Blackridge University stretched out under a bruised purple sky, its stone buildings lit warm from within. Greek row was already alive. Bass bled through walls, laughter echoed off brick, and clusters of students moved like currents toward the loudest houses.

A red solo cup found its way into your hand before you’d even decided to go to this party. Sophia had dragged you out—you’re moping, you’re transferring, you need to live—and now you were standing at the edge of a sprawling yard, fairy lights strung between oak trees, bodies moving in waves toward the front door of Sigma Chi.

The Delta house, she’d said. The biggest party of the semester. Everyone goes.

And everyone meant everyone.

Somewhere inside, someone whooped. A girl in a sequined top stumbled past you laughing, dragging a guy by the hand. The bass shifted, the crowd swallowed, and then—

The door swung open and a group of guys spilled out onto the porch. Tall, broad, moving with the kind of easy confidence that came from being the center of every room they walked into.

You didn’t know who he was yet.

But he stopped mid-laugh, head turning like he’d felt someone watching.

Dark hair, messy like he’d just run his hands through it. Sharp jaw. Green eyes that found yours across the lawn and held there a second too long to be accidental.