You're considered to be one of the biggest delinquents in school, someone who actively breaks the rules of the school and gets into a lot of fights, because of this you have ended up face-to-face with the school's student council president quite a lot as she tends to scold you for every little thing you do wrong.

You're currently chilling on the school rooftop with a cigarette in your mouth, trying to find some peace and quiet from the rest of the school even though you're actually supposed to be in class.

A few minutes pass by and you're just puffing away on your cigarette in peace when you hear the door to the roof open and when you turn to see who it is you see Helen, the student council president standing in the opening with her arms crossed and when she sees you her eyes narrow. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?" She asks, her tone cold but filled with authority as she stands a few feet away from you. "And you're smoking... What a surprise..." She says in a sarcastic tone.

"Don't give me that attitude," Helen snaps back at you, the annoyance in her voice clear as day. "I came up here to get some peace and quiet from all this stress, not to see you." She glances around at the empty rooftop before turning her attention back to you, her red eyes narrowed. "And put that thing out. Smoking is bad for you."

Her voice carries an almost accusatory tone, as if it's your fault she had to witness you smoking on school grounds. You decide not to push the issue further and stub out what's left of your cigarette onto the concrete ground before crushing it beneath your shoe. Helen doesn't seem satisfied with this gesture though; her eyes remain fixed on you suspiciously as if expecting something more from you.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helen snorts dismissively, looking away with disgust. "I couldn't care less about you, delinquent. You just happen to be someone who constantly causes trouble around the school and gets in my way whenever I try to keep order." Her tone turns icy as she looks back at you. "Now, if you don't mind, I came up here for some peace and quiet. Leave me alone." She crosses her arms again and purses her lips, apparently unbothered by your teasing comments.

For a moment, silence fills the air between you as Helen glances around once more before sitting down with her back against one of the support beams on the rooftop. Her eyes flick briefly towards Cole before looking away again as she starts absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

Cole feels his cheeks flush slightly at her words, but he doesn't say anything else; instead, he looks down at his feet and kicks up some dirt idly with the toe of his shoe. The tension in the air is palpable as they both try to ignore each other but fail miserably.

"Fine," Helen says through gritted teeth, turning to face you with an annoyed expression. "You want to bother me? Go ahead. But don't think I'm going to make this easy for you." Her voice takes on a cold, stern tone as she crosses her arms even more tightly across her chest. "And just so we're clear, I'd rather you didn't. You're not exactly my type."

She pauses for a moment before adding with a hint of cruelty, "Or maybe you are...?" Her voice trails off suggestively as she watches the effect her words have on you, enjoying how uncomfortable they make you feel. A small smirk begins to play at the corner of her lips.

Cole's cheeks flush even darker under her gaze and he looks away, feeling irritated by both his own discomfort and her taunting. He mumbles something under his breath before turning back to face her again with a challenge in his eyes.

"Mmmh," Helen hums noncommittally, raising an eyebrow as she studies you more carefully. "I see... So am I wrong in thinking there's some sort of attraction there?" She leans forward slightly, her gaze growing increasingly intense. "Or are you just too scared to admit it?" Her voice takes on a taunting edge once again as she enjoys watching the color drain from your face.

She knows that pushing your buttons is easy, but there's something about this particular exchange that makes her hesitate for a moment; beneath all of Cole's bravado and delinquent exterior, there seems to be an unexpected vulnerability that she can't help but find intriguing...

Helen smirks at his reaction. "As if I'd ever stop," she says with a mocking laugh. "But seriously though... You know how much I hate you and everything you stand for, right?" She pauses, considering her words carefully before continuing. "Or maybe... you like that about me? Maybe you want to change my mind about you?" Her voice drops low as she leans in closer still, studying his face intently for any hint of a reaction.

"Oh, is that so?" she says with feigned interest, arching an eyebrow slightly. "And what would you do if I were to... accept your challenge, as it were? What sort of 'prize' are you hoping for in return?" Her voice takes on a teasing tone as she deliberately draws out each word, her gaze boring into Cole unrelentingly.

For a moment, there is silence between them as they stare at each other. Then, finally, Helen breaks the eye contact and looks away again with a sigh. "Fine," she says reluctantly. "I accept your challenge." Her expression softens slightly for just a moment before returning to its usual stern demeanor. "But remember... if you lose, I get whatever it is that you want from me."

There's a predatory glint in her eye as she says this, and Cole can feel his heart racing beneath his chest at the prospect of what could happen should he manage to actually defeat her...or more accurately, change her mind about him. The thought both excites and terrifies him in equal measure.

"Oh?" Helen raises an eyebrow at him. "And what makes you say that?" she asks in a tone that's almost amused. As for the challenge... She tilts her head slightly to the side, contemplating. "The challenge is simple," she finally says, flashing a wicked grin. "You have until graduation to change my mind about you and prove that you aren't just another delinquent. If you manage to do that..."

Her voice lowers even further, taking on a husky quality as her gaze travels up and down his body before meeting his eyes again. "...then I will give you anything you want." Her lips part slightly, revealing the redness of her glossy lips as she continues to stare at him intently, daring him to accept the challenge.

"Oh?" Helen raises an eyebrow at him again, her voice cool and unimpressed. "And what makes you think that's such a bad thing? Maybe it's time for you to let your guard down...just this once." She pauses before adding with a mocking laugh, "Or are you really that scared of losing control?"

"Really?" Helen arches an eyebrow in surprise before smirking slightly. "I didn't think you had it in you." She leans back against the support beam again, crossing her arms over her chest as she watches him carefully for any sign of hesitation or nervousness. "So... what's your plan?"

Her voice takes on a challenging tone, as if daring him to come up with something impressive enough to sway her opinion. She knows that she should probably be focusing on her duties as student council president, but for some reason, the idea of seeing Cole try to change his ways has piqued her interest...and made her more determined than ever to see him succeed...or fail miserably.

The tension between them seems palpable now; each word they exchange feels like a battle, a game of strategy and wits that neither of them can afford to lose. The air around them crackles with electricity as they size each other up once more before continuing their verbal sparring match.

Helen snorts indignantly at that comment. "Oh really? Then why even bother agreeing to the challenge in the first place?" She crosses her legs and leans forward slightly, resting her chin on one hand as she continues to look at him expectantly. "Or are you just trying to waste my time?"

The idea that he has no real plan infuriates her even more; it's almost like he thinks she's nothing but some delicate flower that can be easily swayed with empty words and meaningless gestures. But the truth is, she despises people who underestimate her...and right now, Cole is doing just that.

"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. "And what makes you think that I'm going to play along? You could just as easily try to manipulate me into giving up my position of power." There was a hint of challenge in her voice, but also amusement; she couldn't help but find his attempts to get under her skin both frustrating and...entertaining.

She crosses her arms again, leaning back against the support beam behind her as she studies him carefully, looking for any sign of weakness or hesitation.

"I wouldn't count on it," she replies dryly, folding her arms across her chest again. "And calling me 'pretty' doesn't exactly make you sound very sincere." Her gaze flickers away for a moment before returning to meet his eyes steadily. "But if that's what you want... let the games begin." There's an edge to her voice now, almost as if she can feel herself starting to enjoy this little power struggle between them.

Their bodies are only inches apart now, and Helen can feel her heart racing slightly at the closeness of him. A part of her wonders why she's allowing herself to get so worked up over someone like Cole...someone who should be beneath her notice entirely. But there's something about him that makes her want to push him further, to see just how far he can go before he breaks completely.

"Oh?" Helen raised an eyebrow skeptically, not sure if she believed him or not. "And how would you know the difference? You're hardly in a position to be objectively assessing my features." She smiled slightly, almost mockingly. "Unless... you have some sort of thing for delinquents?" Her words were laced with venom, but there was an undeniable sparkle in her eye that betrayed her own curiosity about the topic.

Their bodies remain close, and Helen feels a strange mix of emotions coursing through her as she continues to engage in this verbal sparring match with Cole. Part of her wants to push him away, to regain control over the situation and prove that she's still better than him no matter what. But another part... finds herself enjoying the challenge, the thrill of being so close to someone who should be her enemy.

"Oh?" Helen raised an eyebrow at him, her expression unreadable. "And do you always enjoy being a problem for people?" She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees as she studied his face intently. "Or is it just me that gets under your skin so easily?" Her voice was soft yet challenging at the same time, daring him to admit the truth even as she tried not to show any sign of vulnerability herself.

The air between them seemed charged with tension and uncertainty, each word they exchanged feeling like a weapon aimed directly at the other's heart. Neither of them knew quite how far they could go before one of them gave in or crossed some unspoken line, but for now, the thrill of battle was enough to keep them both locked in this deadly dance of words and emotions.

"Well, then," Helen drawled sarcastically, "You must really hate me too, huh?" She smiled slightly, almost mockingly, her gaze boring into him with unspoken challenge. "Because I've always thought that the only thing worse than being hated is being ignored." There was a hint of venom in her voice as she spoke these words; she didn't like feeling vulnerable or exposed in front of someone like Cole, but at the same time, there was something about their current dynamic that made her want to push him further, to see how much he truly despised her.

Helen narrowed her eyes at him in response to his comment before she forced a laugh. "Oh, please," she scoffed, trying to sound amused and dismissive all at once. "You're hardly giving me your 'full attention', if you know what I mean." She paused for effect, tilting her head slightly to the side as she regarded him carefully. "But then again... maybe that's part of the challenge too, isn't it? Proving that even a delinquent like yourself can focus on something other than causing trouble?" Her tone was measured and almost mocking as she spoke these words, her gaze unyielding as it locked with his own.

"Oh, I don't know," Helen replied, drawing the word out teasingly as she leaned forward slightly in her seat. "Maybe if you actually paid attention to what I was saying instead of trying to distract me with your stupid little remarks...?" Her voice trailed off suggestively, daring him to rise to the bait. But there was a part of her that wondered why she was being so harsh; deep down, she knew that Cole wasn't nearly as bad as his reputation made him seem, and she found herself oddly curious about what might happen if they ever actually got past all of their defenses and started seeing each other for who they really were.

The tension between them seemed to ebb and flow with every word, each breath they took making the air around them crackle with unspoken desire and anticipation. They were dancing a delicate dance of dominance and submission, their eyes locked together as they circled each other warily, searching for any weakness they could exploit. But for now, neither one was willing to give an inch...

"Fun?" she echoes incredulously, raising an eyebrow at him. "You call this 'fun'? You think I find it enjoyable to constantly have to put up with your antics?" Her voice takes on a hard edge as she crosses her arms tightly across her chest. For a moment, their gazes lock in challenge; he defiant and playful, she cold and unyielding. "Or maybe..." Helen continues slowly, drawing out the word for emphasis, "...you just want to keep me so distracted that I won't notice how much you like me." Her expression softens slightly as she says this; there's an almost mischievous gleam in her eye as if daring him to confirm or deny her accusation.

The air between them crackles with tension and desire, each word a loaded gun pointed straight at the other's heart. Neither of them can back down now; their pride and reputation hang in the balance, each determined to emerge victorious from this intense game of words and emotions.

"Oh?" Helen's eyes widen slightly in surprise as he speaks these words, her heart racing faster than ever before. She can feel the blood rushing to her cheeks, and she tries not to reveal how much this simple admission affects her. "And why is that? Because I'm the student council president?" Her voice trembles slightly, but she forces herself to sound calm, cool, and collected. "Or because I'm not good enough for someone like you?"

The tension between them grows thicker by the second as their gazes lock in another intense battle of words. The air crackles with unspoken desire and unanswered questions; each breath they take seems to draw them closer together, while simultaneously driving them further apart. Their bodies are so close now that Helen can feel his heat radiating off of him, making her skin tingle all over in a way that both excites and terrifies her at the same time.

A bitter laugh escapes Helen's lips at his words; she knows he's right, but hearing it out loud makes her heart ache all the same. "Oh, of course," she says sarcastically, forcing herself to meet his gaze once more. "That would never work." Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, betraying her true feelings despite her best efforts to hide them.

For a moment, neither of them says anything; they simply sit there, staring at each other, their hearts racing and their breath coming faster than before. The tension between them is so thick now that it feels almost tangible, a living thing writhing and twisting between them as if desperate to break free. But despite this, Helen finds herself unable to look away, drawn inexorably closer to the one person she's always hated yet somehow never stopped wanting.

There is so much more left unsaid between them; secrets and desires waiting to spill forth from their lips if only they would allow themselves to trust each other enough to take that final leap of faith. But for now, the uncertainty and fear hold sway, keeping them at arm's length even as their bodies long for something more.

Her throat tightens as she remembers the bitter laugh that escaped her lips just moments ago; it was a sharp, jagged sound that had ripped through the tension between them like glass shattering on the floor. She wanted to take back those words, wanted to tell Cole how much his nearness affects her, how much she hates this feeling of wanting him even as she knows they can never be together.

With a shaky breath, Helen forces herself to speak again. "You're right," she says softly, the admission coming out thick and hoarse-sounding in her ears. "There's no point in thinking about what could happen between us...it will never work." Her gaze drops away from his face for a moment, focusing instead on the fingers entwined around her own beneath her.

But even as she says these words, she knows deep down that they are lies; not just because of how she feels right now, but because of everything else. The truth is, there is no escape from the tension between them; it has become a living thing in its own right, binding them together irrevocably even as it threatens to tear them apart. And with each passing moment that they remain like this, trapped in this impossible dance of desire and hatred, Helen can feel herself slipping further away from the version of herself she once was...and closer to a future where there is no choice but to accept reality, even when it means giving up everything else.

A shudder runs through Helen's body at his confession; it feels like being struck by lightning in the middle of a summer storm. For a moment, she can't quite find her voice, caught between the desire to believe him and the fear that this is all just another game for him.

Eventually, she manages to choke out a quiet reply. "You're cruel," she says hoarsely, her gaze never leaving his face despite the way it makes her heart race faster. "To do this...to make me feel like this..." Her voice trails off into silence, but the accusation lingers in the air between them all the same.

And yet, even as she accuses him of being cruel, a small part of her wonders if maybe it's worth it; to feel this way, even for just a moment...to imagine what might have been different if they were ever given a chance under different circumstances. But Helen knows deep down that the dream is futile; they are too far apart now, their paths forever intertwined by the threads of hatred and desire that bind them together. It's a sad, desperate sort of realization, but it's one she can no longer ignore.

She looks away for a moment, gathering her thoughts and emotions before she speaks again. "It's not that I'm not interested," she says carefully, still avoiding eye contact with him. "I just...I can't imagine how it would work, you know? With us being so different." There is a note of sadness in her voice now, regret tugging at the corners of her mouth as she struggles to reconcile what she wants and what she knows is best.

The silence that follows feels like a weight pressing down upon them both; heavy and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe or think clearly. It's obvious they are both struggling with their feelings in this moment, torn between the pull of desire and the reality of their situation. But as much as she wants to believe that there could be something more between them, Helen knows deep down that now is not the time; if ever. And so, with a sigh of resignation, she looks up at him once more and forces herself to speak again. "I'm sorry," she says quietly. "For everything." Her voice breaks on the last word, raw emotion welling up inside her until it threatens to spill out in a torrent of tears. "But I...I have to go." Without waiting for a reply, she pushes herself to her feet and turns away from him, hurriedly making her way back down the stairs toward the school proper. Her heart feels heavy in her chest as she goes, as if it might drag her down with its weight. But even as she leaves Cole behind on the rooftop, she knows that this is for the best; for both of them.

The tears that had threatened to spill over earlier finally begin their descent down her cheeks as she hurriedly makes her way through the hallways and down the stairs. Her heart feels like it's being torn in two; on one hand, she wants nothing more than to forget about Cole and everything he's done, but on the other hand, there's a part of her that can't help but wonder what might have been if things were different. She tries to tell herself that she made the right choice by leaving him behind, that it's better this way, but deep down, she knows that this feeling won't go away easily, if at all. As she reaches her destination and steps out of the school building into the cool evening air, Helen takes a shaky breath and tries to steady herself, wiping away her tears as best she can. No matter how much she wishes things could be different, she knows that they never will; the chasm between them is simply too wide to ever bridge, no matter what might happen in the future. And so, with a heavy heart and a leaden step, Helen begins the long walk home, uncertain of whether or not she'll ever find peace again.

Two more lonely weeks passed by. Helen stayed away from the school as much as she could, unable to bring herself to face Cole again after their last encounter. She knew he would never understand her feelings or accept her apology. But even though she tried her best not to think about him, his presence seemed to linger in every corner of her life; a constant reminder of what might have been if things were different.

Finally, one day while out shopping with her friends, they passed by the school and saw Cole leaning against a tree just outside the gates. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, and before she knew it, she found herself walking over to where he stood. "Cole," she said softly, her voice betraying the mixture of emotions coursing through her.

He looked up at her, his eyes guarded but still holding a spark of recognition. After a long moment of silence, Helen took a deep breath and forced herself to say what had been on her mind for weeks. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry...for everything." Her voice cracked slightly, but she forced herself to meet his gaze steadily, willing him to believe her.

She watched him walk away, feeling a mixture of hurt and frustration welling up inside her. "Cole," she called out softly, taking a step toward him, "Please...can't we just talk about this?"

Helen felt a sting in her eyes as she watched him remain turned away from her. "I just want to explain...to apologize properly," she said, taking another step closer. "I never meant to hurt you." She paused for a moment before continuing, her voice trembling slightly, "And I know it's stupid to think about this now, but...but I still care about you." There was silence as she waited for him to say something, anything, but he remained quiet. Finally, she spoke again. "Please, Cole...just listen to me."

The longer they stood there in silence, the heavier her heart felt, as if it might drag her down to her knees at any moment. But even though she knew it was unlikely that he would ever forgive her, she couldn't help but hope; hope that somehow, someway, they could find a way back to each other.

Helen took another step closer, her eyes never leaving his face. "But I don't want it to be like this," she whispered. "I don't want us to keep hurting each other." Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke; she was so close now that she could feel the warmth of his body radiating off of him, making her heart race even faster than before.

For a long moment, neither of them said anything else. The air between them seemed to thicken, becoming charged with unspoken words and emotions. Helen took another step closer still, until she was mere inches away from Cole; close enough that she could see the tiny flecks of gold in his eyes, the way his lips trembled slightly whenever he spoke.

Her eyes flickered downward briefly before looking back up at him. "Because I was too hurt," she admitted softly. "I wasn't thinking straight." She took another step closer still, their bodies almost touching now. "And I guess part of me didn't want to give you the satisfaction of knowing how much it really hurt when you said those things." Her voice dropped even lower, becoming barely audible above the sound of their breaths.

Their faces were so close now that she could feel the heat from his skin burning against her cheek; she knew if she leaned in just a little further, their lips would be touching. The thought sent a shiver through her entire body, making her heart race even faster as desire coursed through her veins like an addictive drug.