CHAPTER 1

Alexandra Thompson's eyes scanned the crowded college quad, searching for a familiar face. She hadn't expected to run into anyone from her past, especially not him. But there he was, Damien Styles, standing by the fountain, looking as charming and confident as ever.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Alexandra felt like she'd been punched in the gut. All the memories she'd tried to bury came flooding back – the laughter, the tears, the betrayal.

It had been ten years since Damien broke her heart in third grade. Ten years since he chose her best friend over her. Alexandra thought she'd long forgotten the pain, but the sight of Damien brought it all back.

As they stood there, frozen in time, Alexandra couldn't help but wonder what he was doing here. And why did he have to look so damn good?

"Hey, babe, you new here too?" Linda, a sassy redhead, interrupted Alexandra's trance-like state.

Alexandra blinked twice, still trying to process the unexpected encounter with Julian. She gazed in the direction where she had seen him, but he was gone. "Uh..."

Linda snapped her fingers in front of Alexandra's face, drawing her back to reality. "Hello?"

Alexandra's voice barely rose above a whisper. "Huh?"

Linda's curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced over her shoulder, wondering what had captivated Alexandra's attention. Seeing only the crowd, she turned back to Alexandra. "You looking for someone?"

Alexandra shook her head, her voice still low. "No, not really."

Linda's smile widened as she introduced herself. "I'm Linda Martins. And you're?"

"Alexandra Thompson," she replied, shaking Linda's hand.

"I'll call you Alex," Linda said with a friendly smile, which coaxed a small smile from Alexandra.

As they walked through the hallway, Linda showed Alexandra around and introduced her to the college's ways. Alexandra felt a mix of emotions: happiness, relaxation, and a sense of accomplishment at making it to college despite the challenges she and her mom had faced. Her goal of making her mom proud and getting good grades became her top priority.

But the calmness was short-lived, as memories of Damien still lingered in her mind. She pushed them aside, focusing on her new surroundings and her new friend, Linda.

When they arrived at Alexandra's dorm room, Linda said, "And here we are! Your room." Her smile was infectious.

"Thanks so much, Linda," Alexandra appreciated.

"Anytime, hun. Go freshen up and meet me at the dining hall," Linda instructed before walking away.

Alexandra took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped into her new space. The warm sunlight streaming through the curtains illuminated the room, and she felt a rush of excitement as she saw the comfortable king-size bed. Her gaze fell on another door to her right, which piqued her curiosity. Letting her bag slide to the marble floor, she approached the black door cautiously and opened it a crack. She peeked inside, scanning the beautiful purple room, clearly her roommate's space.

Just then, the entrance door opened and closed, and Alexandra quickly shut the door, rushing to hide in a nearby corner. She overheard snippets of conversation from the other side of the door.

"He's such an asshole. Unpredictable, repulsive, and selfish. All he cares about is himself and what he wants."

"But he still loves you," another voice countered.

"He loves what he gets from me. Sex."

The conversation stopped abruptly, and Alexandra heard them whisper, "Someone's in here?"

"How am I supposed to know, dumbass? The bag on the ground says it all."

"Maybe it's our new roommate."

Alexandra's nerves got the better of her, but she couldn't hide anymore. She sprang out from the corner and stood before the two strangers.

"Hello," she squeaked nervously.

The two girls, one with black hair and the other with white-brown hair, exchanged looks.

"Who are you?" they asked in unison.

"Oh God" Alexandra whispered to herself.

 ***

Damien slammed the door shut and collapsed onto the sofa, his face etched with worry and concern. Jacob, his best friend, walked out of the kitchen with a glass of lemonade and noticed Damien's troubled expression.

"You had issues with your girl again?" Jacob asked, but Damien's scoff and avoidance of eye contact told him otherwise. Jacob sensed that something more serious was bothering Damien.

Throwing himself onto the couch beside Damien, Jacob's inquiring stare demanded answers. "What's troubling you?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.

Damien hesitated, but Jacob's persistence wore him down. "I saw my ex," he muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Jacob's expression remained neutral. "Oh wow? Which one?"

Damien let out a wry chuckle. "F**k, bro, I'm serious here."

Jacob stood up, heading back to the kitchen, but Damien's next words stopped him in his tracks. "It was Alexandra."

Jacob's eyes widened in surprise. "Alexandra Thompson?" he repeated, his voice laced with incredulity.

Damien nodded, his gaze still fixed on the floor. Jacob spun around, his eyes locked onto Damien's. "The one you chose her best friend over?" he asked, his tone tinged with disbelief.

***

"Oh my God, you're the new girl the principal's been telling us about! You're so pretty!" Sarah, the black-haired girl with grey eyes, exclaimed as she rushed over to Alexandra, embracing her warmly. "I'm so glad you get to be our roommate," she added, giggling after breaking the hug.

But Eva, the white-brown-haired girl, promptly objected, her disgust evident in her gaze. "Uh, no. She can't be our roommate." Despite Alexandra's impressive academic records and her unique, petite appearance and pretty face, Eva seemed disapproving of the idea of being roommates with her. Perhaps Eva worried that Alexandra's beauty might steal her boyfriend's attention, or overshadow her own popularity, or even take something else that Eva valued.

"I'm contacting the principal right now," Eva said, pulling out her phone and dialing the principal's number, her actions revealing her determination to prevent Alexandra from becoming their roommate.

ALEXANDRA THOMPSON stood Frozen on her spot as Eva was already dialing the principal's line.