."

Electra tilted her head, her brows furrowed in confusion. "You don't know why?"

Seraphina shook her head, a faint smile gracing her lips as if she were laughing at her own foolishness. "No, I don't. Trust me, I've tried to figure it out. I've reminded myself over and over about all the times you've hurt me, all the times I should have hated you, and yet…" Her voice trailed off, and she swallowed hard before continuing, her tone growing shakier. "I don't know how to hate you, Electra. As much as I should, I can't."

Electra took a step closer, her piercing gaze fixed on Seraphina as if she were trying to decipher a puzzle. "That doesn't make any sense, Seraphina. I made your life miserable."

"I know," Seraphina replied, her voice soft. "And maybe I'm an idiot for it, but from the first day I saw you in the dining hall, I was mesmerized. You were honestly the prettiest and the most captivating girl I'd ever seen, and it didn't matter that you were cruel to me or that you seemed untouchable. I liked you for being you."

Electra's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Seraphina took a deep breath, her hands trembling at her sides as she tried to steady herself.

"You have this way of commanding a room, of being unapologetically yourself, even when it hurts people like me, and as much as I hated how small you made me feel, I couldn't help but admire that about you."

Her voice broke slightly, and she quickly looked away, unable to meet Electra's gaze any longer. "I don't expect you to understand it, and I don't expect you to feel the same. I just… this is just how I feel, Electra. I like you a lot."