Collide (Campus Darlings' Series, Book 1)

Maddie Rivers lived like the sun had personally promised her it would rise every morning, and she taught like it was her job to make sure everyone else believed it too.As a third-year education major, she enjoyed teaching the younger students in her department.Maddie perched herself on the edge of a desk in the middle of the education hall, swinging her legs like a kid waiting for recess. The sun streamed in through the large windows, making the room extra warm and golden. To her, this was the kind of day that felt like a hug from the universe, meaning a perfect day to teach.In front of her sat a group of wide-eyed first-year students. They gathered around a circular table, notebooks flipped open and pens poised, ready to write. They looked at Maddie like she was some kind of educational fairy godmother, who, with just a wave of her wand, could make their lesson plans magically perfect.Maddie, with her shoulder-length brunette hair bouncing with every word she said, pointed at the board behind her. She scribbled a few key tips on student engagement. Her dimples deepened as she grinned, her brown eyes sparkling with excitement."Okay, so here's the deal, boys and girls," she said, leaning forward conspiratorially as if she were about to reveal the secret recipe to the best lesson plan ever, "if you—""Excuse me?" A student at the side interrupted her, raising his hand. He smiled and said, "I'm gay.""Oh!" Maggie laughed and continued, "Okay, so listen here, boys, girls, gays, lesbians, transgender, and whatever gender you are. If you want to keep your students awake and not drooling on their desks, you have to trick them into learning."Laughter rippled through the group, and Maddie's smile spread wider. She loved doing this. To her, teaching felt more like playing and calling at the same time. Her grandma was a teacher, and she imparted to her the importance of knowledge from a young age.One of the first-years, a timid-looking girl with huge glasses and an even bigger notebook, raised her hand. "But what if they're really, really bored? Like, they don't even want to be there?"Maddie's eyes twinkled mischievously as her hand moved around to emphasize, "Oh, that's easy. You just do something ridiculous. Like, I don't know, juggle markers or break out into a spontaneous song, whatever works! You gotta make them look at you, and then, bam! Hit them with the knowledge while they're still stunned."The girl blinked, unsure if Maddie was serious or not. Maddie, noticing the confusion, let out a soft laugh. "Okay, maybe not the juggling part. I mean, unless you're really good at it. The point is, you have to keep them guessing. Make it impossible for them to look away."The group nodded and looked at each other, as if Maddie dropped a nugget of pure teaching gold. From the corner of her eye, she spotted her best friend, Lila. She sat quietly at a nearby desk, propping her chin with her hand.Lila was the yin to Maddie's yang. Maddie was all sunshine and chatter; Lila was calm and serene, like a peaceful lake that never rippled. A soft smile graced her lips, listening but not really participating, which was classic Lila."Right, Lil?"Madie called out, wanting her friend to participate. "Tell them about that time we convinced Mrs. Parker's class. We told them that everything they learned that day would be on a YouTube rap video."Lila's chin rose, and her smile grew a little. "Yeah. They were really excited. I think they spent the whole day waiting for the drop."The first-years chuckled, and Maddie winked at them. "See? You just have to keep them on their toes. Teaching's like sneaking vegetables into brownies; they don't even realize it's good for them."The laughter and chatter grew louder, and Maddie felt a burst of pride. She had them exactly where she wanted them. Situations like this made her forget the stress of assignments, exams, and the inevitable "What am I doing with my life?"crisis that seemed to plague every student at Ivory Hills University.Being here felt right.As the group continued to chat about lesson plans and classroom strategies, three girls walked by the open door, their voices carrying through the hall."Oh my God, did you hear? Ethan Carter won again. That's like, his third competition this semester.""Of course he did. I mean, he's the engineering god. What did you expect?" The girls giggled.Maddie's ears perked up. She glanced at them slightly, catching snippets of their conversation. The girls were in awe, practically swooning as they walked past."Not only is he brilliant, but I swear he gets more attractive every time I see him.""Uh, duh. Have you seen him in person? He's like a Greek god or something. How does someone that smart also look that good?"Maddie blinked, her brow furrowing. Engineering God? Greek god? She glanced at Lila, who was still quietly doodling in the edges of her notebook, uninterested in the gossip."Who are they talking about?" Maddie whispered to Lila, leaning over the desk.Lila didn't even glance up. "Ethan Carter."Maddie tilted her head, lips pursing in confusion. "And... who is that, exactly?"Lila stopped and looked at her. "The guy they just said. The Engineering God."Maddie stared at her blankly.Lila sighed softly, a small smile playing on her lips. "You seriously don't know who Ethan Carter is?"Maddie shrugged. "Nope. Should I?"At that moment, one of the first-years, a boy with shaggy hair and an oversized hoodie, looked up from his notes, his eyes wide. "Wait, you don't know who Ethan Carter is? He's like... one of the most famous guys on campus."Maddie gave him a playful smirk. "Famous might be pushing it, don't you think?"Shaggy-Haired Boy shook his head vigorously. "No, seriously! He's won, like, every engineering competition since freshman year. National and international too! He's a genius. And, uh... also kind of, well, really good-looking.""Good looking is an understatement," the first years chimed in unison.The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and Maddie raised an eyebrow."Wait, wait, hold up," Maddie said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "So, you're telling me this guy is some sort of brainiac and a heartthrob? Like, both? That doesn't even sound real. Are we sure he's not just a myth? Maybe he shows up only when there's a competition, like some sort of engineering superhero."Lila chuckled softly, shaking her head.One of the girls in the group leaned forward, her expression serious. "No, Maddie, he's real. And trust me, if you saw him, you'd understand. He's... well, let's just say there's a reason half the girls on campus are obsessed with him."Maddie crossed her arms, her lips twitching with barely concealed laughter. "Okay, okay. I'll believe it when I see it. But until then, I'm just going to assume this Ethan guy is some kind of campus urban legend. Like Bigfoot, but with a calculator."The group erupted in laughter."Seriously, though," Maddie continued, grinning, "I bet if I met him, I'd probably just embarrass myself anyway. I'd be like, 'Oh, hey, you're the guy who's good at, uh, math stuff, right?'"Lila sighed, smiling indulgently, as if she'd long since accepted Maddie's tendency to turn everything into a joke.One of the girls shook her head, still giggling. "You're something, Maddie."Maddie beamed at her. "I try."Just as she was about to make another joke about Ethan's supposed godlike status, a voice cut through the room."Maddie?"Everyone turned to see Professor Andrews standing in the doorway, his arms folded, a puzzled expression on his face.Maddie's heart skipped a beat. "Oh, uh, hey, Professor! What's up?"He didn't say anything for a moment, just raised an eyebrow. "Can I speak to you for a moment? It's... important."The room fell into a hush, the students' eyes darting between Maddie and the professor. Even Lila sat up a little straighter as if concerned.Maddie's stomach did a little flip. "Uh, sure. Be right there."As she slipped off the desk and followed Professor Andrews out of the room, she shot Lila a quick glance as if asking for help. Lila chuckled and waved at her, sending her a flying kiss.Maddie rolled her eyes and ran to the professor's side, wondering why he called her.