Elena’s POV

Ryan’s hand is warm around my wrist.. firm but not rough and my heart is pounding like it’s trying to break out of my chest.

“Let me go,” I whisper, trying to pull free.

He looks at me... really looks at me with those blue eyes sharp but calm.

“I’ve never seen you before,” he says with voice low and even. “You new here?”

His question catches me off guard.

“Uh… no,” I stammer. “I mean, yes...no. Kind of.” I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.

Ryan’s lips twitch like he’s holding back a smile.

“No one ever sits next to me.”

“Yeah, no kidding. I wonder why,” I mumble, still tugging at my wrist.

Before he can say anything else, the classroom door opens and Professor Alden Crane strides in with his long coat flapping behind him.

Crap.

I freeze while veryone scrambles into their seats pretending like they weren’t whispering about me seconds ago. Ryan finally lets go of my hand and I drop into my chair beside him trying to look invisible.

“Good morning everyone,” Professor Crane says, setting his briefcase on the desk. His eyes sweep across the room until...oh no...he spots me and his brows pull together. “You. I don’t recall seeing you before. Are you new to this class?”

My stomach drops. Great. I’m dead. Cara’s name, Cara’s attendance and Cara’s everything... this was a horrible idea.

I open my mouth to lie my way out but no words come out.

“I...uh…”

The professor tilts his head, waiting then,m from beside me, Ryan speaks... calmly but with a strange authority.

“She’s with me, Professor.”

The room goes silent and Professor Crane blinks, looking slightly thrown off.

“With you?”

Ryan’s gaze stays steady.

“Yes.”

Something in the professor’s face shifts and whatever tension was building just… disappears.

“Very well,” he mutters after a pause. “Let’s continue.”

And that’s it. Just like that, he lets it go.

I stare at Ryan, completely dumbfounded. How the hell did that work? Even the other students look confused. No one ever talks to Professor Crane like that.. no one dares to.

Ryan just leans back in his seat with arms folded and his attention already fixed on the board as if nothing happened.

Throughout the lecture, I try not to move or breathe too loudly and my brain keeps replaying what just happened. Who the hell is this guy that even the professor listens to him?

Ryan doesn’t talk again during class. He doesn’t look at me either. He just sits there... calmly focused, scribbling something in his notebook like he doesn’t have half the school whispering about him every other second.

When the class finally ends, I almost sag with relief. The students start filing out, talking in low voices. I grab the attendance sheet, quickly find Cara’s name and sign it with trembling fingers.

There. Done. Mission accomplished. I stuff my pen into my bag and practically bolt for the door.

The hallway is packed... students chatting, laughing and gossiping. A few of them glance at me, whispering something I can’t catch. It’s definitely about what happened in class.

I push through the crowd, desperate to escape. Almost there. Just a few more steps and I’m out...

A hand catches my wrist again.

Seriously?!

I turn and there he is. Ryan Blackwood.. Again…

He’s taller than I realized up close. His sleeves are rolled up now showing glimpses of those tattoos that everyone talks about.

“You owe me one,” he says simply.

I blink.

“Excuse me?”

He looks at me like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“You would’ve been in trouble if I hadn’t stopped Crane.”

I frown.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he says slowly, “you’re not in that class. I could tell.”

My heart jumps.

“W-what? I...”

“Relax,” he interrupts with his tone softer now. “I’m not stupid. You were signing attendance for someone else.”

I gape at him.

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because no one new joins Crane’s class mid-semester,” he says with one corner of his mouth lifting. “And because you looked like you were about to faint when he called on you.”

Okay, he’s not wrong.

I cross my arms, trying to sound braver than I feel.

“Fine. So you figured it out. What do you want, a medal?”

He leans in slightly and his voice drops low enough that I can feel the words against my ear.

“I don’t want anything. Just remember...I kept your secret.”

For a second, I forget how to breathe and then just as suddenly, he straightens up, shoves his hands into his pockets and turns around.

Before I can even respond, a girl walks up to him... tall, flawless, and definitely confident. She links her arm through his like she’s claiming him.

“Tasha,” someone whispers nearby. Oh great. The Tasha.. the cheer captain.

“Come on, Ry,” she says sweetly, pulling him toward the courtyard. “We’re going to be late for practice.”

He glances back at me once... just once... with that unreadable expression then lets her drag him away.

I stand there for a moment, frozen. What the hell just happened?

When I finally remember that I’m supposed to be leaving, I make my way toward the restroom planning to splash some water on my face before I head out. Maybe calm down before I start shaking again.

The restroom is quiet. I drop my bag on the counter and sigh.

“Never again,” I mutter to myself. “Never ever again.”

That’s when I hear it. Soft at first.. a sound that doesn’t belong here.

There comes a muffled laugh and then… a moan of pleasure and I freeze. It’s coming from one of the stalls.

“Oh my God,” I whisper with disgust curling in my stomach.

The moans get louder with the laughter mixed in. Someone’s clearly enjoying themselves. I’m about to turn and run when the door suddenly bursts open and out steps...

Cara!

My jaw drops.

Her hair’s a mess, her lipstick smeared and her shirt halfway buttoned. She’s giggling like she’s just won the lottery and ehind her a tall guy zips up his pants smirking.

“Cara?” I gasp.

She stops laughing the second she sees me.

“Elena?”

For a few seconds no one says anything. Just silence then it hits me... while I was panicking, nearly getting caught and covering her stupid attendance... she was here. Hooking up and fucking some random guy in the restroom…!

Elena's POV

“Are you kidding me right now, Cara?” I slam the bedroom door behind me and glare at her. “You had me risk my neck for you while you were off screwing Brayden in the restrooms?”

Cara looks up from her phone, blinking like she’s just been caught doing something innocent.

“Oh please, Elena. Don’t act like you did me some huge favor.”

I stare at her in disbelief.

“I literally sat in your class pretending to be you! Professor Crane almost caught me! I could’ve been expelled!”

She scoffs, tossing her phone on the bed.

“Yeah, but you weren’t. You’re fine.”

“Fine?” I repeat, raising my voice. “You were supposed to be in class, not having sex in a restroom stall!”

“Don’t talk like you’re my mother,” she fires back, standing up. “Besides, I heard about you.”

“What about me?”

“Oh, come on,” she says with a smug grin. “You sat next to him. Ryan Blackwood. Everyone’s talking about it.”

I frown, confused.

“So? I just took the first empty seat I could find.”

She laughs like I’ve said something stupid.

“Empty seat? Elena, no one sits with Ryan. No one even looks at him if they can help it.”

I roll my eyes.

“That’s ridiculous. He’s just another student.”

“Just another student?” she repeats with eyes wide. “Do you even know who you’re talking about? His family owns the university. They basically own this town!”

“I don’t care,” I snap. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Cara folds her arms.

“You were trying to get attention weren’t you? You love acting all innocent but you’re not fooling me.”

My jaw drops.

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah,” she continues with her tone sharp. “You sit with Ryan Blackwood the one guy everyone avoids and you expect me to believe it was an accident?”

I clench my fists.

“You’re unbelievable. You’re the one sneaking off with a guy while I’m covering for you and now you’re accusing me of...”

The front door slams and we both freeze.

“Mom’s home,” Cara whispers.

Instant silence fills the room and we stare at each other for a long second before I grab my backpack and mutter, “This isn’t over.”

She scoffs, sitting back down.

“Whatever.”

Mom’s voice drifts up from downstairs.

“Girls? I brought dinner!”

I force a smile before going down to help, pretending nothing’s wrong. Cara does the same and neither of us wants Mom to know what happened. She’d lose her mind if she found out.

That night, I lie awake replaying everything...Professor Crane’s glare, Ryan’s calm voice saving me, his hand gripping mine later in the hallway and that low whisper promising to keep my secret. Why did he help me?

And why can’t I stop thinking about it?

***

The next day, I keep my head down as I walk into Blackwood University. People are still whispering about yesterday’s class though and I catch my name more than once and hear fragments like

“She actually sat beside him” and “I heard he talked to her.”

It’s enough to make me wish I could disappear.

I survive my first class thankfully without incident. Afterward, I’m walking with a group of friends...Lila, June, and Marnie...trying to focus on their chatter about an upcoming event and it’s nice hearing something normal for a change then Lila suddenly gasps.

“Oh my God.”

I look up and my stomach drops. Ryan Blackwood is standing in front of us calmly and silently like he’s been waiting.

“Can I have a word with Elena?” he asks with his deep voice steady.

The girls all exchange looks that scream oh no.

“Uh, sure,” June says quickly. “We’ll, um, wait over there.”

They scatter like scared birds and I cross my arms.

“What do you want, Ryan?”

He tilts his head with that faint smirk tugging at his lips.

“Relax. I just want to talk.”

“Talk?” I repeat. “Why would you want to talk to me? I’m not interested in whatever it is.”

His eyes flicker with amusement.

“What?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” I say. “You can have any girl in this entire school and last I checked, you’re already dating Tasha...Blackwood’s queen herself.”

His smirk fades slightly.

“You owe me, remember?”

I blink.

“Owe you? For what?”

He leans in with his voice low.

“For not letting Professor Crane expose you yesterday. You were pretending to be someone else Elena. Your secret’s safe but favors don’t come for free.”

I glare.

“What does that even mean?”

He smiles faintly.

“It means I’ll tell you when I decide to cash it in.”

Before I can respond, a sharp voice cuts through the convo

“Ryan!”

We both turn and Tasha is striding toward us with her glossy hair bouncing and her expression thunderous. She looks perfect,m of course...every inch the cheerleader goddess but her eyes are pure venom.

“What the hell is this?” she snaps. “You ditch me at lunch and I find you talking to her?”

I sigh.

“You know what? I’m leaving.”

“Don’t move!” she growls at me. “I’m not done...”

Ryan steps in front of me with his tone suddenly cold.

“Yes, you are.”

Tasha stares at him, stunned.

“What?”

“You heard me,” he says sharply. “We’re done, Tasha.”

She freezes like she didn’t hear him right.

“Excuse me?”

He looks bored now.

“You can leave.”

Her face turns red.

“You’re breaking up with me? For her?”

“It’s not about her,” he says simply. “It’s about you.”

Tasha lets out a bitter laugh.

“You’re insane. Do you even care about me anymore?”

“I do,” Ryan replies. “And I’m no longer interested.”

Everyone in the hallway is staring and I can feel the whispers already forming around us. Tasha glares at me one last time with her eyes full of hate then storms off and Ryan turns back to me completely calm again.

“See you around, Elena.”

And just like that he walks away leaving me standing there with a hundred eyes on me.

***

I wander across campus later still dazed. What’s up with this guy? One minute he’s cold, the next he’s saving me or dumping his girlfriend right in front of me.

The rumors about him swirl in my mind...students who crossed him and mysteriously left school, the whispers that his family covers things up.

The Blackwoods own everything: the university, most of the real estate in town, even some of the local police. Ryan’s untouchable and now somehow, I’ve become the girl he’s decided to talk to.

I don’t want to be part of this. I just want a normal life, to graduate and to stay out of trouble but Ryan Blackwood seems to have other plans.

Days pass and he’s everywhere. At lunch, leaning against a wall watching me. In the library sitting at the next table. In the quad,m with his eyes finding me like it’s nothing.

People start whispering that we’re seeing each other and I hate it.. I hate how everyone looks at me like I’ve done something wrong.

Cara of course loves it.

“Wow,” she teases one evening. “Didn’t think my little sister would become the talk of Blackwood.”

“Shut up,” I mutter, throwing a pillow at her.

She laughs.

“I’m serious, Elena. Be careful. People don’t just get close to Ryan Blackwood.”

“I’m not close to him,” I say. “He’s just… being weird.”

But the truth is, it’s getting harder to ignore him.

***

It’s Thursday afternoon and I’m in the locker room after gym class. The other girls are chatting and laughing with the sound of hair dryers humming in the background. I’m tying my shoes when suddenly everything goes quiet and I look up.

One by one, the girls are leaving and no one says a word. It’s like a wave of silence passing through the room and then I see him.. Ryan Blackwood, standing at the door.

He doesn’t move for a moment. Just watches me and I swallow hard.

“What are you doing here? This is the girls’ locker room.”

He takes a step forward.

“We need to talk.”

I stand with my heart pounding.

“Right now?”

He nods once.

“I’m cashing in that favor you owe me…”

Ryan's POV

“Ryan... oh god, Ryan...”

Emma’s voice comes in a high and breathy moan next to my ear and her nails dig into my shoulders. It’s fine.. It’s what I’m here for but I’m getting bored of this. I want a different view.

In one smooth movement I flip us over. She lets out a small surprised gasp as she lands on top of me with her blonde hair fanning across my face.

“Your turn.” I murmur with my hands finding her hips and guiding her, setting a slow deep rhythm.

She gets the idea quickly with her eyes fluttering shut as she moves. I let my hands roam up her sides and cup her breasts, squeezing just hard enough to make her whimper. That’s better. This is the part I like... the control, even when I’m letting her do the work.

I watch her, detached as her breathing gets faster and more ragged. She’s putting on a show and I’m just waiting for the finale.

It doesn’t take long. Her body goes stiff with a sharp cry tearing from her throat and that’s my cue. I let go with my own release coming in a quick hot pulse as the tension finally snaps.

For a minute the only sound in the room is our heavy panting breaths. She collapses on my chest with her skin covered with sweat. I don’t push her off.. not yet. Her fingers start tracing lazy circles on my skin.

“That was incredible, Ryan.” she gasps. “Everyone was right about you. That was… wow,” she murmurs. “I can’t believe I’m actually here with you.”

I don’t respond. I’m already pulling away and reaching for the pack of cigarettes on the nightstand.

“Everyone’s been talking about you,” she adds with her voice turning sly. “Word is you dumped Tasha. That must’ve been huge. She’s been crying all week.”

I light up a cigarette and take a long drag before answering.

“You seem really interested in my ex.”

She props herself up on one elbow giving me a playful smile.

“I’m just saying. You’re single now and… well…” she lets the rest hang in the air. “Maybe I could be your next girlfriend.”

I exhale a slow stream of smoke with my eyes fixed on the window.

“You threw yourself at me, Emma. Don’t make it sound deeper than it was.”

Her smile fades a little.

“So… what are you saying?”

“I’m saying,” I mutter, flicking ash into the tray, “that I wanted a distraction that’s all.”

Her mouth opens like she wants to argue but I cut her off.

“You got what you wanted too didn’t you? Don’t pretend otherwise.”

She looks hurt, clutching the sheets around her chest.

“You really are as cold as they say.”

“Maybe colder,” I reply simply and take another drag.

She turns away, angry now.

“You don’t have to be such an ass about it.”

I shrug.

“If it’s a relationship you’re after, you’re in the wrong bed.”

She finally gets up, mumbling something under her breath while I ignore her completely.

I’m halfway through my cigarette when a sudden bang rattles the door. Before I can react, it bursts open.

“Ryan!”

My father stands there, tall, furious and very out of place in my room and his expression alone could crack stone. I don’t move.

“Do you mind?” I say dryly. “You’re not exactly welcome to break down my door, Father.”

His gaze flicks to Emma still half-covered by the sheets.

“Get out,” he orders sharply.

Emma scrambles, gathering the sheet around her with her face pale. She darts into the bathroom and I hear the sound of frantic dressing before she slips out of the room without another word.

My father steps forward.

“This...” he gestures toward the bed “... is what you’ve become? A disappointment?”

I take another drag, leaning back in my chair.

“Nice of you to drop by, Father. Would you like a drink?”

“Don’t mock me,” he growls. “You think I don’t know what people say about you? That you’re wasting your life? You have every privilege handed to you and this is how you use it?”

“I’m enjoying my youth,” I say calmly. “Something you never did.”

His jaw tightens.

“You mistake recklessness for freedom, son. There’s a difference.”

“I’ll take my kind of freedom any day.”

“You think this will last?” His tone shifts deeper and colder. “You’re almost done with university. And when you graduate, your childish games end.”

“Is that a threat?” I ask, blowing out smoke.

“It’s a fact.” He straightens his suit jacket. “I’ve already made arrangements for your future. You’ll marry the senator’s daughter... Susie Harlow. She’s from a good family, well-connected and the union will strengthen ours.”

I stare at him for a moment, processing.

“You’ve got to be joking.”

His eyes harden.

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

I flick ash into the tray, smirking.

“I already have a girlfriend.”

“Liar,” he snaps. “You broke up with Tasha barely a month in. Don’t insult my intelligence.”

I lift a brow.

“Keeping tabs on me now?”

“I have to,” he says sharply. “You’re my son and every headline you make reflects on this family.”

“Then stop reading the headlines,” I mutter.

He slams his hand on the desk.

“Enough, Ryan! You’ll marry Susie and maybe being a husband will finally make you act like a man.”

I stand slowly, facing him.

“You can arrange a wedding all you want. Doesn’t mean I’ll show up.”

He stares at me for a long second with nostrils flaring. Then he straightens his tie with his face full disgust.

“You’ll regret those words.”

He turns and walks out, slamming the door behind him.

I put out the cigarette, watching the smoke curl away like a ghost and y reflection in the window stares back at me with cold eyes, no emotion and no care left to give but then a thought slips through and with it comes a face.

Elena Rivers…