FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

The weekend had been a haunting exercise in avoidance. I had moved around the Knight mansion like a ghost, slipping into the kitchen for coffee only when I was sure the hallways were clear. Xavier had vanished—no smoke trails, no heavy boots, no dark stares. It was as if the house itself was holding its breath after the explosion at dinner.

​But Monday morning arrived with the cold reality of a new life.

​I sat in the back of a silver Mercedes, the leather seats cool against my bare legs. William had insisted on the driver—a silent man named Arthur—despite my protests that I could take the bus. To William, image was everything. To me, being dropped off in a car that cost more than a suburban house was like wearing a neon sign that read Outsider.

​As we pulled through the ivy-covered gates of Evermore University, my stomach did a slow, nauseating flip. The campus was a stunning collection of red-brick buildings and manicured quads, looking every bit like the elite institution it was.

​"We have arrived, Miss Summer," Arthur said, pulling the car to a smooth halt in front of the Architecture building.

​"Thanks, Arthur. I can take it from here." I grabbed my bag, desperate to escape the stifling luxury of the car.

​"Mr. Knight requested that I wait for you here at four o'clock," he added politely.

​"Fine," I muttered, stepping out into the crisp morning air.

​I tried to blend in, clutching my schedule to my chest. I wanted to be invisible. I wanted to be just another student in a sea of backpacks and lattes. 

I kept my head down, my eyes glued to the map on my phone, trying to figure out which "Hall B" was the right one. The sheer size of the campus was overwhelming, a sea of students who all looked like they knew exactly where they were going.

​Distracted by a notification, I didn't see the person turning the corner of the brick walkway until it was too late.

​Thump.

​"Oh! I’m so sorry!" a voice squeaked as my bag slid off my shoulder and a stack of colorful planners hit the pavement.

​I blinked, looking down at a girl with a messy puff of curls and oversized glasses that were currently sliding down her nose. She was already scrambling to pick up her things, looking just as frazzled as I felt.

​"No, it was my fault," I said, quickly bending down to help her gather her pens. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

​"First day nerves?" she asked, offering a sheepish grin as I handed her a glittery notebook. "I’m Maya. I’ve lived in this city my whole life and I still managed to get lost three times between the parking lot and here."

​"I'm Summer," I replied, feeling a genuine spark of relief. "And yeah... definitely first day nerves. I feel like I'm walking into a movie set I wasn't cast for."

​Maya laughed, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Tell me about it. This place is basically 'Rich Kids: The University.' If you don't have a designer bag or a trust fund, people look at you like you’re an alien. You a freshman too?"

​"Yeah. Architecture," I told her.

​"No way! I'm in the Design program right next door," she beamed. "Listen, since we both look like we’re about to be swallowed whole by this place, you want to grab a coffee later after our first lecture? I need at least one friend who doesn't think a 'budget' is something you do for a yacht."

​I actually smiled—a real one. "I’d love to."

​I was about to ask her which way the lecture hall was when the air around us seemed to shift, growing heavy and cold. The students nearby suddenly quieted, stepping aside as if a high-speed train was coming through.

​I looked over Maya’s shoulder.

​A few yards away, a group of upperclassmen were walking toward the main courtyard. In the center was Xavier. He wasn't in a rush, but he moved with a casual, terrifying authority that demanded space. He was wearing a dark hoodie today, the sleeves pushed up to reveal his forearms, and that same unlit cigarette was tucked behind his ear.

​Maya leaned in, her voice dropping to a frantic whisper. "Oh, god. Look away, Summer."

​"Why?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

​"That’s Xavier Knight," she murmured, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "He’s a third-year, but he basically runs the social scene here. He’s brilliant, but he’s... well, he’s dangerous. My brother says he got into a fight last semester that put two guys in the hospital, and he didn't even get a slap on the wrist. Just don't make eye contact. He hates freshmen."

​As if he heard her, Xavier’s head turned. His gaze cut through the crowd, ignoring everyone else until it landed directly on me.

​The corner of his mouth ticked upward. He didn't slow down, but he held my stare for five long, agonizing seconds before disappearing into the crowd of the Business building.

​"Wait," Maya said, her voice trembling slightly as she looked from the spot where he’d been back to me. "Summer... why was he looking at you like that?"

I felt the blood drain from my face, but I forced a shrug, my fingers tightening on the strap of my bag. "I have no idea," I lied, the words tasting like ash. "Maybe I just look like an easy target for his 'freshman-hating' hobby."

​Maya didn't look convinced, her eyes darting toward the spot where Xavier had vanished. "Well, just... be careful. Guys like him don't just look, they hunt."

​She shook her head as if trying to physically toss away the tension Xavier had left in his wake. "Anyway, forget about the campus king for a second. We need to celebrate surviving our first four hours. There’s a party tonight at the Sigma Chi frat house. It’s the unofficial 'Welcome to Evermore' bash."

​I bit my lip. The last thing I wanted to do was dive into a crowd of people who likely shared Xavier’s DNA for elitism. "I don't know, Maya. I should probably study..."

​"Study? It's the first day! The only thing you need to study is how to have a life," she countered, nudging my arm. "It’ll be fun. No parents, no rules, just music and bad decisions. Besides, everyone will be there. It's the best way to blend in."

​Everyone. The word echoed in my mind. If everyone was going to be there, that meant the Knight heir would likely be presiding over the whole thing like some dark deity.

​"I'll think about it," I promised, though the thought of seeing Xavier outside the sterile walls of the mansion made my stomach do a nervous flip.

​"Think fast, because I'm texting you the address," Maya said with a wink. "See you in Hall B, Summer!"

​She hurried off, leaving me standing in the middle of the quad. I looked back at the Business building, the heavy oak doors shut tight. 

If only my dad was alive...