Evan slouched over his notebook, pretending to focus on the professor's lecture, but his eyes kept drifting to Rylan. Even after a year, the older student still had that effortless charm the easy smile, the way he leaned back in his chair like he owned the world. Most people only saw Rylan's sweet mask. Evan saw it too… and it was intoxicating.
Rylan's laughter rang out across the lecture hall, light and careless. A girl beside him giggled, and Evan felt a pang of jealousy he hated. Don't be pathetic, he muttered to himself, scribbling notes he barely registered.
Then the door slammed open.
Heads turned, and a new presence filled the room. Tall, sharp, impossibly confident. Dark eyes scanned the class with a predatory edge, finally landing on Evan. That was Damien the new student.
He moved like he owned the space, every step deliberate. When his gaze settled on Evan, a slow, almost lazy smile curved his lips.
"Looks like I don't have to find love anymore," he said, voice low, velvet-smooth, carrying a weight that made Evan's chest tighten painfully.
Evan froze. Did… did he just say that to me? A shiver ran down his spine, half fear, half something he didn't want to admit.
Across the room, Rylan laughed at some private thought, completely unaware of the storm that had just entered their semester. Evan tried to focus on him, tried to cling to the familiarity of the crush he'd nursed since last year… but it was impossible.
Damien slid into the empty seat beside him without a word, his dark eyes never leaving Evan. There was no friendliness in them, not even curiosity only intense, calculated interest.
"I hope you don't get in my way," Damien murmured, leaning just slightly closer than necessary. Evan could feel his presence, suffocating and magnetic all at once.
Evan's hand shook as he gripped his pen, what does he mean? he thought heart was hammering. He had faced awkward classmates, jealous rivals, even the occasional flirtation from Rylan but this was different. Damien wasn't just intimidating. He was… consuming.
And deep down, Evan knew this semester wasn't going to be about innocent crushes anymore. Something dark had arrived.
Something that wanted him.