The sun blazed down relentlessly as students filed out of the school, their laughter and chatter mixing into the humid air. Luca, however, was not one of them. Instead, he lingered by his locker, scanning the crowd with a look of determination in his eyes. His focus zeroed in on a figure at the far end of the hallway, her long, dark hair flowing behind her like a river of ink. It was her, the new girl. The one who had somehow managed to make it past his defenses.

He pushed away from his locker, his heart racing, and began to make his way through the crowd. The closer he got, the more he realized that she wasn't alone. There was a group of girls surrounding her, their faces contorted with anger and jealousy. Luca felt a surge of possessiveness course through him. She was his, wasn't she?

He quickened his pace, ignoring the stares and whispers of his classmates. As he drew nearer, he overheard one of the girls say something about him being a player, about how he'd never settle down with anyone. But he didn't care. He didn't want anyone else.

Finally, he was standing before her, his heart racing.

"Hey," he said, trying to sound casual.

"What's going on over here?"

The girls surrounding her scoffed, but she didn't look away from him. There was something in her eyes that he couldn't quite place.