The rain came down in sheets, drowning the night in silver. Alex Reid stood at the edge of the campus courtyard, his hood drawn up and hands stuffed into his pockets. The flickering glow of the streetlamp above him did little to warm the sinking pit in his stomach.
He shouldn't have come.
Mark's voice echoed in his head, a half-drunken plea from earlier that day.
"Don't get involved, man. She's not worth the drama."
Alex wanted to listen. He really did. But when Selena Grey cornered him after class, her eyes red-rimmed and desperate, he'd hesitated—and that moment of weakness landed him here.
Now he stood waiting for her and her friend, a girl he barely knew but already didn't like.
"I knew you'd show up."
Selena's voice pulled him back to the present. She stepped out from under the archway, her dark hair damp and curling against her shoulders. The makeup that usually made her look so put-together was streaked, but there was no mistaking the sharp edge to her smile.
Behind her, Iris Vaughn followed like a shadow. She was shorter than Selena but carried herself like she owned the ground she walked on. Where Selena looked broken, Iris looked ready to break something—or someone.
"You didn't give me much of a choice," Alex said, his voice flat.
"Everyone has a choice," Iris cut in, folding her arms as she leaned against the wall. Her eyes pinned him like a hawk sizing up prey. "You just made the wrong one."
Alex bit back a retort. He wasn't here to trade insults.
Selena stepped closer, her voice softer now. "Look, Alex. I just want to fix things with Mark. He's your best friend. Don't you want to see him happy?"
Happy? Alex almost laughed. Mark was happier now than he'd been in months. But Selena was good—too good. Her words slithered past defenses before you even realized they were gone.
"You're not going to fix anything by manipulating him."
Her lips trembled, but before she could respond, Iris pushed off the wall and stepped between them.
"Save the lecture, hero." She jabbed a finger at his chest. "We don't need your approval. We need your help."
"Help with what?" Alex snapped.
Iris leaned in, her voice dropping low. "Help us make Mark fall for her again."
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
"You're insane," he said, but neither of them flinched.
Selena reached out, brushing his arm. "Please, Alex. I'll do anything."
And just like that, Alex knew. He wasn't walking away from this clean. Not now. Not ever.
As the rain poured harder, Alex clenched his fists. He didn't know how, but something told him this storm was only beginning.