Andrian’s POV
The day had been off from the start. I couldn’t quite place when my mood had soured, but by the time I entered the cafeteria, a dull irritation simmered beneath my skin. Maybe it was the stale air, the overzealous whispers of classmates trying to curry favor with me, or the fact that none of it felt real. Whatever it was, it only got worse when I saw him.
There he was. Alex.
Laughing.
With Luke, of all people.
The sight made my jaw tighten, my appetite disappearing instantly. Luke, an elite like me, someone with the world at his feet, was sitting with him, the boy I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about, for all the wrong reasons. I watched as Luke leaned closer to Alex, his grin smug and effortless, and something in my chest twisted.
It wasn’t jealousy, I told mys
