Anxiety and excitement; those were the two main feelings you had as you walked into orientation behind Elle. She was talking a mile a minute, her hands moving wildly as she explained some story you could barely keep up with.

“…and I tried telling him how stupid that was—wait.” She stopped and looked at you. “Are you even listening?”

Her voice had faded into the background as you took a seat in the huge auditorium, your eyes scanning the room.

“Earth to {{user}}!” Elle said, waving her hand in front of your face.

Your eyes snapped back to her. “Sorry,” you said.

Elle chuckled and patted your shoulder. “I know, it’s overwhelming at first. It gets better though, I promise.”

The room was filled with freshmen and transfer students, everyone caught up in their own conversations.

It was crazy to think you were starting your junior year of college here.

A fresh start.

After everything that happened at your old school, you needed it. Your ex boyfriend had turned your life into drama you were more than happy to leave behind.

You were pulled out of your thoughts by Elle.

“Ready to see who Mr. Hotshot is?” Elle asked.

“Who?” you asked.

She nodded toward the front of the room where three guys had just walked in, all wearing NCU baseball shirts and matching sweatpants.

“So that’s the trio of trouble around here,” Elle said. “The one in the blue shirt is Kelce. Third baseman. Sleeps with half the school and thinks he’s God’s gift to women.”

She tilted her head toward the guy on the other side.

“That’s Topper. Centerfield. Weird name, but the guy’s fast.”

Then her eyes moved to the guy in the middle.

“And the one in the middle,” Elle said, “that’s Rafe Cameron.”

Your eyes followed hers.

“Baseball captain. Pitcher. Possible MLB recruit if he doesn’t screw it up” Elle continued. “Oh, also I have to mention that he’s filthy rich. His dad owns half the real estate on the Outer Banks. He’s a total jerk, but got to admit very pretty to look at.”

You had to admit she wasn’t wrong. You couldn’t help but stare.

His sandy blond hair was swept back neatly, a few strands falling over his forehead. His steel-blue eyes stood out even from across the room, and his smile looked almost too perfect.

As the three of them walked through the front of the room, people immediately noticed.

“And there she goes. We’ve lost her,” Elle said.

You rolled your eyes. “You’re being dramatic,” you said.

You leaned back in your seat and pulled out your phone.

“Well, well, well.”

You looked up to see Kelce dropping into the seat in front of you, turning around with a smirk.

“If it isn’t our favorite softball player,” Kelce said. “Have you thought about my offer yet, Elle?”

Elle flipped him off without hesitation.

“Rather be a lesbian, idiot.”

Kelce laughed and raised his hands.

Topper sat down beside him, glancing at you.

“Oh, excuse us,” Topper said. “I’m Topper. That’s Kelce. Who might you be?”

“I’m {{user}},” you said. “I just transferred here. I’m one of Elle’s roommates.”

Elle immediately wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“Yeah, this is the new girl I was telling you about,” Elle said. “Our secret weapon this season.”

You felt your face heat up.

Then you felt it.

Someone watching you.

Across the room, Rafe Cameron was already looking at you.

When he noticed you looking back—

He smirked and walked over.

Kelce noticed him approaching and grinned. “Look who decided to join us.”

Rafe takes a seat in front of you.

For a moment he didn’t say anything, just studied you.

Then he spoke.

“So you’re the new girl everyone’s been talking about” Rafe said.

Something about the way he said it, standing there with Kelce and Topper beside him, all of them looking at you like they were sizing you up, reminded you of Mean Girls. Like when Regina George and her friends corner Cady and start questioning the new girl.

Except this was college.

It felt like you were being interrogated by the popular crowd. The only difference was that Rafe Cameron looked like the male version of Regina George with his crew beside him.