Puppy Love

Rain poured over the city as Lily Reyes stepped out of the taxi in front of the massive gates of River Hall University. She tightened her grip on her suitcase and stared at the campus. Tall buildings. Crowds of students. Laughter everywhere. A fresh start. “Please don’t let this school be as terrible as the last one,” she whispered. The driver handed her last bag. “Good luck, miss.” “Thanks.” Lily walked through the university gates nervously. Students passed by in groups, some laughing, some staring at their phones. She felt invisible already. Maybe that was a good thing. She checked the paper in her hand. Dormitory Building C — Room 214 “Okay… I can do this.” As she crossed the courtyard, loud cheering suddenly erupted nearby. A black motorcycle stopped near the fountain. Girls screamed. “ETHAN!” “Oh my gosh, he’s here!” Lily blinked in confusion as a tall guy removed his helmet slowly. Dark hair. Sharp jawline. Lazy smirk. And eyes that looked dangerously confident. The girls crowded around him immediately. Ethan Vale. The campus king. He winked at one girl while another held onto his arm. Lily rolled her eyes instantly. “Player,” she muttered under her breath. Unfortunately, Ethan heard it. His head turned toward her. For a moment, the noisy crowd disappeared. His eyes narrowed with amusement. Then he walked straight toward her. The girls gasped. Lily froze. Ethan stopped inches away from her suitcase. “You new here?” he asked casually. Lily crossed her arms. “Obviously.” A few students nearby looked shocked. Nobody talked to Ethan that way. Instead of getting offended, Ethan smirked wider. “Interesting.” “Well, excuse me,” Lily said. “Some of us actually came here to study.” She grabbed her suitcase and walked away. Behind her, the crowd went silent. Marcus walked over to Ethan, laughing. “You just got rejected in five seconds.” Ethan stared at Lily disappearing into the dormitory building. For the first time in a long while… Someone didn’t care who he was. And somehow— he couldn’t stop smiling.