Evelyn Reed clapped her hands again, dismissing the homeroom.

"Head to the gymnasium immediately," she instructed. "Collect your freshman boot camp supplies. Do not dawdle."

Sloane shoved her notebook into her backpack. She zipped it aggressively, eager to escape the classroom before Julian could open his mouth to tease her again.

She walked briskly out the door, joining the massive stream of students moving down the main corridor. The air was thick with the nervous energy of hundreds of freshmen.

Sloane pushed through the heavy double doors of the gymnasium. The smell of floor wax and stale sweat hit her nose. The massive room was filled with towering piles of olive-green duffel bags and camping gear.

Julian strolled into the gym moments later. His hands were buried in his pockets. He looked entirely unbothered by the chaos around him, his tall frame easily parting the crowd.

Blair Montgomery intercepted him near the wooden bleachers. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, her chest leaning slightly forward.

"Julian, right?" Blair asked, her voice breathy. "Do you know where the sleeping bags are? It's so confusing in here."

Julian didn't even stop walking. He looked right past Blair, his eyes scanning the massive room until they locked onto a specific target.

"No," Julian said flatly. He walked straight past her, leaving Blair standing alone.

Blair's smile dropped instantly. Her manicured hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She turned, her eyes tracking Julian's path.

Across the gym, Sloane was struggling. She was trying to lift a heavy olive-green duffel bag packed with a tent and survival gear. Her arms trembled under the weight, her biceps burning.

The thick canvas strap slipped from Sloane's sweaty fingers. The massive bag plummeted, threatening to crush her toes.

A large, warm hand suddenly clamped down on the strap.

Julian caught the bag effortlessly in mid-air. The muscles in his forearm flexed as he hefted the massive duffel onto his own shoulder like it weighed nothing.

Sloane looked up, her chest heaving.

"I had it under control," Sloane said defensively. She reached out, trying to grab the rough canvas strap back.

Julian sidesteps her attempt smoothly.

"You're weak," Julian teased, a genuine smile breaking through his icy facade. He tossed his metal water bottle at her chest. "Just carry that instead."

Sloane huffed in annoyance, her cheeks flushing hot. But she caught the metal bottle, secretly relieved the burning in her arms was gone.

Across the gym, Blair watched this entire interaction. Her chest tightened with a sharp, physical pang of pure jealousy. She noted the gentle, teasing smile Julian gave Sloane-a smile he had completely denied her.

Cassidy Vance walked up beside Blair, following her line of sight.

"She looks like a helpless child," Cassidy whispered, a snide sneer on her lips.

"She's pathetic," Blair agreed in a cold whisper. A toxic seed of hatred took root deep in her stomach.

Julian nodded toward the gym exit. "Keep up," he told Sloane, carrying both of their heavy bags toward the staging area.

Sloane jogged slightly to keep pace with his long strides. "This mandatory camping trip is a human rights violation," she complained, her breath hitching.

They walked out of the gym and crossed the sunlit football field. The heat radiated off the turf. A long lineup of yellow charter buses idled loudly in the driveway.

Finn Reynolds jogged up to them. He slapped Julian hard on the back.

"Why are you doing the heavy lifting, Astor?" Finn laughed, looking at the two massive bags.

"She'd probably break an ankle if she tried," Julian replied calmly.

Sloane punched Julian hard on the arm. Her knuckles stung against his solid bicep, but he didn't even flinch.

Finn laughed louder, shaking his head at their familiar bickering, and headed toward bus number three.

Julian stopped at the folding doors of bus number three. He dropped the bags onto the pavement and turned, using his body to block Sloane's path up the stairs.

He looked down at her, the teasing gone from his eyes.

"Don't do anything stupid during this camp," Julian warned, his voice low and serious. "I won't always be there to catch your bags."

Sloane rolled her eyes. Her heart did a strange, uncomfortable flutter. She pushed past his arm and stepped up onto the rubber stairs of the bus.

Blair boarded the bus right behind them. As she passed Sloane in the narrow aisle, Blair intentionally dropped her shoulder. She rammed it roughly against Sloane's collarbone.

Sloane stumbled backward. Her ribs hit the metal railing hard. She gasped, looking up in confusion.

Blair didn't look back. She walked straight to the back of the bus, her spine rigid, leaving Sloane rubbing her bruised shoulder in the aisle.

The charter bus hit a massive pothole, jolting Sloane awake. Her head bounced painfully against the glass window.

She rubbed her eyes, her neck stiff. She looked out the window to see dense, towering pine trees blocking out the sun. A weathered wooden sign passed by, reading Pine Ridge Boot Camp.

The bus ground to a halt in a dusty clearing. The loud, crackling voice of an instructor echoed from a megaphone outside, vibrating through the thin metal walls of the bus.

Sloane stood up. She grabbed her backpack from the overhead bin. She felt the heavy, shifting weight of the hidden snacks inside, her stomach grumbling in anticipation.

She walked down the narrow aisle and stepped off the bus. The humid, pine-scented mountain air hit her face like a wet towel.

Julian stepped off right behind her. His sharp eyes immediately narrowed as he noticed the suspicious, bulky shape of her backpack.

He stepped up beside her. He tapped the side of her bag with his knuckles.

"Did you pack bricks, or just a ridiculous amount of junk food?" Julian asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

Sloane swatted his hand away instantly.

"Keep your voice down," Sloane whispered frantically, her eyes darting around the clearing.

Julian smirked. He leaned casually against a wooden fence post, crossing his arms.

"You're addicted to gummy bears," Julian teased openly. "They're going to smell the sugar on you."

Instructor Cole Donovan, a massive man in tight cargo pants and combat boots, blew a loud silver whistle. The shrill sound pierced Sloane's eardrums.

"Line up! Rows of ten! Now!" Donovan roared.

Sloane scrambled into the second row. She stood rigidly at attention, her heart starting to race as Donovan paced like a predator in front of them.

"Mandatory contraband check," Donovan announced, his voice booming. "All snacks, phones, and non-essential items will be confiscated immediately. Open your bags."

Sloane's eyes widened in sheer panic. Her grip tightened on the nylon straps of her backpack until her knuckles turned white.

Julian, standing in the front row, glanced back at her over his shoulder. He shot her a mocking, I told you so look.

Donovan and two other counselors began walking down the rows. The sound of zippers tearing open filled the air. Counselors pulled out chip bags, candy bars, and phones, tossing them into plastic bins.

A female counselor stopped directly in front of Sloane.

"Main compartment. Open it," she demanded.

Sloane hesitated. She bit her bottom lip hard, tasting a hint of copper. Slowly, she pulled the zipper down, revealing her massive stash.

The counselor ruthlessly reached in. She pulled out three bags of chips, a box of cookies, and a large bag of gummy bears. She tossed them all into the plastic bin with a loud clatter.

Sloane watched her food disappear. Her stomach physically sank. Her face fell into an expression of pure, dramatic tragedy.

Julian let out a low, audible chuckle from the front row. He couldn't hide his amusement at her absolute misery.

Sloane glared daggers at the back of his head, her teeth grinding together.

The counselor moved on to the next student. She completely failed to notice the small, flat chocolate bar Sloane had slipped into the hidden pocket of her skirt before boarding, pressing it flat against her stomach. Sloane let out a tiny, silent breath of relief. She subtly rested her hand on her midsection, feeling the solid square of chocolate still safely tucked against her skin.

Donovan blew the whistle again.

"Grab your cleared bags. Head to the cabin assignment board," Donovan ordered.

Sloane walked across the dusty clearing. She dragged her feet, mourning her lost gummy bears as she approached the large wooden bulletin board.

Julian fell into step beside her. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.

"You look like a kicked puppy without your sugar," Julian whispered.

"You're heartless," Sloane snapped back, her hands balling into fists. "I'm going to trip you into the mud during the first hike."

Julian laughed. It was a bright, genuine sound. He reached out and quickly ruffled her hair, his fingers tangling in her ponytail and completely messing it up.

Sloane gasped, batting his hands away and trying to smooth her hair down.

A few yards away, Blair watched them from the crowd. Her jaw was tight with anger, her nails digging into her palms as she stared at Julian's hand in Sloane's hair.

Sloane stepped up to the board, completely unaware of the target that had just been painted on her back.