The campus cafeteria buzzed with life—students chatting, the smell of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. Skylar clutched her cup tightly, staring at the screen of her phone.
Another message from her father.
"Have you thought about what we discussed? You need to make the right choice for this family."
Her grip tightened. The "right choice." That was all her parents seemed to care about lately. Find someone rich. Secure the family's future. But what about what she wanted?
She let out a slow breath, pushing the thoughts away. Right now, she just needed to get through the day.
As she turned toward the exit, distracted, she collided into someone.
Her coffee slipped from her fingers, spilling onto the person's black hoodie.
"Damn," a low voice muttered.
Skylar gasped, stepping back. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry—"
Chris glanced down at his soaked hoodie, then up at her, expression unreadable.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, without missing a beat, he pulled out a napkin from his pocket, dabbing at the stain. "It's fine." His voice was calm, but there was something in his eyes—something guarded.
Skylar recognized him immediately. Chris. The guy from her economics class. Quiet. Mysterious. Always sitting by the window.
She hadn't meant to notice him, but she had.
"I'll buy you a new one," she blurted out, gesturing toward the coffee stand.
Chris shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
But Skylar wasn't used to being ignored. "Come on, it's the least I can do."
He studied her for a second, then exhaled. "Fine."
As they moved toward the counter, neither realized that this small, insignificant moment would be the first of many.
Neither realized that their worlds—so different, so far apart—had just begun to collide.
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