THE COLLISION

Sia balanced her books in one arm, her schedule crumpled in the other. The hallways were packed, bodies moving like a current, pushing her forward whether she was ready or not.

She checked the room numbers—206, 207—then looked down at her paper. Where the hell is 209?

She turned a corner too fast.

Crash.

Books hit the floor. Hers. His.

Sia stumbled back, heart slamming against her ribs.

"Shit—"

She dropped to her knees, reaching for her stuff just as a larger hand did the same. Their fingers brushed. A jolt—like static, quick but lingering.

She looked up.

Him.

Messy dark hair, sharp jaw, an easy smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. He wasn't in a rush to grab his things, just watching her, amusement flickering in his deep brown eyes.

"Not the best way to make an entrance," he said, handing her a book.

Sia swallowed, taking it. "Yeah, well... I like to keep things interesting."

His smirk deepened. "Noted."

They stood, the moment stretching, the hallway noise fading just a little.

Then—the bell rang.

Sia's stomach dropped. "Crap, I'm late."

"You and me both." He handed her the last book, his fingers brushing hers again—deliberate this time. "See you around, new girl."

And then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd like he hadn't just completely thrown her off balance.

Sia exhaled, gripping her books.

Who was that?

And why did her heart feel like it was still racing?

---

By the time Sia found Room 209, the door was already shut. She hesitated before pushing it open, feeling at least a dozen pairs of eyes snap toward her.

"You must be Sienna Holloway." The teacher—a middle-aged woman with a no-nonsense expression—barely glanced up from her desk.

"Sia," she corrected automatically.

The teacher only nodded toward the empty seat near the back. "Take a seat. Try not to disrupt the lesson any further."

Heat crept up Sia's neck as she hurried to sit, avoiding eye contact with the students already whispering.

She pulled out her notebook, but her mind wasn't on class.

You'll find out soon enough.

Her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of her book.

What exactly had she just walked into?

---

Cafeteria –

Sia sat across from Jada, picking at her food, her mind still replaying the crash.

Jada took a bite of her fries, then her sharp gaze flickered to Sia's elbow. "Damn. You get into a fight already?"

Sia blinked. "What?"

Jada nodded toward the faint bruise forming just above her elbow. "That wasn't there this morning."

"Oh." Sia glanced down, flexing her arm. It wasn't bad, just a dull ache, but she must've hit it harder than she thought.

Jada raised a brow. "So, what happened?"

Sia hesitated, but then, why not tell her? It wasn't like it was a big deal.

"I, uh... bumped into someone."

Jada smirked. "Damn. You're really taking this new girl thing seriously."

Sia rolled her eyes. "Not on purpose. He came out of nowhere."

Jada popped another fry in her mouth. "And?"

Sia sighed. "And I dropped my books, he picked them up, we were both late to class. That's it."

Jada studied her, chewing slowly. Then—"Who?"

Sia shifted in her seat. "I don't know. Tall, dark hair, kinda cocky?"

Jada's expression didn't change, but something flickered behind her eyes. "Brad?"

Sia frowned. "I—who?"

Jada huffed a laugh. "Brad Moltenore. Kinda broody? Smirks like he's got a secret?"

Sia hesitated. "...Maybe?"

Jada shook her head, amused. "You'd know if it was Brad."

Sia raised a brow. "Why?"

Jada stabbed at her salad. "Let's just say... he has a reputation."

Sia glanced at her. "What kind of reputation?"

Jada met her gaze, unreadable. "You'll find out soon enough."

Sia wasn't sure how to feel about that.

But for some reason, her stomach twisted in a way that had nothing to do with the food.

---

After School

The day dragged after that. Classes blurred together, teachers handed out syllabi, and by the final bell, Sia's brain was fried.

She met Sophie outside by the car. Her sister leaned against the driver's side, sunglasses perched on her head, scrolling through her phone.

"Well?" Sophie asked, unlocking the doors.

Sia sighed, tossing her bag into the backseat. "It was... school."

Sophie smirked. "That bad, huh?"

Sia didn't answer as she buckled in, her mind still caught on dark eyes, a lazy smirk, and a name she suddenly wanted to know more about.

As they pulled out of the lot, she watched the school fade in the rearview mirror.

It was only the second day, and already, things felt... complicated