Chapter 1- The Boy by the Fountain
The bus hissed to a stop in front of Edenvale University, its golden gates gleaming under the autumn sun. Ami Parker gripped the strap of her worn duffel bag and held her Bible like a shield. Years of dreaming had led her here, but now that she was standing on the polished marble steps, fear knotted her stomach.
“Lord… please let me belong here,” she whispered.
Designer handbags, expensive sneakers, laughter like music — everything about this campus screamed wealth. And Ami? She was a scholarship girl in thrift-store jeans, invisible in a sea of perfection.
She took a deep breath and started toward Jefferson Hall, the freshman girls’ dorm. People glanced at her curiously, not cruelly, but she felt the weight of their silent judgment anyway.
Inside, chaos ruled. Boxes spilled across the floor, hair dryers hummed, and girls shrieked greetings. Ami’s room, 204, was still empty — for now. She knelt to unpack, stacking her few books: textbooks, a journal, and her Bible. Carefully, she pinned up a photo of her mother, hoping it would steady her nerves.
The door burst open.
“Oh. My. God. You’re my roommate?”
A girl with silky blonde hair, designer shorts, and a cloud of perfume practically glowed.
“I’m Kayla, pre-law. And you?”
“Ami. English Literature.”
Kayla smiled, eyes sharp. “Cute. You’re organized. That’s… refreshing. Most girls are disasters by day two.”
Ami smiled shyly. “I just like things clean.”
Kayla plopped onto her bed, scrolling through her phone. “Scholarship, huh? Full ride?”
“Yes,” Ami said softly.
“Lucky! But you’ll love it here. Big party tonight at Davenport House — Ryan Stone will be there.”
Ami blinked. “Ryan Stone?”
Kayla’s eyes widened. “You don’t know? Ryan Stone. Golden boy. Senior. Captain of the debate team. Billionaire heir. Heartthrob of every girl on campus.”
Ami forced a polite smile. “Sounds… interesting.”
---
That evening, Ami wandered the campus quad. She had no intention of attending the party, but curiosity tugged at her. Music drifted across the courtyard, lanterns swaying over the fountain. Students laughed, couples whispered, and Ami felt painfully small.
“First week nerves?”
The voice was low, smooth, familiar. Ami turned.
He was tall, confident, dark hair catching the lantern light, and his smile… it was dangerous, magnetic, impossible to ignore.
“You’re new. I’d remember you.”
Ami’s heart stuttered. “I’m just… trying to find my way.”
“Edenvale can be a maze,” he said, “especially if you weren’t born into it.”
Her eyes widened. How did he know?
“You’ve got that look — nervous but determined. Don’t worry, we all start somewhere.”
“I didn’t think people like you had to start anywhere,” she blurted.
He chuckled softly. “People like me?”
“You look like you belong here,” she whispered.
“And you don’t?”
“Not yet.”
He extended his hand. “Then let’s fix that. I’m Ryan.”
Her heart jumped. Ryan Stone.
For a moment, the world fell silent — laughter, music, night — everything holding its breath.
She shook his hand, and the warmth of his touch sent a shiver up her arm.
Too close.
She pulled back. “I should go.”
“Already?”
“I have an early class. And… I try not to stay out too late.”
His smile softened. “You’re different.”
“I hope that’s not a bad thing.”
“It’s rare.”
Ami walked back to Jefferson Hall, whispering a prayer:
> “Lord, please don’t let me fall for someone like him.”
But deep down, she already feared the prayer was too late.
