Riley stood by the grand doors of Crestwood Elite Academy, her hands gripped tightly around the straps of her backpack. It felt like she was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring down at a future she wasn't sure she was ready for. The luxury of the academy's campus surrounded her—glimmering glass, manicured lawns, and sleek black cars parked like trophies.
She had been thrust into this world by nothing more than a scholarship and her own grit, but it was becoming increasingly clear that surviving in this world of wealth and status was far more complicated than she'd imagined.
And at the center of it all stood Zayden Adrian.
Her thoughts wandered back to him—his arrogant smirk, his overwhelming presence. Zayden was the golden boy of Crestwood Elite Academy. Everyone knew him. He was charming, rich, and devastatingly good-looking. And Riley? She was the scholarship girl, the one who didn't fit in, the one who was barely holding her own among the elite.
She hadn't meant to hit his car that day, but the way he'd stood there, staring at her with that condescending look in his eyes, made her feel like an idiot. He didn't seem to take her seriously, and that infuriated her. Riley knew she had to prove herself—she didn't just want to be the girl who got into trouble; she wanted to show them she belonged.
But as the days went by, her life became more entangled with Zayden's. Every time their paths crossed, there was a tension in the air, thick and undeniable. And despite everything, Riley couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye.
The sound of footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see Zayden himself approaching. His eyes, cold and calculating, met hers, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. He was the one who broke the silence.
"Well, well, if it isn't the girl who thinks she can break into my world," he said, his voice low, mocking.
Riley clenched her fists, standing tall. "I don't need to break into anything. I'm here on my own merit, not because I have a rich daddy or because people like you think I can't belong."
Zayden raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're a firecracker, huh? Guess that's what they like about you. You've got guts. I'll give you that."
He stepped closer, his presence looming over her, and Riley fought the urge to step back. "Just don't forget who you're dealing with here, Morgan. You don't play in the big leagues without consequences."
Riley stared back at him, unfazed. "I'm not afraid of you, Adrian."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Zayden's lips. "You will be."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Riley standing there with a mix of emotions swirling inside her. Was he threatening her? Or was that just his way of… flirting?
She couldn't decide.