The next two weeks of college passed uneventfully for the most part, except for one thing: Lily started dating a girl named Megan, and things seemed to be going pretty well. That is, until one fateful date night.

It started innocently enough—good conversation, plenty of laughs, and a plate of Lily's beloved chicken nuggets. But then Megan made a rookie mistake. She reached over and took a nugget from Lily's plate.

Now, if you don't know Lily like I do, her reaction might have seemed... extreme. But trust me, I've known her long enough to understand one unshakable truth: you never, ever mess with her chicken nuggets.

Mason has been more annoying—and creepier—than usual lately. He's constantly trying to talk to me and keeps asking me out on dates. Honestly, it's starting to feel pretty desperate and, if you ask me, more than a little pathetic.

He must think I don't notice him flirting with other girls before swaggering over to me with those cringy pickup lines. It's always something ridiculous, like, "They say Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth, but clearly, they've never stood next to you," or the classic, "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" Honestly, it's hard to decide what's worse—his lack of originality or the fact that he thinks it'll work on me.

I honestly have no idea what I ever saw in him, but one thing's for sure—I'm so glad he's not my problem anymore.

Whenever Mason spots West, Callum, or Jace, he either turns and walks the other way or goes out of his way to provoke them.

I honestly have no idea what's going on between them or if they even know each other, but one way or another, I'll figure it out.

What's strange, though, is that the three of them don't talk to anyone—except me. Occasionally, they'll say something to Lily, but only if she's with me.

No, we haven't talked a lot, but Callum never misses a chance to flirt with me—or to tell Lily that being a lesbian is hot. Everyone else seems too scared to even look at them, let alone strike up a conversation. Personally, I think they're just misunderstood. Or maybe I'm just not as intimidated as everyone else.

I've picked up a few things about each of them. For starters, West Shaw is twenty and definitely the least friendly of the three.

He doesn't say much, but when he does, let's just say his language could use a good scrubbing with soap and water.

West has a younger brother named Caleb, who's actually my age. They couldn't be more different. Caleb has blonde hair and brown eyes, while West has dark brown hair and striking deep blue eyes. And, unlike his brother, Caleb's a lot more approachable and friendly.

Caleb and I have talked quite a bit since he's in my English class. In fact, we're currently working on a couple of projects together.

Then there's Callum Reed, who's by far the biggest flirt I've ever met. He's also the most cheerful of the three, always grinning and full of energy.

I've seen Callum playing football in his spare time—he's definitely more into sports than academics. Lily's in a different English class than I am, but she shares one with Callum. All she does is complain about how clueless he is.

Apparently, he started copying her work and when she told him to fuck off he started paying someone to do his homework for him.

Then there's Jace Porter, who's honestly a sweetheart. He's a bit old-fashioned and tends to keep to himself, but whenever he passes me in the corridor or we have a conversation, he always seems to light up.

I learned that Jace has an older sister named Jasmine, who he absolutely adores, and she has a little boy, Jacob. I guess they have a thing for names starting with J, but it's pretty cute. Jace looks after him a lot, and I've seen a few pictures of Jacob—he's basically a mini version of Jace.

Right now I am sat outside waiting for Lily to come, apparently she is finishing off the homework that she didn't do for her English class but she's either eating chicken nuggets or a girl.

Horrible to think about but true.

I was sitting in the scorching sun, trying to finish the rest of my classwork, when a certain blonde bimbo strutted over and blocked my view. I couldn't help but groan under my breath.

I lift my head, forcing a fake smile onto my face.

"Well, how can I help you, Rose?" I ask, noticing she's just staring at me with a scowl that makes her look more constipated than intimidating. As I look her over, I can't help but notice how... revealing her outfit is.

She's wearing a skin-tight white skirt that's so tight, I swear it would rip if she so much as bent over, paired with a bright pink crop top that barely covers her midriff. Her stilettos click loudly as she stands there, and I can't help but think she's completely forgotten we're in college, not some strip club.

"Hello? Are you even listening to me, Hope?"

I rolled my eyes at her, slamming my books shut.

"Obviously not, since I didn't respond the first time. Now, what do you want, so I can get on with enjoying the rest of my day while you go find another guy to jump on?"

Did I mention my lovely ex, Mason, cheated on me with her?

She bent down to my level and had the nerve to poke my chest. "Says the biggest slag in this college. At least I'm a pretty one."

I couldn't help but laugh quietly as I grabbed a fistful of her fake hair, using it to pull myself up to my full height. I met her gaze with a cold, expressionless stare.

"Sorry, hun, but unlike you, I'm not a doorknob where everyone gets a turn. I'm more like a casino—only the lucky ones get to hit the jackpot," I shot back, my tone dripping with contempt.

Her face drained of color, and that's when I realized we had a small audience—Mason and West were standing there, clearly watching the scene unfold. It made me wonder where the other two were; they were never this separated.

Without warning, a hand crashed against my cheek, whipping my head to the side. I instinctively reached up to touch my now-tingling cheek, glancing back at Rose as she calmly ran her fingers through her hair, her smug smile plastered on her fake, plastic face.

"Well, Mason didn't seem to think that way when he kept crawling into my bed over and over again," I said coolly. "Actually, I think I had your brother Miles in my bed, too..."

My vision went completely red. I stormed toward her, my hands wrapping around her throat as I swung my fist toward her face, the sickening crack of contact ringing in my ears.

"Don't you ever mention my brother again," I hissed, my voice low and venomous. "He despised you and wouldn't spare you a second glance." I screamed the words, the fury in me raw and uncontrollable. Before I could land another blow, two powerful arms grabbed me from behind, yanking me away with enough force to snap me out of my rage.

"Hope, you need to calm down."

I lifted my eyes to find West standing there, those deep blue eyes of his locking onto mine. For a moment, I forgot everything else. There was something about his gaze—intense, unwavering—that tugged at me, and I couldn't help but nod.

"I'm fine, West. You can let go now." I took a slow, steadying breath, trying to push the anger away, but as soon as I realized it was him who had pulled me back, something shifted inside me. It wasn't anger I felt anymore. It was something else, something unfamiliar, but I couldn't deny that I liked it.

He finally released me, his hands moving away with ease. Straightening himself up, I caught a brief moment where his eyes softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It was fleeting, gone in a blink, replaced with his usual guarded, stone-cold look as his attention turned toward Mason and Rose.

Here's a more emotionally intense version of the scene, incorporating Hope's deeper feelings about Miles:

More people had gathered around us, including Callum and Jace, their eyes flicking between us, watching the chaos unfold.

"Alright, everyone, the show's over," West growled, his voice low and commanding. "Get back to whatever you were doing before I make you." The crowd scattered in a flash, no one daring to make a sound or look back.

Callum, always the one to break the tension, smirked and stepped forward. "Well, someone knows how to throw a punch. Gotta say, that was hot, Hope."

I shot him a quick, tense look, trying to shake off the adrenaline still coursing through me. "Thanks, Callum. But she had it coming." My voice was cold, but inside, the anger was still bubbling. I could feel my hands still trembling from the rush, but it wasn't just about her. It was about what she said. About Miles.

The mention of his name—my brother—brought a sharp, painful twist in my chest. It felt like a knife every time someone brought him up, especially her. I could still hear the echoes of her taunting words, knowing that Mason and Rose had no idea how much that stung.

Callum flashed me a wide smile, one that I couldn't help but return.

I still didn't get how anyone could be scared of these guys. Sure, all three of them had that intimidating presence, but I'd seen worse. Especially considering what Mason had dragged me into in the past.

Jace stepped closer, his strong arms enveloping my smaller frame in a tight hug. For a moment, I let myself relax in his embrace. His warmth was comforting, and I could feel the tension ease from my body.

When we finally pulled apart, Jace didn't release me. His gaze softened as he studied my face. "Your cheek's bruised," he whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.

Before I could respond, West's voice cut in, commanding as always.

"Before we even discuss what just happened between you and Barbie over there," he started, a slight edge to his tone, "we need to talk to you. But not here."

I raised an eyebrow. "Alright, where do you want me to meet you? Oh, and can I bring Lily?"

"NO," they all responded a bit too quickly, the tone in their voices leaving no room for argument. Jace cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck as if trying to soften the moment.

"This doesn't involve her, only you. Meet us outside the entrance when you finish class, okay?" They exchanged quick glances before turning to leave, their footsteps fading as they walked away, leaving me standing there, staring at their retreating backs.

Well, looks like I'm spending my afternoon with the hotties.

_____________________________________________________

"Heard Hope Carter got into a fight today. Do tell," a voice whispered in my ear. I paused for a second, glancing to my left to find none other than Caleb Shaw standing there, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, news sure travels fast around here, doesn't it?" I gave Caleb a sly smirk, and he chuckled in response.

"I would've done a lot more damage if it wasn't for your brother, though," I added, my tone dripping with a mix of annoyance and amusement.

Caleb glanced around the classroom as if making sure no one else was listening, before responding with a grin. "Ah, my wonderful brother, always saving the day." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Oh, and when you decide to mess up her face a bit more, give me a call. I'd definitely pay to see that."

He smirked at me, his eyes gleaming with mischief. The comment caught me off guard, and before I could stop it, I giggled a bit too loudly, causing several people in the room to glance up at me, clearly wondering what was going on.

"I'll make sure to remember that for next time."

"I can't wait, beautiful."

"Beautiful?" I raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at my lips.

"What? I only speak the truth," he said, completely unbothered.

"Alright, little Shaw."

"I'm definitely not little, if you catch my drift..." His smirk was devilish, and I could almost hear the wink in his voice.

"Caleb!" I whisper-shouted, my cheeks flushing.

"Kidding, kidding... or maybe not," he chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction. I nudged his side, trying to focus, but I couldn't help the grin that crept across my face as I went back to my work.