Aria Moretti had begun to understand one truth at Crescent High: nothing was ever simple. Just when she thought she had adapted to the social hierarchies, the hidden agendas, and the subtle tests of intellect, something—or someone—would emerge to complicate everything.
It was during an ordinary afternoon in the courtyard that the next challenge arrived. She had just finished meeting with Luca, discussing strategy for an upcoming debate practice, and had barely begun walking toward the library when she felt it—the unmistakable shift in the atmosphere when someone new entered her orbit.
He was tall, with dark, tousled hair and a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His presence carried confidence, the kind that made other students pause mid-step to watch him pass. And then he stopped, d
