You’ve always been a risk-taker. It’s like a pulse under your skin, pushing you into choices that most people would avoid, even when they seem pointless. That’s how you ended up here, pressed against the cold wall of a grimy bathroom stall, breath tangled with a boy you probably shouldn’t even be with.

But then—

A shuffling noise scrapes the silence, slow and uneven, just outside the stall. Your heart stumbles, and you glance down. Shadows creep across the floor, followed by the unmistakable sound of low, hungry groans.

Your pulse spikes, a thrill of fear and something else, something wild. You’ve flirted with danger before, but this is different. This is the real thing.

Suddenly, the groans turn into pounding. The door shudders as the creature slams against it, the hinges rattling under the force. Bruce pulls back, face pale, eyes wide as he catches sight of the vent above you both.

“Get up there,” he hisses, his voice urgent but steady. He kneels, offering his shoulders as a step. “I’ll boost you up. Just get it open.”

You swallow, nerves jangling, but the thrill outweighs the fear. Finally, a real risk.