Chapter 2

Aria’s pov.

I didn't even bother looking in the mirror before I walked out of my room.

I knew I looked like a ghost, but I didn't care.

I grabbed my phone and my work bag, checking to make sure I had my keys and nothing else.

I was halfway to the front door when Serena stepped into the hallway, still wearing that same smug look from last night.

"Leaving so soon? Luca hasn't even finished his breakfast yet," she said mockingly.

Her voice was like a slow-acting poison, and I could feel it working its way under my skin.

"Stay out of my way, Serena. For real," I said.

I didn't wait for her to come up with some clever comeback.

I just pushed past her and walked out of the dorm, stepping right into a miserable, gray downpour.

The rain was freezing, soaking through my thin shirt in seconds, but it felt better than being inside that suite.

I walked all the way to the coffee shop where I worked, my head spinning with every step.

When I pushed through the door, the bell jingled loudly, and the warmth of the shop hit me like a physical wall.

Mark, my manager, looked up from the register and let out a low whistle.

"Aria? You’re not on the schedule until four. You look like a drowned rat, kid," he said.

"I’m fine. Mark, do you have a minute? I really need to talk to you," I said.

I was shivering so hard my teeth were practically chattering.

"Sure, what's up? You look like you're about to have a breakdown," he said.

"I have some major accommodation issues. I can't stay in my dorm anymore. Like, I need a new place today," I told him.

I was trying to keep my voice down, but the shop was quiet and my voice was already shaky.

"Do you know anyone with a spare room? Or a cheap studio? I have some savings, but I need it right now," I added.

Mark rubbed his chin, looking concerned.

"Today? That's a tall order, Aria. Most places near campus are booked solid this time of year. It's midterm season," he reminded me.

I let out a frustrating sigh, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

"But you can post on the school website. I bet someone there could help you out," he suggested.

I shook my head immediately.

"I can't. Everyone on that site is a shark, Mark. I'm a scholarship kid. They'll just use it to rip me apart," I said.

"Why? You really need it, don't you? Desperate times, Aria," he pushed.

I opened my mouth to deny him again, but the image of Serena and Luca together in that hallway stabbed my vision.

I couldn't bear another second of that nightmare.

I pulled out my phone and opened the school website, a place I usually avoided like the plague unless I wanted to see who they were bullying that week.

I typed in the words quickly: "Hi. Having major accommodation issues. If you have a room I can rent please, my DM is open. Urgent."

I almost shuddered in disgust as I hit the button.

The text felt tacky and reeked of desperation, but I didn't have any other cards to play.

The site let out a little beep, confirming it had been uploaded to the public feed.

"Done," I said to Mark, who was peering over the counter at me.

"Good. Now we just wait and—"

The notification sound on my phone disrupted his words. I shifted my gaze to the screen and froze.

Someone had replied. Not in my DMs. Publicly.

"I have an apartment. Meet me at the cafeteria if you are interested," the comment read.

I almost screamed in joy, but the stone-faced gaze from a customer nearby snapped me back to reality.

"Someone replied! Already!" I shoved the phone toward Mark.

"See? I told you," he said, smiling warmly.

"Who is it? Can you tell?" I asked.

I read the username out loud.

"J. Vance."

I’d never heard of the name, but then again, I didn't exactly hang out with the elite crowd at this school.

I figured it was probably a girl named Jules or maybe a nerd who felt sorry for me.

"So when are you meeting the mystery person?" Mark asked.

"They didn't give me time, so I'm guessing they want to meet now. It's almost lunch," I said.

I looked at the clock on the wall. 9:45 a.m.

"Go get ready. You can't meet a potential roommate looking like you just crawled out of a lake," Mark said.

I nodded and hurried back to the dorm.

Luckily, it was empty. Luca and Serena must have finally left for their morning classes.

I walked past Luca’s room, and the door was slightly ajar.

The air coming from inside still smelled like sex and cheap alcohol, making my stomach churn with a fresh wave of nausea.

I slammed the door shut and went to my own room to change.

I threw on my normal baggy jeans and a clean top, tossing my damp hair into a quick ponytail.

I checked my reflection once, adjusted my glasses, and ran back out the door.

When I stepped into the school cafeteria, it felt like the entire world stopped turning.

All eyes turned to me, and for once, it wasn't the usual look of boredom.

I ignored them and searched for Table 7, the spot the user had mentioned in their DM follow-up.

I caught it in the corner. Someone was already sitting there.

From the broad shoulders and the dark, expensive-looking hair, it definitely wasn't a girl named Jules.

Shit. I hoped he wasn't some kind of pervert.

I shoved the thought aside and walked closer, letting out a little cough to get his attention.

"Hi. I'm here about the apartment. You commented on my post," I started rambling.

Then he straightened up and turned around.

I stopped talking. I stopped breathing. The world actually seemed to stop.

Because sitting in the chair was Julian Vance.

He was wearing a black pea coat that probably cost more than my entire year's tuition.

He was the hockey captain. Every girl at Westbridge had a crush on him. He looked successful and untouchable, like he lived in a completely different universe than me.

His dark eyes, which I hadn't seen up close in over a decade, widened just slightly.

"Aria?" he asked, his voice a low, rough velvet, laced with genuine surprise.

I could only manage a slow nod. "Hi, Julian."

"It's been... ages," he said, the surprise quickly masked by his usual guarded demeanor. "I heard you were on campus, but I haven't seen you since—since you were about knee-high. I left campus with my father's company shortly after, remember?"

"I do," I mumbled. "You... you were gone for a long time."

"For a while, yeah. But I'm back now, obviously," he said, a ghost of a smile touching the corner of his lips. He leaned back in his seat, suddenly serious. "So, the apartment. I saw your post. What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I am," I lied, too quickly. "Just accommodation issues. A misunderstanding with my... current situation."

He nodded, his gaze unwavering, as if he knew exactly what I wasn't saying. "I have a place near the Heights. You can have the guest suite," he said.

He wasn't even whispering.

The whole cafeteria had gone dead silent.

Every single jaw was hanging open in total shock.

"Huh? You... you really mean it?" I whispered. "I-I thought you didn't even remember me."

"I knew who you were, Ri," he said, using the old nickname. It felt like a punch to the gut. I almost forgot Luca and he came up with the nickname for me. "And yes, I mean it. I won't overcharge you, and I rarely use it anyway."

He was talking, but my mind couldn't even process the words.

He scribbled something on a piece of paper and held it out to me.

Mindlessly, I took it. It was a phone number and an address.

"Call me when you're ready to move," he said.

He didn't wait for an answer.

He just stood up and walked out like he owned every single inch of the floor he was walking on.

I watched him disappear through the double doors, then looked back at the students.

They were staring at me with a mix of envy, disgust, and pure, unadulterated hate.

At that moment, I wanted the floor to open and swallow me.