I’m sorry,” she blurted as she took her phone.“Pretty sure it was my fault—I was looking back and ran right into you.” He grinned, extending a hand before noticing her arms were full. “Chase.”She juggled her things, giving him a quick, apologetic smile. “Gemma. But I really have to go—I have, like, ten minutes and no idea where I’m going.”“Ah, a freshman,” he teased gently. “Good luck, Gemma.”She laughed, a little breathless. “Thanks. I’ll need it.”“Thanks, Chase—gonna need it!” she called over her shoulder as she hurried off, heart pounding, already late.The first week was like any first week—chaos. Lost rooms, unfindable classrooms that only seemed to appear after she finally broke down and asked for directions. Snack machine doughnuts, cafeteria food that was sometimes edible, and lots of shared laughter with Freddy.She spotted Chase only once more in passing midweek. He nodded at her with that dazzling smile, and she found herself smiling back before hurrying on to her next
Last Updated : 2026-05-19 Read more