Ariana’s POV
Blackwood University looked like a place people like me only ever saw in movies.
The buildings stood tall and polished, their glass walls reflecting the bright morning sun in a way that made everything feel almost unreal. Expensive cars lined the entrance, each one more intimidating than the last, and students walked past in groups, laughing easily, dressed in outfits that looked carefully chosen but somehow effortless.
Everything about the place screamed money.
And I didn’t belong.
I adjusted the strap of my bag and tightened my grip on my suitcase, forcing myself to keep moving even though my steps felt heavier with every second. This was supposed to be my fresh start, the opportunity I had worked for, the one chance I couldn’t afford to waste.
“You earned this,” I whispered to myself quietly. “Act like it.”
Still, the feeling didn’t go away.
That quiet voice in the back of my mind reminding me that no matter how hard I tried, I was different from everyone here.
I was too busy trying to convince myself I belonged that I didn’t notice where I was going—until I slammed straight into someone.
The impact was solid enough to knock the breath out of me, and my books slipped from my hands, scattering across the ground.
“Great,” I muttered under my breath, kneeling quickly to gather them, already embarrassed.
“Are you blind?”
The voice above me was calm, but there was something sharp in it—something that immediately made my irritation rise.
I picked up the last of my books and slowly looked up.
Big mistake.
He was tall—too tall, the kind of height that made you feel small without trying. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his face was the kind people would stop and stare at without even realizing it.
But it wasn’t just his looks.
It was his presence.
Cold. Controlled. Dangerous.
“You walked into me,” I said, standing up straight.
The words came out before I could stop them.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the atmosphere around us shifted.
The noise nearby softened, conversations fading like people were suddenly paying attention. I could feel it without even turning around.
Eyes.
Watching.
“What did you just say?” he asked, stepping closer.
My heart started pounding, but I refused to step back. “I said you walked into me.”
He stared at me for a second longer than necessary, like he was trying to figure out whether I was serious or just stupid.
Then he smirked.
Not amused.
Not friendly.
Dangerous.
“You must be new,” he said.
“And you must be rude,” I replied.
A soft gasp came from somewhere behind me, and that’s when I realized something was wrong.
He leaned slightly closer, his voice lowering just enough for only me to hear.
“You have no idea who you just disrespected.”
A small chill ran down my spine, but I forced myself not to react.
“Maybe I don’t care,” I said.
His expression didn’t change, but his eyes darkened just slightly.
“Careful,” he said quietly. “Girls who talk like you don’t last long here.”
And just like that, my first day at Blackwood University was already a disaster, because somehow I had managed to pick a fight with the most dangerous guy on campus.