Ch 1

The bass from the speakers reverberated through the packed frat house, making it nearly impossible to think, let alone hold a conversation. Grace Ivers clutched her plastic cup nervously, sticking close to her roommate Daisy as she wove through the throngs of people there. This was her first college party, and she was already questioning whether it had been a good idea.

"Relax, Grace," Daisy said, her bright red curls bouncing as she leaned in to be heard over the music. "You'll thank me later. College is about experiences, and this is the place to meet people."

"I don't even like beer," Grace muttered, staring into the suspiciously murky liquid in her cup.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "It's not about the beer; it's about the vibe. Just have fun!"

As they approached the main room, the crowd seemed to part slightly. Grace didn't realize why until she saw a group of tall, confident guys laughing and throwing back drinks near the keg. Even among the chaos of the party, they stood out.

"That's the hockey team," Daisy whispered conspiratorially. "The big deal around here. That guy in the hat is Garrett Graham—he's the team captain. And the one with the sharp jawline? That's Dean Di Laurentis. Total player, but is supposedly dating Allie Hayes."

Grace's gaze drifted to the group, not entirely on purpose. She spotted another guy, taller than the rest, with messy dark brown hair and an easy, lopsided grin. He leaned against the wall, casually sipping his drink while his friends cracked jokes.

"Who's that?" Grace asked, nodding toward him.

"John Logan," Daisy said, a sly smile forming. "He's a junior. Supposedly the second-best player on the team, after Garrett. And yes, he's as charming as he looks. Trust me, Grace—way out of your league."

Grace snorted. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Daisy winked. "Just keeping it real. Now come on, let's dance!"

But before Daisy could drag her away, someone bumped into Grace, nearly making her spill her drink.

"Whoa, sorry about that," came a deep voice.

Grace looked up, and there he was—John Logan, close enough that she could see the faint freckles on his nose and the glint of mischief in his blue eyes.

"No harm done," Grace said quickly, though her pulse was racing.

Logan tilted his head, studying her for a moment. "You're new here, aren't you?"

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

He grinned. "A little. Don't worry, freshman, everyone's been there."

"Grace," she corrected, standing a little straighter.

"Logan," he said, offering a hand. "You here with friends?"

Grace nodded toward Daisy, who was already chatting up one of Logan's teammates—Dean, if she remembered correctly.

"Well, Grace, let me give you some advice," Logan said, leaning in slightly. "Don't drink the punch. And if Garrett challenges you to a game of flip cup, just say no. Guy's undefeated."

Grace laughed despite herself. "Noted. Anything else I should know?"

Logan pretended to think for a moment. "Yeah. Try not to let Dean talk you into anything. He's trouble."

"Good to know," Grace said with a smirk. "And what about you? Should I be avoiding you too?"

Logan's grin widened. "Guess you'll have to find out."

Before Grace could respond, Garrett called out, "Logan! Get over here, man! We need a fourth for pong!"

"Duty calls," Logan said, holding up his hands. "But don't go disappearing on me, Grace. It's not every day you meet someone who doesn't seem completely intimidated by this place."

Grace felt her cheeks heat up but managed a calm, "I'll try to stick around."

As Logan walked away, Daisy returned, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Grace! Was that John Logan you were talking to?"

"Maybe," Grace said, feigning nonchalance.

Daisy grabbed her arm. "Oh my God, this is huge. You have to talk to him again. He doesn't just chat up random girls!"

Grace shrugged, though her heart was still racing. "We'll see. I'm just here to have fun, right?"

But as the night went on, Grace found her eyes drifting to Logan more than once—and every time, she caught him looking back.

The party was in full swing, and Grace had finally started to relax a little. Daisy was deep in conversation with Dylan Brooks —exactly as Logan had predicted—leaving Grace to awkwardly nurse her drink and people-watch.

She noticed Logan again, playing beer pong with his friends. He was laughing as he made a perfect shot, earning a chorus of cheers from the group. Standing nearby was Garrett Graham, who was every bit as confident as Daisy had described. Beside him, however, was someone Grace didn't expect—a petite brunette with an easy smile and an air of self-assurance that immediately made her seem approachable.

Hannah Wells.

Grace recognized her name from Daisy's stories. Hannah was Garrett's girlfriend, a music major with a killer singing voice who was apparently immune to Garrett's cocky charm—until she wasn't.

Hannah caught Grace's gaze and smiled warmly, stepping away from Garrett to approach her.

"Hey," Hannah said, her voice cutting through the music. "You look like you're either having fun or wishing you were anywhere else. Which is it?"

Grace blinked, surprised but grateful for the conversation. "Somewhere in between, I think. First college party, so I'm still figuring it out."

Hannah nodded knowingly. "Been there. I'm Hannah, by the way."

"Grace," she replied, already feeling more at ease.

"Nice to meet you, Grace. Let me guess—you're here with Daisy?" Hannah asked, glancing toward where Daisy was now laughing at something Dylan said.

Grace smiled. "Yeah, she's my roommate. She's... definitely more outgoing than I am."

Hannah laughed. "Sounds like you two balance each other out. Stick with her, but if you need a break from the chaos, let me know. I've mastered the art of surviving these parties."

Before Grace could respond, another girl joined them. She was blonde, stylish, and radiated a similar confidence to Hannah, though with a sassier edge.

"Allie, this is Grace," Hannah introduced her friend. "Grace, this is Allie Hayes. She's dating Dean."

"Dean and I are still debating who's actually dating whom," Allie quipped, rolling her eyes. "But yeah, I'm stuck with him for now. Nice to meet you, Grace."

"You too," Grace said, already liking both girls.

Hannah tilted her head toward the kitchen. "Do you need a drink that's not beer? I promise there's something better in there if you know where to look."

"Yes, please," Grace said with a laugh, following the two girls toward the kitchen.

As they walked, Grace caught a glimpse of Logan again. He was leaning against the wall, laughing at something Garrett said, but when he saw Grace with Hannah and Allie, his smile softened. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he was pulled back into the conversation.

"So," Allie said, handing Grace a cup of something that smelled vaguely fruity, "how's college treating you so far?"

"It's... a lot," Grace admitted. "Exciting, but also overwhelming."

Allie nodded. "Totally normal. My advice? Find your people. Parties are fun, but it's the quieter moments with friends that make college worth it."

"And don't let the guys around here intimidate you," Hannah added. "They act like they run the place, but deep down, they're just overgrown kids."

Grace smiled, feeling a warm sense of belonging she hadn't expected to find tonight.

Just then, Logan appeared in the doorway, holding two fresh drinks and looking like he had been waiting for an excuse to break away from the guys.

"Wellsy, Allie," he said with a nod to the girls before turning to Grace. "I see you've survived the gauntlet."

"Barely," Grace replied, raising her cup. "Hannah and Allie are teaching me the ropes."

"Good," Logan said with a grin. "They're good people to have in your corner."

Hannah smirked. "You're not planning on scaring her off, are you, Logan?"

"Not yet," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Depends on whether she can hold her own in flip cup."

Grace raised an eyebrow, remembering his earlier warning. "Didn't you tell me to avoid games with your friends?"

"Yeah, but I didn't say anything about games with me," he said, offering a playful challenge.

Grace laughed, already feeling the pull of his easy confidence. "Fine. But if I win, you owe me something better than whatever this is." She held up her drink.

Logan chuckled, clearly impressed. "Deal. Let's see what you've got, freshman."

Hannah and Allie exchanged knowing looks as Logan led Grace toward the table, already sensing this was the beginning of something interesting.

The flip cup table was set up in the corner of the room, surrounded by a crowd eager to watch the next round. Logan led Grace to the table with a confident grin, while Garrett and Dean trailed behind, already placing bets on how this would go.

"Alright, Logan," Garrett said, crossing his arms. "You sure you want to do this? Freshman might embarrass you in front of all your fans."

"Garrett," Logan replied, smirking, "when's the last time you saw me lose at anything?"

Dean chimed in with a laugh. "Well, there was that time Tucker beat you at darts and you swore the board was crooked."

"Focus, Di Laurentis," Logan shot back, shaking his head. He turned to Grace, who was eyeing the table nervously but refusing to back down. "You ready?"

Grace took a deep breath. She'd never played flip cup before, but how hard could it be? "Let's do it."

The two of them lined up, Logan on one side and Grace on the other. The crowd gathered closer, cheering them on as Daisy appeared by Grace's side.

"You've got this," Daisy said, grinning. "Just don't let him psych you out."

"Psych her out?" Logan asked, pretending to be offended. "I'm a gentleman."

"Sure you are," Hannah said as she joined the spectators with Allie. "Grace, don't fall for it. He's competitive as hell."

The game began with Garrett acting as referee. Grace fumbled slightly with her first flip, her cup spinning awkwardly before landing off the edge of the table. Logan flipped his cup perfectly on the first try, flashing her a cocky grin.

"Gotta be faster than that," he teased.

"Oh, it's on," Grace shot back, her competitive streak igniting.

By the third round, Grace had gotten the hang of it, and the score was nearly tied. The crowd was fully invested now, chanting both their names as they raced to flip their cups.

On the final round, Grace flipped her cup with precision just a second before Logan did. The crowd erupted into cheers as Grace threw her arms up in triumph.

"Damn," Logan said, shaking his head with a laugh. "I underestimated you, freshman."

"Never underestimate a girl with something to prove," Grace replied, grinning as the adrenaline of victory coursed through her.

"Alright," Logan said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "You win. What do you want?"

Grace tapped her chin, pretending to think. "I want... a real drink. None of this frat party punch nonsense."

Logan laughed. "Done. Come on, let's raid the fridge."

As he led her toward the kitchen, Grace felt a surge of confidence she hadn't felt in a long time. For the first time that night, she wasn't just the nervous freshman trying to fit in—she was having fun.

Meanwhile, back at the table, Garrett shook his head at Logan's retreating figure. "Man, I think you just met your match."

Hannah smirked, nudging Allie. "Told you Grace seemed cool. I think we're gonna keep her."

The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter, conversation, and a surprising ease between Grace and Logan. He made her feel comfortable, teasing her just enough to keep things light while also genuinely listening when she spoke.

As the party began to wind down, Logan walked Grace back to where Daisy was waiting near the door.

"So, Grace," Logan said, leaning casually against the wall, "what'd you think of your first frat party?"

Grace smiled, feeling a warmth that wasn't just from the alcohol. "Not bad. I might even come to another one. Maybe."

Logan grinned. "Let me know if you do. I'll make sure you don't embarrass yourself in flip cup next time."

"Or maybe I'll embarrass you again," Grace shot back, surprising herself with her boldness.

Logan laughed, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Touché. See you around, Grace."

As she and Daisy left the house, Grace glanced back to see Logan watching her go, his lopsided grin still firmly in place.

Daisy nudged her as they walked. "So... what's the deal with you and John Logan?"

"No deal," Grace said quickly, though her heart was still racing. "We're just... acquaintances."

"Sure," Daisy said, smirking. "Acquaintances who can't stop looking at each other."

Grace rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile that crept across her face. Something told her this wouldn't be the last time she crossed paths with Logan.