CHAPTER ONE:
~ First Day, Wrong Guy~
I should've known the day was doomed when my eyeliner smudged five minutes before we were supposed to leave.
"Why are you even bothering with that much makeup?" Kiara asked, leaning against the bathroom doorway like she hadn't spent twenty minutes curling her hair this morning. "It's college, not a fashion show."
I groaned, dabbing at the corner of my eye with a Q-tip. "First impressions matter. What if I meet the love of my life?"
Josh, my fourteen-year-old brother, shouted from downstairs. "Better hope he likes raccoons then!"
"Love you too, Josh!" I called back.
Kiara smirked. "You're gonna be fine, Adera. It's just your first day. Don't stress."
Easy for her to say. She was in her second year, already had a boyfriend, a killer GPA, and that unfair, glowy kind of beauty that made people stop mid-sentence. Meanwhile, I was the new girl, sixteen, starting college early, and trying very hard not to look like I didn't belong.
Mom appeared in the hallway, holding a brown paper bag like it contained state secrets. "Sweetheart! I packed you lunch. Tuna sandwich, grapes, and those cookies you love."
"Thanks, Mom," I said, trying not to sound twelve.
Dad came up behind her, pressing a quick kiss to her temple before turning to me. "You've got this, Adera. Be yourself, and you'll shine."
I gave them a grateful smile. My family could be embarrassing, but they were also... kind of amazing.
"Are you done yet?"Chloe screamed.
her voice loud as fualty truck sound.
I grabbed my bag and bolted. "Love you guys! Don't let Josh eat my cookies!"
---
The car ride with Chloe was full of caffeine-fueled chaos.
"I had a nightmare we got lost in the parking lot and ended up in a biker gang initiation," she said, turning up the music. "You were surprisingly cool with it."
I laughed. "Sounds about right. Did we at least get leather jackets?"
"Obviously. Mine had sequins."
That's the thing about Chloe—she's the kind of friend who makes everything feel lighter. Even college.
The campus was huge. Like could-fit-my-entire-neighborhood-in-it huge. I clutched my schedule like a lifeline, eyes darting around at students who all looked way older, more put-together, and confident than me.
"Okay," Chloe said, checking her phone. "We've got ten minutes to find your classroom, avoid eye contact with scary seniors, and not trip in front of hot guys."
"Setting the bar real high," I muttered.
She grinned. "C'mon, let's go get 'em, college girl."
---
That's when it happened.
I was walking down the hallway, trying to look casual while scanning room numbers, when I turned a corner too fast—
And bam—walked straight into someone.
Books flew. Papers scattered. I felt my balance tilt, then crash.
"Seriously?" the guy said, not even helping me up.
I looked up—and wow. Tall. Sharp jawline. Messy dark hair. Smolder-level eyes. And an expression that said you ruined my day just by existing.
"You could say excuse me," I snapped, grabbing my notebook.
"You could look where you're going," he said, brushing something off his sleeve like I'd infected him.
"Wow," I muttered. "Charming."
He didn't respond, just walked off like nothing happened.
Chloe caught up seconds later. "What was that? You okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, still glaring at his retreating back. "Just met the rudest human alive."
"Cute though," she said with a smirk.
"Not the point."
---
By the time I got to class, I was still annoyed. But I pushed it aside. New day. New chapter. No time for jerks.
The professor introduced himself, handed out the syllabus, and then—just my luck—announced a semester-long group project.
"Your partners," he said, "are on this list. No swaps, no complaints."
I scanned the list until I found my name. And there it was.
Adera Leen — Paired with: Jace Marlowe.
I blinked. No. No, no, no.
I looked up, just in time to see him walk into the room.
The hallway jerk.
Jace freaking Marlowe. The name was familiar now. Chloe had warned me about him last week when we were talking about college life.
"The Marlowe guy? Super smart. Super moody. And hot in a punch-me-in-the-face kind of way. Might be best to avoid him. Infact avoid any sort of trouble."
Right. I should've listened.
He slid into the seat next to mine, glancing at me like this was just another minor inconvenience in his otherwise perfect life.
"Guess it's your lucky day," he said, voice dry.
I sighed and slumped into my chair.
College was going to be a long ride.
The professor droned on about the semester's objectives, but all I could think was: why him? Out of every possible person in this room—even the one with the aggressive nasal breathing—why did I get paired with him?
He sat back in his chair, arms crossed, clearly bored. He hadn't written a single note, just tapped his pen rhythmically against his desk like the class—and everyone in it—was beneath him.
When the professor finally dismissed us, I stood up quickly, ready to get out and breathe again. But Jace was suddenly beside me, not even giving me a moment to fake a polite smile.
"So," he said, already walking. "Let's get this over with."
I blinked. "Get what over with?"
"The partner thing. I don't like group work, and I don't do hand-holding. I'll handle the research and write-ups. You can do the editing or whatever."
I crossed my arms. "Wow. Are you always this charming or is it just a special treat for me?"
He glanced at me, brow raised. "You want charming, go find a golden retriever boyfriend. I'm here to pass."
My mouth dropped open. "I'm not going to just be your backup singer in this group project. We're supposed to be a team."
"I work better alone."
"Then you should've taken an online course."
That actually made him pause. For a split second, something in his eyes flickered—amusement? But it was gone before I could figure it out.
He shrugged. "Fine. We'll talk later. Just don't slow me down."
And just like that, he walked off again.
I exhaled sharply. What a jerk.
Chloe met me outside the classroom, sipping a pink drink like she hadn't just been spying on my interaction.
"So," she said. "How's your first day of college going? Wonderful as I can see" she teased
I groaned. "I hate him."
"Aw," she cooed, batting her lashes. "Classic love story. Girl meets boy. Boy is trash. Girl swears him off forever—until they kiss in the rain five chapters later."
"I will throw this syllabus at your head."
She laughed, linking her arm through mine. "C'mon. Let's go find food. Or a voodoo shop."
---
By the time I got home, I was exhausted—mentally, emotionally, and physically. First days are always a whirlwind, but this one felt like I'd been dropped into a rom-com with the wrong script and an even worse co-star.
I walked into the kitchen to find Josh dancing with a bowl of popcorn.
"Hey, college girl!" he grinned. "Did you make any friends or enemies?"
"Just one enemy. Possibly a future FBI case."
"Ooh. Intriguing."
Kiara was on the couch, her laptop open, and Owen—her annoyingly perfect boyfriend—was sprawled next to her. He gave me a wave and a "Hey, little sis."
"Don't call me that," I muttered, grabbing a juice box. "I'm in college now."
"Right, my bad," Owen said, straight-faced. "Hey, mature and responsible adult woman."
Josh snorted so hard he choked on a kernel.
Kiara patted the couch next to her. "Wanna tell us about it?"
I collapsed beside her, juice in hand. "Ever heard of a guy named Jace Marlowe?"
Kiara and Owen exchanged a look.
"Oh boy," Owen said.
"You know him?"
"He's in my philosophy class," Owen said. "Quiet. Smart. Not exactly the life of the party. Why?"
"We're partners for this big semester project. He's the worst."
Kiara tilted her head. "Worst how?"
"Rude. Condescending. Emotionally allergic to teamwork."
Josh leaned on the kitchen counter, smirking. "So you like him."
"I do not."
He grinned wider. "This is exactly how Kiara was with Owen."
Kiara threw a popcorn kernel at him. "Shut up."
I sighed, dragging a pillow over my face. "Why couldn't I be paired with someone normal?"
Kiara squeezed my shoulder. "Maybe it's not about finding someone normal. Maybe it's about handling someone difficult with grace."
Josh pointed at her. "Translation: Kiara thinks you like him too."
"Go away."
---
That night, lying in bed, I stared at the ceiling, scrolling through playlists. Every time I started to relax, my mind went back to Jace.
It wasn't just that he was rude. There was something else about him—something guarded, like he wore sarcasm as armor.
Still, I told myself it didn't matter. We were project partners, nothing more.
I wouldn't waste a second more thinking about him.
Not his stupid, brooding eyes.Not his voice.
I'm in college to study and pass my exam…..
But he's so hot —
Ugh. I turned off my phone and pulled the blanket over my head.
This was going to be the longest semester of my life.
---
The next morning came way too fast.
I woke to the sound of Josh practicing his beatboxing in the hallway—loudly—and Kiara singing off-key in the shower. Our house was always a little chaotic, but somehow it made everything feel normal. Warm. Like a buffer from the crazy outside world.
I stared at the ceiling, wondering what kind of chaos Jace Marlowe would bring today. I'd planned to forget him. Really. But my subconscious had other ideas—I'd dreamed about accidentally being stuck in an elevator with him. Twice.
Gross.
I got ready quickly, choosing a soft blue sweater and high-waisted jeans. Not because I wanted to look good. Just… in case I ran into anyone. Totally unrelated to him.
In the kitchen, Mom was humming as she flipped pancakes.
"Good morning, sunshine!" she beamed. "Survive your first day?"
"Barely," I said, sitting down. "There's this guy—"
Josh appeared out of nowhere. "Ah, yes. The guy."
"You're obsessed."
"With your drama? Obviously."
"Enough, you two," Mom said, placing a plate in front of me. "Tell me everything."
I paused, then relayed the tale—leaving out the parts where Jace's stupid face haunted my dreams.
Dad wandered in halfway through, sipping his coffee. "Sounds like this boy needs manners."
"And a personality," I added.
Mom looked thoughtful. "Sometimes the people we clash with the most teach us the most."
"Or end up in therapy sessions."
"Same thing," she said with a wink.
---
By my third class that day, I had officially accepted that college was chaos. Every classroom had a different vibe—some professors were casual and chill, others made me feel like blinking too loud was disrespectful.
I was still navigating how to carry my books, hold my coffee, and check my schedule without looking like I was auditioning for a juggling act, when I heard a familiar voice.
"Hey."
I turned. Jace. Great.
He leaned against a nearby column, hands in his pockets, the definition of effortlessly cool. I, on the other hand, had just spilled iced coffee on my sleeve.
"Wow," I said. "You actually know how to greet someone."
He gave a slow blink. "Do you always come with this much sarcasm, or is it just for me?"
I raised an eyebrow. "You bring it out in me."
He tilted his head slightly, like I was a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. "We should talk about the project. Want to meet after classes?"
I stared. "You're asking instead of demanding? Should I check for a hidden camera?"
His lips twitched—almost a smile.
"Look," he said, glancing around like he hated saying this out loud, "I'm not great at... people. But I don't want to fail. So if we're stuck working together, we might as well try to not hate each other."
I blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Wow," I said again, this time softer. "That almost sounded like a human sentence."
He rolled his eyes. "Meet me in the library at four."
"Fine. But only if you promise not to monologue about how I'm slowing you down."
"No promises."
I watched him walk away, half annoyed, half intrigued.
---
By 4:05, I was in the library with my laptop and three color-coded notebooks—because some of us like being organized. Jace arrived at 4:11, clearly unbothered by the concept of punctuality.
He dropped into the chair across from me like he belonged there.
"You're late," I said, not looking up.
"You're early."
I looked at him now. "That's not the same thing."
He shrugged and pulled out a sleek black laptop. "Let's just split the workload."
We got to work—sort of. Every five minutes, he'd sigh or make a face, like group projects personally offended him. After twenty minutes, I couldn't take it.
"Okay, seriously. What is your deal?"
He looked up, brows furrowed. "My deal?"
"You act like this is the worst thing that's ever happened to you. I'm not asking you to marry me, I just want to get an A."
His jaw clenched for a moment before he exhaled. "I'm used to doing things on my own. It's easier that way."
"Why?"
He hesitated. "Because people let you down. Or worse, they expect something you can't give."
I didn't know what to say to that. His voice hadn't been harsh. Just... quiet. Real.
"Okay," I said softly. "But I'm not asking for anything except effort. So how about we try... not hating each other for the next hour?"
He looked at me, and for once, he didn't look annoyed. Just tired. And a little curious.
"Deal," he said finally.
---
We worked for two hours without another snarky comment. Progress.
By the time I got home, I was drained again—but lighter, somehow.
Kiara greeted me at the door, a sly smile on her face. "You're late. Study date with Mr. Broody?"
"Not a date. Just group work."
"Mmhmm."
"Seriously!"
She laughed. "Okay, okay. Just remember, some people have sharp edges for a reason. Doesn't mean they can't surprise you."
"Since when are you a fortune cookie?"
"Since I watched you walk in here smiling like a shipless goat ."
I froze. Was I smiling?
No no … I had a good day with my studies, that's why…
Josh popped his head around the corner. " a good day with Mr broodyyyy…..She's in love!"
I groaned and headed for the stairs.
"I hate you all!"
"Love you too!" they shouted in unison.
---
That night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling again.
Jace Marlowe was still a mystery—but maybe not as terrible as I thought.
Maybe.
Still, if he gave me an attitude tomorrow, I wasn't above hiding his laptop.
Just saying.