Chapter 4 Sparks and Stares

Amara sat on the grass outside the science building, flipping through her notes. The sun had dipped low, casting an amber glow over campus, but her thoughts were far from the formulas she was trying to memorize.

Lucian Blake.

He had been in her head all day, his words echoing louder than they should. If you knew the real me, you'd probably run.

What exactly was he hiding?

"Thought you might be here."

His voice, smooth as velvet, interrupted her thoughts. She looked up-and there he was, hands in his pockets, that same mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You're stalking me now?" she asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her tone.

Lucian shrugged. "I was passing by. Saw a familiar ponytail buried in a textbook and couldn't resist."

She sighed, trying to focus on her page, but he flopped down beside her without asking. Way too close.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Amara muttered, shifting a little.

"I should. But somehow, this seemed more interesting."

"Then your life must be painfully boring."

Lucian chuckled. "Touché."

They sat in silence for a few seconds-long enough for Amara to notice how his cologne mixed with the fresh scent of evening grass, how the fading sunlight caught the side of his jawline.

Stop it, she scolded herself.

Lucian stretched his legs out in front of him, eyes now trained on the sky. "You always this uptight?"

Amara turned to him, brows raised. "You always this nosy?"

"Only when I'm curious."

"Curiosity is dangerous," she replied coolly.

Lucian looked at her then, really looked. "You speak like you've been burned."

There was something about the way he said it-like he knew what it meant to carry bruises behind smiles.

She looked away. "We all have our pasts."

"Yeah," he said softly. "Some just hide it better."

For a brief moment, Amara felt exposed-like he could see past her perfect grades and calm demeanor to the storm she worked so hard to bury.

Lucian didn't press further. Instead, he stood, brushing grass off his jeans. "Well, Sunshine, this was fun."

She looked up. "Don't call me that."

"But it suits you," he said with a wink, walking away without another word.

Amara watched him go, her heart betraying her just a little.

She told herself he was just a distraction.

But part of her already knew-Lucian Blake was the kind of trouble you didn't see coming... until it was too late.