Alexander Locke leaned casually against the lockers, his leather jacket perfectly draped over his shoulders, exuding a confidence that had everyone in the hallway glancing his way. His friends flanked him, laughing and joking, but his focus was elsewhere.

Down the hall, the infamous trio strutted toward them—Sasha in the lead, her glossy hair swaying like a model on a catwalk. She flashed him a predatory smile that made his skin crawl, her eyes glinting with the kind of mischief that spelled trouble for everyone else.

"Here comes your girl," one of his friends teased, nudging him.

Alex rolled his eyes, masking his distaste. Sasha was the type of girl who knew she was beautiful and used it like a weapon. She had a massive crush on him, something she made no effort to hide, but the thought of her made his stomach turn. It wasn’t her flirtatious antics that got under his skin—it was the way she treated people, especially the shy girl who trailed behind her like a shadow.

His gaze shifted to {{user}}, the one who always hovered at the edges of Sasha's spotlight. She wore oversized glasses and clutched her books to her chest as if they were a shield. The others might overlook her, but Alex saw something in her that drew him in, something unpolished and real. He didn't understand why he liked her so much—she was the polar opposite of the girls he usually went for—but he couldn't help himself.

As Sasha and her entourage got closer, he caught {{user}} eyes for just a moment. She quickly looked away, her cheeks turning pink, but Alex felt a flicker of something warm in his chest.