The boy he couldn't lose

Chapter One The Coffee Incident Elian Hart was having a terrible morning. And, technically, it wasn't even nine o'clock. His suitcase had lost a wheel. His phone was sitting at three percent. He had gotten lost twice. And now, standing in the middle of a college campus that seemed determined to look exactly the same from every direction, Elian had absolutely no idea where his dorm was. “I'm going to die here.” He adjusted the strap of his bag and looked around. Students hurried past him in every direction, some carrying books, others laughing with friends. A few glanced at him before whispering to each other. Elian sighed. He already knew what they were looking at. His silver hair fell over his shoulders in soft waves, and his clothes were definitely more expensive than the average freshman's. His parents had insisted on sending him to college with practically everything he could possibly need. Apparently, “everything you could possibly need” included designer luggage. It also apparently included enough clothes to survive a small apocalypse. Elian had argued. His mother had ignored him. His father had added another suitcase. Now one of those suitcases was broken. Perfect. “Excuse me?” Elian turned. A girl was standing a few feet away, staring at him. “Are you lost?” Elian smiled politely. “Very.” She laughed. “Which dorm are you looking for?” “West Hall.” “Oh. You're going the wrong way.” Elian stared at her. “Of course I am.” She pointed behind him. “Go straight, turn left at the library, then right after the fountain.” Elian nodded seriously. “Straight. Left. Fountain. Right.” “Exactly.” “Thank you.” He turned away, then stopped. “Wait.” She looked at him. “Is the fountain before or after the library?” She laughed again. “After.” “Okay. Great. I definitely won't get lost.” He walked away. Three minutes later, he realized he had forgotten the directions. “Brilliant.” He muttered under his breath and checked his phone. Two percent. “Even better.” He hurried toward what he hoped was the library, clutching the cup of coffee he'd bought earlier. He was distracted. That was his excuse. At least, it would have been a good excuse if he'd actually been paying attention to where he was walking. He rounded a corner— —and crashed directly into someone. The coffee flew out of his hand. Silence. Elian slowly looked down. Coffee stained a very expensive black shirt. His eyes widened. “Oh.” The man standing in front of him didn't move. Elian looked up. And up. And up. The first thing he noticed was the height. The second was the black hair, messy in a way that somehow looked deliberate. Then the tattoos disappearing beneath the sleeve of his shirt. The eyebrow slit. The expression. Cold. Completely unreadable. Elian swallowed. Oh. He was dead. “I'm so sorry.” Nothing. “Seriously. I'm really, really sorry.” Still nothing. Elian nervously pushed his silver hair behind his ear. “I wasn't looking where I was going.” The stranger finally looked at him properly. His eyes traveled over Elian's face. The silver hair. The wide eyes. The nervous expression. Then back to his eyes. Something in his expression changed. Barely. So quickly that Elian almost missed it. “What's your name?” Elian blinked. “What?” “Your name.” “Elian.” The stranger repeated it quietly. “Elian.” There was something strange about the way he said it. Like he was memorizing it. Elian pointed helplessly at the coffee stain. “I can pay for the shirt.” “No.” “I can replace it.” “No.” “I can—” “Stop apologizing.” Elian closed his mouth. The stranger reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Give me your number.” Elian stared at him. “Excuse me?” The stranger's expression remained completely serious. “Your number.” “Why?” “So I can contact you.” “For the shirt?” “No.” Elian frowned. “Then why?” A faint smile appeared at the corner of the stranger's mouth. “Because I want it.” Elian's brain stopped working for approximately three seconds. “You don't even know me.” “I know your name.” “That is not the same thing.” “I'll learn the rest.” Elian stared at him. Who even talked like this? “Are you always this direct?” “Yes.” “That's terrifying.” The stranger almost smiled again. Almost. Then a voice called from behind them. “Alex!” A tall guy approached, slowing when he saw the coffee-covered shirt. He looked at Elian. Then at Alex. Then back at Elian. His lips twitched. “Should I ask?” “No,” Alex said. The newcomer grinned. “Definitely not asking.” Elian picked up his suitcase handle. “I'm going to go now.” Alex's eyes followed him. “Where?” “West Hall.” “Wrong direction.” Elian froze. He slowly turned around. Alex pointed behind him. “It's that way.” Elian's face burned. Of course. Of course he'd been walking the wrong way again. “Right.” He grabbed his suitcase. Then, after a moment, looked back. “Sorry again.” Alex nodded. “Elian.” “Yes?” “Don't disappear.” Elian frowned. “Why would I disappear?” Alex didn't answer. Elian walked away. His suitcase wheel squeaked loudly behind him. The moment he was out of earshot, Alex's friend looked at him. “Who was that?” Alex kept watching Elian disappear into the crowd. “Elian Hart.” His friend raised an eyebrow. “You know him?” “Not yet.” The friend laughed. “Oh, no.” Alex finally looked at him. “What?” “That look.” “What look?” “The one that says you've decided you want something.” Alex glanced back toward the direction Elian had gone. For the first time that morning, there was something almost warm in his expression. “I want to know him.” His friend shook his head. “Poor kid has no idea what's coming.” --- Across campus, Elian finally found West Hall. He dragged his broken suitcase up the steps and sighed in relief. His phone buzzed. One percent. A notification appeared. New message request. Elian frowned. He opened it. The account had no profile picture. No posts. No followers. Just one message. You looked beautiful today. Elian stared at the screen. His eyebrows pulled together. He didn't recognize the account. Before he could reply, another message appeared. Welcome to campus, Elian. He stared at it for several seconds. Then locked his phone. Probably spam. At least, that's what he told himself. He had no idea that someone had alreadiy been watching him. And somewhere across campus, someone else had just decided that he wasn't going to let Elian Hart disappear from his life.