What's Wrong with Miss Bratty?

Yvienna took a sip of her mango juice, savoring the sweet, refreshing taste as it slid down her throat. Across from her, Kyle was enjoying his grape juice, the bright red liquid reflecting in the light. Her mother had given them each a different flavor, smiling warmly as she handed the glasses before excusing herself to take a call and returning to the kitchen.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, sipping their drinks, but the quiet tension between them wasn't lost on either of them. Yvienna couldn't help but glance at the way Kyle held his glass, the fingers wrapped around it in a casual grip as if everything was perfectly normal. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest, focusing instead on her own drink. The mango juice was good, but the grapes in his glass seemed more tempting.

Kyle noticed her looking at his juice and raised an eyebrow. "Do you want some?" he asked, his voice casual but with an underlying tone that suggested he knew exactly what he was doing.

Yvienna quickly looked away, her cheeks slightly warm. "No," she replied a little too quickly. She didn't want to admit that she was tempted. Her fingers tightened around her own glass, but she felt his gaze on her nonetheless.

Kyle chuckled, clearly amused by her response. He took another sip of his drink, eyes twinkling as he watched her. "Are you sure?" he asked again, leaning in just a little closer, his teasing tone growing.

"I'm fine," Yvienna muttered, avoiding his gaze. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of admitting that she was tempted, but it was getting harder to ignore the way his voice made her heart beat just a little faster.

With a playful smile, Kyle leaned even closer, his face now just inches from hers. The scent of strawberries from his juice mixed with something else—something that made her pulse quicken. She shifted uncomfortably but didn't pull away.

"Stop messing with me," she said, her voice sharper than she intended.

Kyle's grin only widened. "I'm not doing anything," he replied, but his tone was playful and persistent, and she could tell he was enjoying this.

Yvienna rolled her eyes, trying to stand up to escape the growing tension, but before she could make it, Kyle reached out and grabbed her wrist. His grip was gentle but firm, pulling her back toward him.

The sudden movement caught her off guard, and before she could react, she found herself tumbling onto his lap. Her heart raced in panic, and she immediately tried to sit up, but Kyle's arms instinctively wrapped around her waist to steady her. She froze, her breath catching in her throat. The warmth of his body against hers sent a wave of conflicting emotions rushing through her.

Before she could make sense of what was happening, she heard her mother's voice from the hallway. "Excuse me, Yvienna, I need to take this call again. I'll be back in a moment." Her mother quickly disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them alone.

Yvienna's heart pounded in her chest as she tried to stand up. But before she could move, Kyle's arms tightened around her waist. His grip was firm, and for a moment, she couldn't help but feel trapped. Her heart fluttered again, but she pushed the feeling aside.

"I think I'm in love," Kyle's voice was low, almost a whisper, as his lips brushed close to her ear.

Yvienna's breath caught in her throat. What did he mean by that? Was he joking? His lips brushed her ear again as he spoke, his words sending a shiver down her spine. "I'm in love with you."

Her heart seemed to skip a beat. The world around her froze. What was going on? Why was he saying this now? Wasn't he dating someone else?

Her body tensed as she felt Kyle's arms tighten around her, pulling her even closer. His warmth surrounded her, and she could feel the steady beat of his heart against her back. It made her feel dizzy, unsure of what to do.

Using every bit of strength she had, Yvienna pushed herself away from him, her foot aching as she tried to stand. The pain from earlier resurfaced, and she winced, but Kyle's hand immediately found her wrist, gently pulling her back down to sit next to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern written on his face, but Yvienna barely noticed. All she could think about was the words he had just spoken. Why was he doing this? She had to get away from him.

Kyle didn't seem to take no for an answer. He rose to his feet and returned with a first aid kit and a bandage wrap. He knelt in front of her, his gaze softening with concern as he gently took her injured foot in his hands.

Before he could begin, Yvienna quickly removed the bandage the nurse had applied earlier. She didn't want him to do this. It was too much. He had no reason to be so kind.

Kyle's eyes flickered with something unreadable as he took her foot back in his hands, moving carefully to apply his own bandage.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, frustration and confusion lacing her voice. Why was he acting like this?

Kyle didn't respond, his focus entirely on her foot as he wrapped the bandage around it. Yvienna tried to pull her foot away, but his grip was steady.

"You don't have to do that," she said, trying to sound firm. "I can call my nurse. You can go home."

Kyle paused for a moment, looking at her with a quiet intensity. He sighed and stood up. "Call me if you need anything," he said, his voice calm but still laced with concern.

"I don't need anything, and I don't need you either," Yvienna snapped, feeling guilty even as she said it. She watched Kyle turn and walk away, a quiet sigh escaping her lips.

She felt a pang of guilt twist in her stomach. She didn't want to be cruel, but she didn't know what to do. Kyle had a girlfriend. She couldn't let herself get caught up in whatever this was.

Her father's voice broke her from her thoughts. "How are you, my darling?" he asked, walking into the room with a concerned smile.

"I'm fine, Dad," Yvienna replied, forcing herself to smile. She knew her dad was worried about her foot, but she couldn't help but feel distracted. Her mind kept wandering back to what Kyle had said. In love with you?

Her dad glanced down at her foot. "I already called a nurse. She'll check your foot, even if you're asleep," he added, reassuring her.

Yvienna's stomach growled loudly, making her blush. Her dad chuckled. "Guess you're hungry," he said with a smile. "Your food's on the table." He helped her to her feet and guided her to the table where she sat down carefully.

"Dad, can I stay home for a week?" Yvienna asked. "My foot's still sore."

"No problem. I'll let your professor know," he answered.

"Thanks, Dad!" Yvienna smiled, feeling the warmth of his support.

As she began to eat, her phone buzzed. Tiffany's name popped up on the screen. Yvienna tapped the answer button.

[Hey bestie, are you okay?] Tiffany asked.

[Yeah, why did you call?] Yvienna replied.

[I heard you're staying home for a week.]

[Yeah, I am.]

[Better send me all the notes then!]

[What if I don't want to?]

[Then find someone else to copy from,] Tiffany joked.

[Just kidding. I'm going to sleep. Bye!]

Yvienna chuckled at her friend's playful teasing, but her smile faded as she remembered Kyle's words. "I'm in love with you."

Her heart felt heavy. She didn't want to let herself fall for him. He had a girlfriend. She couldn't let herself be the other woman. She had been hurt before, and she wasn't going to let it happen again.

She closed her eyes, trying to push the thoughts away. She wouldn't let herself fall for Kyle. She had more important things to focus on. She couldn't afford to risk her heart again.