Chapter 5 FRESHER'SNIGHT

Xavier was here. And he was watching.

"What right does he have to tell me what to do?" she muttered under her breath, her grip tightening on Asher's jacket.

"And to destroy Asher's jacket, especially after he helped me when that jerk spilled alcohol on me? Absolutely not"

Taking a deep breath, Hailey squared her shoulders.

"Let's head back to the bonfire" she said.

"Alright, let's go" Asher said releasing himself from Jessa's grip to join Hailey.

Together, the trio made their way back to the bonfire.

They returned to the bonfire, the night had only grown wilder. Laughter and shouts filled the air, students hyped up on adrenaline and alcohol. The flames flickered high, over the crowd as a rowdy game of Truth or Dare unfolded in the center.

A guy, clearly tipsy, stumbled forward, groaning as his friends roared with laughter.

"Come on, dude, a dare's a dare!" someone shouted.

His dare? Ride another guy like a horse.

"Bro, I swear if you-"

Before he could finish, a sudden shift in the atmosphere silenced everything. The laughter died. The chatter faded. One by one, heads turned, eyes locked on something or someone behind Hailey.

A strange chill crawled up her spine.

She turned slowly.

And there he was.

Xavier.

Standing just a few feet away, his expression blank, unreadable but his eyes burned with something dark. Something dangerous.

Her breath hitched.

The firelight danced across his sharp features, highlighting the piercings on his brow and tongue as he exhaled a lazy stream of smoke. But there was nothing lazy about the way he stared at her.

"Take it off. Burn it. Now"

A thick silence settled over the group.

Before Hailey could respond, Asher stepped forward.

"Who the hell are you to order her around?"

Xavier's gaze flicked to Asher, his expression still unreadable, but the air around him turned colder.

"I wasn't talking to you" he said flatly.

"You can't just order her like that. That's my jacket"

Xavier let out a quiet chuckle, dark and amused. He took a slow drag from his cigarette, exhaled, then tilted his head slightly.

"Exactly, more reason why she should burn it"

The atmosphere became more tensed as Xavier took a slow step closer.

Girls whispered excitedly, their eyes glued to him, taking in the way his black shirt clung to his lean, muscled frame, the way his tattoos peeked from under the fabric, the effortless dominance in his stance.

Jessa, who always had something to say, was silent for once.

"I'm not burning it. You have no right to tell me what to do" Hailey finally found her voice.

"That so?"

He took another step forward, invading her space, eyes locking on hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.

"You don't get it, do you, princess?" His voice dropped lower, just enough for only her to hear.

"When I tell you to do something, you don't argue. You obey"

A shiver ran down Hailey's spine, but she refused to look away.

Asher stepped between them.

"Back off, man"

Xavier let out a low chuckle, amused by Asher's attempt to stand up to him. His gaze flicked to the jacket once more before he smirked, slow and wicked.

"You think you can protect her from me? You have no idea what you're dealing with"

The fire crackled behind them, the only sound in the heavy silence that followed. All eyes were on them now, the truth or dare game long forgotten.

Swift.

Effortless.

Before Hailey could react, his fingers curled around the fabric of Asher's jacket, gripping it with a force that made her gasp. With one sharp tug, he yanked it off her shoulders.

"Hey!" Asher snapped, stepping forward, but Xavier didn't spare him a glance.

He held the jacket up, staring at it like it was something filthy, something offensive. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he threw it straight into the open fire.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. The flames hungrily consumed the fabric, sparks crackling into the night as the jacket curled and blackened in an instant.

Hailey's breath caught. "You-"

Xavier turned his gaze back to her, smirking.

"Problem solved" he muttered, his voice eerily calm.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Asher yelled.

Xavier finally looked at him, bored amusement flickering in his dark eyes.

"Relax, pretty boy. You can buy another one"

Hailey stood frozen, watching the last remnants of the jacket turn to ash. She should be angry. She should be yelling. But all she could feel was the weight of Xavier's gaze, daring her to defy him again.

Asher's fist flew toward Xavier, fast and fueled by anger.

It connected. A clean hit to Xavier's jaw.

But Xavier didn't even flinch.

The force barely made him turn his head, and when he did, it was with slow, amused precision. His tongue swe