The next few days were like a game Riley didn't know the rules to, and she hated every minute of it.
She wasn't the type to feel uncomfortable at parties, not in the way she did when she was around Zayden. There was something about the way he looked at her—almost as if he was waiting for her to break. She could feel his eyes on her every time she entered a room, like he was sizing her up, learning her weaknesses, testing the limits.
He didn't play by the same rules as everyone else, and that made him dangerous.
But despite all of that, Riley couldn't get him out of her head. No matter how hard she tried to brush him off, there was always something about him—his aloof demeanor, his silent confidence—that seemed to pull her in. And she hated it.
She hated the way her heart raced when he walked into a room, the way her body tightened when he was close. She wasn't supposed to feel anything for a guy like him, but damn it, she did.
"Stop thinking about him," Riley muttered to herself as she paced back and forth in her dorm room. "He's just a playboy. A rich, spoiled brat."
But the truth was, Riley wasn't entirely sure what he was. He was so much more than that, and she knew it.
The Next Day – A Tense Encounter
The day started off as any other. Riley sat through her classes, listened to her professors drone on, and tried to ignore the whispers of her classmates. But as the day wore on, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. Something big.
And she was right.
She was heading to her locker after her last class when she saw him—Zayden. He was standing against the lockers with his usual smirk plastered on his face, as if he owned the entire school.
"Riley," he greeted, his voice smooth and teasing.
"What do you want, Adrian?" she shot back, trying to keep her voice steady.
He pushed off the lockers and stepped toward her, his gaze never leaving hers. "I want to know what it takes to get under your skin."
Riley rolled her eyes. "You're not my type."
He grinned, clearly unfazed by her rejection. "I know. But that's what makes this fun."
Before she could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. She started to walk away, but Zayden reached out, grabbing her wrist gently but firmly. "Where do you think you're going?"
Riley yanked her arm away, heart pounding. "Let go of me."
"I'm not done with you yet," he said, his tone low and dangerous.
Something inside Riley snapped. "I don't have time for your games, Zayden. You're not the center of my world."
He didn't flinch. Instead, his eyes darkened, and he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming her. "I'm not playing games, Riley. I'm trying to understand you. Why are you so damn difficult?"
She inhaled sharply, her heart racing in her chest. "Because I don't need a guy like you complicating my life."
Zayden studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You think I'm just some spoiled rich kid, don't you?"
"I don't think. I know."
He leaned in closer, his lips almost touching her ear. "You have no idea who I really am."
Riley shivered, though she hated that she did. "And I don't care to."
With that, she turned and walked away, not looking back.
Later That Night – Unanswered Questions
Riley sat on her bed, staring out the window at the distant skyline. Her mind kept replaying the scene with Zayden—his eyes, the way his voice had dropped to a dangerous tone, the heat that radiated off him.
She hated how his presence affected her. How his words stayed with her long after he was gone.
She wasn't supposed to be attracted to him. She wasn't supposed to care. But she did.
Riley ran a hand through her hair in frustration. She had come to Crestwood Elite Academy to make a name for herself, to prove that she wasn't just another charity case or scholarship student. She wasn't here to play games with some rich, arrogant playboy.
But why did he feel like a challenge she couldn't resist?
The Following Week – The Party Invitation
It happened just like the others.
The whispers. The stares. The envy.
But this time, it wasn't just any party. It was a party hosted by none other than Zayden Adrian himself. And this time, it wasn't an invitation to the rich kids and their social circles. This one was for everyone. For the scholarship students. For Riley.
The invitation was clear: Come to the party. See the real me.
Riley stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. She hadn't planned to go. She hadn't even wanted to. But something about Zayden's invitation gnawed at her, urging her to step into his world, even if it meant losing part of herself in the process.
She picked up the invitation again, her fingers tightening around the paper.
Was she really going to do this?
At the Party – A New Reality
The moment Riley stepped into the Adrian mansion, she felt like a fish out of water.
Everything about this place screamed wealth and power. The marble floors, the chandeliers, the elegant guests in their designer clothes—all of it was overwhelming.
And there he was. Zayden. Standing in the center of the room, as if he owned it.
"Riley." His voice cut through the noise of the party, and her eyes locked onto his. His smirk was gone now, replaced by something more intense.
"You came," he said, his gaze scanning her from head to toe.
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "I didn't come for you, Zayden."
He smiled, stepping closer. "No. But you came anyway."