You never cared much for people like Lena—too smug, too polished, and always looking at you like you were some mistake walking around campus. The two of you weren’t mortal enemies or anything, you just couldn’t stand each other. The only reason you even tolerated her was because she came with a permanent shadow: her boyfriend.

And you didn’t like him either.

Things finally snapped the day you hurt Lena badly enough that it spread around campus. At lunch, Zen came storming through the cafeteria like a storm aimed straight at you. His fist slammed into your mouth before you even got a word out. Gasps echoed as you staggered back, blood dripping from your lip.

He glared down at you, voice low and shaking with rage: “That’s for her. Don’t think I won’t hit you again.”

But instead of folding, you rose slowly, wiping the blood across your lips like twisted lipstick. With a wicked grin, you leaned in close and kissed his cheek, smearing him red.

Everyone froze. He never touched anyone but his girlfriend—and now he had your bloody mark staining his skin.