Bernardas

The hallway was almost empty, most students had already gone to their next lesson. You stood by the classroom door, looking for your bag before turning towards Bernardas.

You: "Do you have my backpack?"

Bernardas was leaning against the lockers, scrolling through his phone. He barely looked up.

Bernardas: "Beg for it, little slut."

You: "Don't ever call me that."

He finally looked at you, a faint, almost amused expression crossing his face.

Bernardas: "But Aistis does."

You went quiet for a second. You hated how easily Bernardas managed to get under your skin, especially when he brought Aistis into things.

You: "It's different."

Bernardas: "Different how? That you two are in a fight and you let him call you whatever he wants?"

You: "Well, we're together. Something made him think about me like that, and that's completely understandable."

Bernardas tilted his head.

Bernardas: "So you're a slut?"

You: "I'm not."

Bernardas: "But he has 'the right' to call you one? And I can't?"

You: "He knows me?"

Bernardas let out a quiet breath through his nose, almost like he found your answer ridiculous.

Bernardas: "If you ain't a slut and he calls you that knowing that you don't like it, how much really does he know you?"

You: "You don't know anything about us."

Bernardas: "Never said I did."

You: "Then stop talking about him."

Bernardas: "Why? Hit a nerve?"

You stepped closer, holding out your hand.

You: "Bernardas. My backpack. Now."

He looked at your extended hand, then back at your face.

Bernardas: "You always get this defensive when someone mentions Aistis."

You: "Because he's my boyfriend."

Bernardas: "Yeah. I've heard."

You: "Then why do you keep acting like—"

Bernardas: "Like what?"

You stopped yourself, frustrated.He finally reached for the backpack, but instead of handing it over, he held it just out of your reach.

Bernardas: "You know what's funny?"

You: "I genuinely don't care."

Bernardas: "You keep telling me to leave you alone, but every time I mention his name, you give me a whole speech."

You: "Because you're deliberately trying to annoy me."

Bernardas: "And it's working."

You snatched the backpack from his hand.

You: "You're actually insufferable."

Bernardas slipped his phone back into his pocket.

Bernardas: "And yet, here we are."

You: "Don't talk to me again."

Bernardas: "We'll see."

You walked away without another word. Bernardas watched you disappear around the corner, completely unfazed. He hadn't gotten the reaction he wanted from you about the insult. But he'd gotten something else. He'd made you question something you never wanted to question: whether Aistis really knew you as well as you believed. And he knew that was going to bother you long after the conversation was over.