Chapter 1 : “Intriguing Encounter”

*Aaron’s POV*

I leaned against a pillar in the courtyard, surrounded by my usual crew as we watched the incoming students on their first day back from summer break. It was a tradition for us to scope out the new sophomores and size up the competition.

A blonde girl with a modest outfit and a stack of books clutched to her chest caught my attention. She wasn't like the other female students preening for attention.

"Who's that?" One of the guys asked, with a nod in her direction.

Another one turned to look. "No clue. Kinda plain though, huh?"

I studied her face. What was Roanne Mailen doing here? The last time I saw her was three years ago. But now here she was, walking across the university campus I called my kingdom, like she belonged here or something.

"What's up, man? Do you know her or something?" Another one asked, noticing the scowl on my face.

I turned my head, ignoring the question.

"Plain? She's cute in a bookworm sort of way," one said appraisingly.

I cut him a sharp look, as if daring him to continue checking her out. He put his hands up in defense, not wanting to piss me off.

"I heard she got some big scholarship. History major or something lame like that,” they kept talking, always up on the campus gossip.

I stayed silent, my jaw tense as I continued watching Roanne from a distance. The guys exchanged a confused glance. I didn’t care.

Then they finally steered the conversation to other things. But as the day progressed, my eyes wandered back to Roanne in almost every turn.

Why did she have to show up here to disrupt my perfect existence? I had worked hard to establish my status on campus and wasn’t in the mood to dredge up old memories. Pushing thoughts of Roanne out of my head, I walked off to my next class, determined not to think of her anymore.

Yet over the next few hours, it seemed like every corner I turned to; she was there. She even attended the same lectures, studied at the library almost at the same time, and grabbed lunch when I was there. She seemed to keep to herself mostly, always carrying a book in hand.

“Dang! That new girl is everywhere!” one of the guys noticed.

“Don’t you have more important things to focus on?” I said through clenched teeth. I slammed my textbook shut and shoved it roughly in my bag. I stood abruptly and began striding across the green towards my next class.

Later during the day, as I leaned against a tree across from where some students sat, I went through all the different assignments I had to cover for my scores to remain on the top. When I spotted among the students Roanne, I sighed and glared down at her while she continued to read, unaware of my presence. The guys were right, she was everywhere.

As I saw our paths would cross sooner or later, I decided it was better to make it sooner. I cleared my throat loudly, and her eyes blinked up in surprise to find me looming over her. Recognition flashed across her face.

“Aaron. Wow, I almost didn’t recognize you,” she said politely with a timid smile.

“I recognized you the moment I saw you, even after all this time,” I said roughly. She didn’t miss the accusation in my tone or the way my eyes bored into her.

Roanne’s smile faltered, and she averted her eyes back to her book. An uncomfortable silence fell, and she shifted under my unrelenting gaze.

“Fancy seeing you here,” I finally said when she didn’t respond. “Quite a long way from county high school.”

Roanne cleared her throat, snapping her book shut and finally meeting my eyes again. “Yeah well, we can’t all have parents buying our way into the best universities,” she replied evenly with an edge to her voice.

I narrowed my eyes, surprised by her boldness. Looks like she grew some claws hidden underneath that shy exterior. “Scholarship kid huh? So what, you just had to follow me here too?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. Not everything is about you, Aaron,” she replied coolly.

I let out an icy laugh. “Well apparently getting far away from me wasn’t a priority for you like it was for your drunk deadbeat boyfriend.”

Roanne sucked in a sharp breath like I had slapped her and stared up at me incredulously. I wanted to push her buttons and get a reaction.

She abruptly began shoving her books in her bag, and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. “I don’t want to cause trouble,” she said, green eyes flashing.

She stood quickly and began to hurry off, but I stepped into her path, blocking her escape.

“What do you want from me?” she asked wearily.

I met her eyes again, clouded with uncertainty. “Would you like a private tour?,” I smirked.

“Thank you for the kind offer, but I must decline,” she finally replied before walking off without a backward glance.

The troubled silly girl had grown up and was a daring creature, but I didn’t mind a game of cat and mouse.

-

*Roanne’s POV*

“Would you like a private tour?,” he offered, a flirtatious tilt to his smile, as if he were dangling a secret we could share.

There he was, Aaron McArthur, like an echo from a song I once hummed under my breath—a melody of what could have been. His presence felt like a brushstroke on a blank canvas, bold and unintended. My heart lurched.

I tried to avoid crossing paths with him, but fate only wanted to fight me with that, as it put him right in front of me while I was reading under a tree. I felt my cheeks redden, and for a few seconds, I didn’t know what to say.

A private tour. The suggestion sent a shiver up my spine, not entirely unpleasant but laced with a danger I couldn't afford. Memories of Sebastian's possessive grip clawed at the edges of my resolve, reminding me of the price of misplaced trust.

“Well, thank you for the kind offer, but I must decline,” I called over my shoulder, my voice steady despite the tumult within. And as I walked away, I could feel his eyes on me, a silent acknowledgment of the game we had just performed—one of attraction and avoidance.

My studies were my sanctuary, a fortress I built stone by stone to keep the shadows at bay.

The echo of Aaron's voice lingered in my ears as I retreated into the sanctuary of my studies. The sharp corners of textbooks and the soft glow of the library lamps were my bulwark against the chaos of my memories. Calculus problems didn't stare back with piercing eyes; historical dates never whispered sweet, perilous promises.

"Roanne, you coming tonight?" The question snapped me out of my reverie, and I looked up to see one of the girls I met today, Lila, grinning at me, her eyes alight with the thrill of the impending weekend.

"Party at Delta Phi. It's going to be epic!" added her friend Ryan, his arm slung casually around Lila's shoulder.

"Come on, you've been buried in these books for ages," Lila cajoled, plucking a pencil from my hair and twirling it between her fingers.

"Fine," I relented, feeling the pull of camaraderie. "But I'm not staying late."

"Deal!" they chimed in unison, their excitement contagious. As we left the library together, I felt a warmth spread through me—a sense of belonging that had nothing to do with romance or longing glances.

It was not a big deal, they were not my friends yet, but at least Lila seemed to be a nice soul, and she was so carefree that it just made me smile. Perhaps going to a party would not be a bad idea. I know, I was never a party girl, but perhaps this would be a worthy exception.

Later I found out, I was wrong.

The bass throbbed like a second heartbeat as I stepped into the churning sea of bodies at the Delta Phi house. The air was thick with the musky scent of sweat and the sweet tang of spilled beer. My pulse quickened, both with anticipation and a whisper of anxiety. This was my attempt at normalcy, at reclaiming a piece of my college experience that wasn't tainted by Sebastian's shadow.

"Roanne! Over here!" Lila's voice cut through the cacophony, and I navigated through the throng toward her enthusiastic wave.

"Drink?" Ryan offered, holding out a red plastic cup as if it were a peace offering to my nerves.

"Thanks." I took a tentative sip, the bitter taste grounding me. I scanned the room for other familiar faces, but each glance brought no recognition—until him.

Sebastian, leaning against a doorframe, his usually steady posture betraying him with a slight sway. He was the person who tainted me, who made me guarded and completely introverted. If he was here, my nightmares were just beginning.