She's interested in me.

Third-person Pov 

 Seraphina's breath hitched as she stared up at Electra, her body stiffening with the familiar feeling of anxiety. A nervous hiccup escaped her lips, only adding to the embarrassment she felt under Electra's intense gaze. 

 The beauty in front of her had an amused look playing on her face, clearly enjoying the spectacle Seraphina was unwittingly providing.

Electra also couldn't believe her luck. 

 The very girl she had been intending to send for had shown up, like a lamb wandering straight into the lion's den, and the way Seraphina was looking at her, wide-eyed with obvious fear in her eyes, made Electra's smile deepen. 

She could practically feel the tension radiating from the little girl, as well as her stammering breaths and the way her eyes darted around as if searching for an escape. 

Electra relished it.

Seraphina had frozen completely, her mind running in a million directions. She knew she should say something, do something—anything—but her body refused to cooperate. 

 The aura around Electra was so commanding, as if it demanded absolute submission, and there was the undeniable truth she had heard about Electra, which was that she was dangerous, unforgiving, and absolutely crazy. 

 When Seraphina remained silent, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted in shock, Electra decided to toy with her a bit. 

 She bent down, crouching until she was eye level with Seraphina, and her amused smile never wavered. She then leaned in, so close to the point where Seraphina could feel the soft brush of her breath, before she spoke in a voice that was laced with mock charm.

"Well, hello there, Seraphina," she drawled, her tone teasing but at the same time laced with something darker. "We meet again."

 The sound of her name, blurted out so casually by Electra, made Seraphina flinch. Her heart thudded violently in her chest, and she took a half-step back, nearly stumbling over her own feet. 

 How did she know her name? She hadn't introduced herself to Electra—had barely even spoken to her at all beyond that mumbled apology when she had run into her. 

"H-how do you know my name?" Seraphina stuttered, her voice barely audible. 

 She immediately regretted asking, as though drawing attention to her own helplessness would only make things worse. 

 Her hands tightened around the book she was holding, gripping it like a lifeline, as if it could somehow shield her from whatever was coming next.

 Electra's smile widened, and a soft chuckle escaped her lips. She straightened up slowly, keeping her eyes locked on Seraphina and taking in every small sign of the girl's discomfort.

 The way her fingers twitched and how her eyes couldn't stay focused for more than a second without darting away. Electra found it all fascinating.

"You'd be surprised what I know," Electra said, her tone casual.

  She tilted her head, her blonde hair spilling over one shoulder as she continued to study Seraphina like a puzzle she was eager to solve. "This is Elysium, darling, and it's only normal for me to know things about people like you."

 Seraphina felt her heart drop at the Electra's words. 

People like her? Did that mean Electra saw her as a target? Was this some kind of game? 

 The memories of Ashleigh's warnings flooded back to her mind about how Electra wasn't someone you wanted to cross, and she had unwittingly done just that by running into her in the dining hall, making her fall in front of everyone. 

She hadn't meant to humiliate her, but what if Electra thought she had?

 The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and her breath grew shallower as she recalled how Ashleigh had told her that Electra wasn't forgiving and that she had a reputation for holding grudges and making life unbearable for those who got in her way, literally and figuratively. 

What if this was all because of that one careless moment? What if Electra had gone out of her way to find out who she was, just to get back at her?

"I-I'm sorry about... about what happened before," she stammered, her words tumbling out in a rush, desperate to defuse whatever was about to happen. "I didn't mean to—"

Electra cut her off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Don't apologize," she said. "What happened was hardly worth remembering."

 Seraphina blinked, her mind spinning in confusion. Was this a test? Was Electra trying to lure her into a false sense of security? She didn't trust it—not for a second. 

 Electra's gaze had a way of making her feel both exposed and scrutinized, like a bug under a microscope, and her casual, almost indifferent demeanor made Seraphina's skin crawl. 

It was like Electra was playing a game only she knew the rules to, and Seraphina was a pawn in the middle of it.

"But..." her voice trembled as she tried to speak again. "You know my name. I didn't tell you... so how…?"

 Electra smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I have my ways." She leaned in slightly, just enough to make Seraphina feel the intensity of her presence. "Let's just say I've taken an interest in you."

 Seraphina's stomach dropped at those words. An interest? The last thing she wanted was to be the focus of someone like Electra's attention. She knew for a fact that it wouldn't end well if someone like Electra took an interest in something like her.

"I don't…" Seraphina began, but the words died in her throat. 

 What could she say to make this stop? To make Electra lose interest in her? She had no idea.

Electra straightened up, still smiling that cat-like smile. "You'll find out soon enough, Seraphina, but for now..." She paused, looking her up and down, clearly enjoying the effect she was having. "Try to relax yourself, okay? You'll be seeing more of me, I'm sure."

With that, Electra and her friends that she had barely noticed stepped past her.

 The door shut behind Electra and soon enough, she and her friends disappeared down the hallway, and Seraphina let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Her hands were trembling, and her heart was still racing.

What had just happened?

Seraphina had no idea, but she knew one thing for sure: Electra knew who she was now, and that terrified her.