Chapter 1 First day

THE BROWN'S RESIDENCE*

A loud bang on the door nearly made Hailey drop the towel she was using to dry her damp hair.

Before she could react, the door flew open.

"Hailey!" Cecilia yelled out the name.

Hailey barely had time to pull her towel tighter around herself before her aunt stormed into the room, her arms crossed, her eyes burning with the usual disdain.

"What on earth have you been doing in here while the whole house is a mess?" Cecilia barked, her gaze raking over Hailey with pure irritation.

Hailey swallowed hard. She had done the chores...all of them.

"I already finished everything" Hailey said softly, keeping her voice calm, knowing that arguing never helped.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" She took a step closer, her presence suffocating.

"Then why is the laundry still outside? And why is the sitting room still covered in dust?"

Hailey's lips parted. She had washed the clothes early in the morning and had been waiting for them to dry before bringing them in. As for the dust, she had cleaned the sitting room thoroughly. but she knew Cecilia would always find something to complain about.

"But I-"

"Don't you dare talk back to me!" Cecilia snapped.

"You think just because you got that scholarship, you can start acting lazy?!"

Hailey lowered her gaze, gripping the towel tighter. She had barely been able to sleep last night, too nervous about starting Hillsworth College today. The scholarship had been her only way out of this miserable house, and now that she had it, she refused to let anything ruin it.

But Cecilia... Cecilia was determined to make her life hell before she even set foot in that school.

"Get dressed, you're not leaving this house until every single chore is done. Do you hear me?"

Hailey's heart sank. She had an entire first day of school ahead of her, and now she was at risk of being late before it even started.

But what choice did she have?

"And another thing, I hope you're not planning to stay in that school's hostel"

Hailey's heart sank again. She had been considering it. Staying on campus would mean freedom...an escape from this house, from her.

"Because who exactly is going to do the chores if you're not here? You think you can just run off and leave everything behind? You better throw that idea out of your head. You're coming home every day after school" she said.

Hailey swallowed hard, her stomach twisting.

She wanted to argue, to say that the scholarship covered accommodations, that staying on campus would help her focus on her studies.

But she already knew the answer.

Cecilia wouldn't allow it.

"Now get dressed and make sure everything is spotless before you leave" Cecilia said before turning on her heel and marching out.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Hailey exhaled, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

'One year. That's all I need. I'll find a job, save up, and finally get out of here'

With that thought pushing her forward, she quickly got dressed and hurried out the door.

She refused to be late on her first day.

•••

HILLSWORTH COLLEGE*

Hailey stepped out of the public bus, gripping the straps of her worn-out backpack.

Hillsworth College was even more intimidating in person. The campus was massive, the buildings tall and elegant. Luxury cars lined the parking lot, and students strolled through the gates, dressed in trendy outfits.

She didn't belong here.

At least, that's what it felt like.

Her clothes were simple. Jeans and a plain sweater, nothing compared to the rich students who walked with confidence, their shoes clicking against the pavement like they owned the ground.

But she squared her shoulders. She earned her place here.

The scholarship wasn't handed to her on a silver platter like everything Brielle got. She worked for this, stayed up late studying while doing chores, fought for this chance.

Sometimes she wondered how Cecilia afforded Brielle's exorbitant school fees. That's none of her concern anyway.

She checked the small paper in her hand, where her dorm assignment and class schedule were written. Even though Cecilia refused to let her stay in the hostels, she still had to visit to see her assigned room. She had no idea who her roommate was, but she was curious to find out.

BUMP.

Her shoulder hit someone else's, sending her stumbling back a step.

"Watch where you're going, scholarship girl" a familiar voice said.

Hailey's stomach twisted before she even looked up.

Brielle.

Dressed in a skimpy gown, her long hair falling perfectly over her shoulders. Her usual smirk tugged at her lips.

"Didn't expect to see you here so soon" Brielle continued, folding her arms.

"What, did you beg your way into Hillsworth?"

Hailey clenched her fists.

"I earned my way in" she said simply.

Brielle let out a fake laugh. "Right. Of course, you did"

She leaned in slightly. "You know, just because you got lucky with that scholarship doesn't mean you belong here"

Brielle tilted her head, eyeing her up and down.

"Let's see how long you last" she murmured before flipping her hair and walking off, her friends distance away from them giggled.

Hailey exhaled slowly, pushing down the lump in her throat.

She suddenly felt an uncomfortable pressure built in her stomach.

She needed to find a restroom.

Badly.

Her eyes darted around, searching for a sign, but the school was huge, and she had no idea where to go.

Taking a turn down a quieter hallway, she spotted a door slightly ajar. A restroom.

Relieved, she hurried inside.

The thick scent of smoke filled her lungs the second she pushed the door open. The air was dense, intoxicating. Her breath hitched when she saw him.

A dangerously handsome guy.

He leaned lazily against the sink, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his sharp eyes flickering toward her. Tattoos curled around his arms like inked secrets, and silver rings glinted from his eyebrow and tongue. A dangerous smirk lifted his lips as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Lost, princess?" He asked with a smirk, raking her with his eyes from head to toe.

Hailey 's heart pounded. This was the boys' restroom.

Her entire body stiffened as her wide eyes locked on the guy leaning lazily against the sink. The cigarette dangled between his fingers, its ember glowing dimly as he exhaled another thick cloud of smoke.

She should leave.

Right now.

But for some reason, her legs refused to move.

Xavier smirked, tilting his head as he took in her shocked expression.

"Did you lose your way, princess?" He asked huskily.

Hailey's throat went dry. She had to say something...anything...but her brain refused to function.

"Uh... I-" she stammered.

Xavier pushed off the sink and took a slow step toward her, his piercing gaze never leaving her face. Up close, she noticed more details-his tousled dark hair, the sharp jawline, the tattoos curling around his arms like inked whispers of rebellion.

Danger.

That was the first thing her mind screamed.

He radiated it.

Yet, her feet still didn't move.

"Let me guess..." He flicked the cigarette ash into the sink, his tongue piercing glinting as he smirked again.

"You're new here"

Hailey nodded stiffly.

His smirk deepened, like he was entertained by her nervousness.

"Thought so" His gaze dropped briefly, taking in her sweater and jeans...simple, modest, so unlike the girls he was used to seeing around here.

He took another drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly before cocking a brow at her.

"You planning to stay and chat, or are you gonna run off before someone else walks in and gets the wrong idea?"

That snapped her out of it.

Her face burned as she fumbled backward, her hand gripping the door handle.

"I-I'm sorry!" she blurted out, quickly turning and yanking the door open.

A deep chuckle followed her as she practically bolted out of the restroom.

Her heart pounded as she stumbled into the hallway, pressing a hand against her chest.

What just happened?

Who was that?

She didn't need anyone to tell her he was bad news. The tattoos, the piercings, the cigarette-the smirk. He was exactly the type of person she had been warned to stay away from.

She shook her head, inhaling deeply.

Forget it. Just find the dormitory.

She pulled out the crumpled paper with her dorm assignment and checked the campus map at the end of the hallway.

"Block C... Room 209" she muttered, tracing the route with her finger.

Just as she was about to turn toward the dorms, a loud voice cut through the air behind her.

"Name's Xavier, princess!"

Hailey froze mid-step.

Slowly, she turned her head.

There he was.

Xavier stood just outside the restroom, one hand shoved into his pocket, the other tossing the half-burned cigarette to the ground and crushing it beneath his boot.

That same smirk played on his lips as his sharp gaze locked on hers.

"Wouldn't want you running off without knowing who I am" he added, tilting his head slightly.

"Might come in handy later"

Later?

She didn't plan on seeing him ever again.

Without another word, she turned around and walked faster toward the dormitories.

She could still feel his eyes on her back as she walked.

Only when she was far enough away did she let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

•••

BEHIND THE SCHOOL BUILDING*

Xavier leaned against the cool brick wall, his fingers lazily flicking open his lighter, watching the small flame dance before he snapped it shut. Over and over. A habit. A distraction. But right now, nothing could distract him from her.

The girl from earlier.

So soft. So pure. So untouched.

Fùck.

That innocence of hers? It was driving him insane.

He had seen plenty of girls at Hillsworth who were desperate, eager, willing. They threw themselves at him, craving the thrill of being around someone dangerous.

But her?

She didn't belong in his world. And that made him want her even more.

Xavier exhaled, running his tongue over the silver piercing between his lips, the taste of nicotine still fresh on his tongue.

She had looked terrified in that restroom. Frozen. Shaken.

And it was the best damn thing he'd seen all day.

Because now? Now, he wanted to see her in every way possible.

Ruined. Breathless. Wild.

The thought alone sent a rush through his veins. He hadn't even touched her yet, but fùck, the idea of corrupting that innocence was already making his blood run hot.

A smirk tugged at his lips.

"She has no idea what she just walked into"

He wanted her. Badly.

And Xavier always got what he wanted.

He took another slow drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke curl between his fingers before exhaling. His tongue flicked over the cool metal of his piercing, his mind replaying the way she had looked at him-wide-eyed, stiff, like a little rabbit caught in a wolf's den.

That was exactly what she was. A little rabbit in a world full of wolves. And him? He was the worst of them all.

He chuckled under his breath, dropping his cigarette to the ground and crushing it beneath his boot.

She was tempting. Too tempting. That sweater, those jeans...everything about her screamed innocence, and it was messing with his head in the worst way.

He had seen purity before. He had even toyed with it. But this? This was different.

This wasn't just some girl playing at being good. This was a girl who had never tasted the bad.

And he wanted to be the one to change that.

His fingers twitched at the thought-gripping that sweet little waist, watching her shatter under his touch. He wanted to see her fall apart, to strip away every ounce of that innocence until she forgot what it felt like to be good.

And the best part?

She'd let him. Eventually.

Because girls like her? The ones who thought they didn't belong in his world?

They always did.

They just needed the right push.

A slow smirk pulled at his lips.

She wouldn't be able to run from him forever.

Xavier's smirk faded as his phone buzzed in his pocket. He already knew who it was before even glancing at the screen.

Yeah, right.

His jaw clenched as he pulled the phone out, staring at the screen for a long second. The buzzing felt louder, more irritating than usual, like it was drilling into his skull.

Then, without hesitation, he smashed it against the brick wall.

The device shattered on impact, pieces scattering across the ground. The ringing died instantly, leaving nothing but silence.

His fingers curled into fists, his chest rising and falling heavily.

He knew they'd call again.

They always did.

•••

SCHOOL CAFETERIA*

Hailey sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, her tray of food untouched in front of her as she absentmindedly poked at the fries. She had just finished her first class of the day and had gone to the dormitory, only to find it locked.

"Hey, is this seat taken?"

Hailey looked up, startled. A girl was standing in front of her, a friendly smile on her face.

"I'm not sure. I mean... yeah, sure" Hailey replied, gesturing to the seat across from her.

The girl slid into the chair, setting down her tray with a relieved sigh.

"Thanks. I just needed to get away from all those people" She chuckled, glancing around at the busy cafeteria before turning her attention back to Hailey.

"You look like you could use a break too"

Hailey smiled awkwardly. "Yeah... just trying to get through the day, you know?"

"I'm Jessa, by the way. We're in the same class, right?"

Hailey blinked, trying to place her.

"I think so. We had that...um, the intro to English class this morning"

"That's the one! You seemed kind of quiet, but you've got that... serious vibe. Like you're here to actually do something"

"Yeah, that's the plan " Hailey said with a smile.

"Well, if you ever want to study or just, you know, talk, let me know, I'm still trying to figure out where everything is on campus, and it looks like you might know your way around"

"I...actually went by the dorm, but it was locked" Hailey said, pushing the food around on her plate.

"Lucky you, I will be coming from home" she said.

'Not like I'm staying there' she said inwardly.

The cafeteria that was buzzing with loud conversations suddenly stopped the moment he walked in..

Xavier.

With his hands shoved casually into the pockets of his black jeans, he strode in like he owned the place.

Girls all around the cafeteria stilled, their eyes locking on him like he was gravity itself, pulling them in effortlessly. Some whispered among themselves, others bit their lips as they stared at him.

Jessa nudged Hailey slightly.

"Yup. That's Xavier Knight, the guy everyone warns you about"

Hailey stiffened, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. She didn't need the warning.

She already knew.

Her mind flashed back to the restroom, to the suffocating scent of smoke, the way his gaze had raked over her like he was seeing straight through her, stripping away every layer with just a look.

And now...he was here.

His gaze swept over the cafeteria lazily, as if he was unimpressed by the attention, used to it. But then, his sharp, dark eyes landed on her.

Hailey's breath seized.

Staring at her like he had just found something interesting.

A slow, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Jessa shifted beside Hailey.

"Uh... do you know him?" she asked, sensing the strange tension between them.

Hailey quickly tore her gaze away, her heart hammering in her chest.

"No" she said.

She forced herself to focus on her food, her fingers tightening around the fork, but it was useless. The energy in the room had shifted, and it was because of him.

Jessa was still talking beside her, something about a professor and an assignment, but Hailey could barely hear her.

Her chair suddenly jerked backward.

A gasp escaped from her lips as she was pulled away from the table in one swift motion. The cafeteria spun for half a second before she felt warm hands grip her waist, steadying her.

Firm. Possessive.

The entire cafeteria went dead silent.

Hailey's breath stuttered as she tilted her head up only to find herself face-to-face with Xavier.

His grip on her waist didn't loosen. If anything, it tightened, his fingers pressing slightly into her sweater.

His dark eyes flickered with amusement, like he was enjoying her reaction.

"Told you we'd see each other again, princess" he murmured.

Hailey tried to move, but his hold didn't let her.

Everyone was watching. Jessa's jaw was practically on the floor. Girls were glaring, enviously. Others were watching with open anticipation on what's about to happen since it's Xavier.

'This wasn't happening'

'This couldn't be happening'

"Let go" she begged.

Xavier's tongue flicked over his lip piercing, his smirk deepening.

"Make me"

He was playing with her. Toying. And the worst part? She had no idea how to stop it.

Before she could react, before she could even breathe properly, he leaned down, his lips brushing just beside her ear.

"You're cute when you're nervous"

Heat crawled up Hailey's neck, spreading to her face.

And then, just as effortlessly as he had grabbed her, he let go.

Like he hadn't just thrown the entire cafeteria into chaos.

Like he hadn't just flipped her entire world upside down.

He stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets again, that signature smirk still playing on his lips. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving behind nothing but shocked stares and a pounding heartbeat.