Eighteen Below Him

Samira's POV

"I'm telling you, babe. College is going to be wild, and you're going to need experience to survive it." Amanda said with absolute confidence.

I scoffed. The logic was hollow and made zero sense.

"It's almost exam season." Novia added, her eyes brightening as if she had just decoded the secrets of the universe. "You have from now until summer break to at least get a boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes hard enough to feel the strain. "Shouldn't we be focused on exams and getting into a decent university?" I asked, taking a thick bite of my burrito.

We were tucked into our usual booth at the downtown diner. The cracked red vinyl of the seats poked at my legs, and the overhead lighting was a permanent, hazy amber that made everything look like an old photograph. The milkshakes were thick, sugary masterpieces that tasted better than they had any right to. Saturday evenings here had become a sacred, predictable routine for us.

Amanda groaned at my practicality while Novia dramatically slumped her weight against the booth.

"Besides..." I said, shifting my weight so I faced them fully, "Why are you two pushing me into a relationship when neither of you is dating anyone? That's hypocrisy."

They exchanged a look. It was a slow, knowing communication that was far too smug for my comfort. I let out a long sigh. That particular expression never signaled anything good for my future.

"What?" I asked.

Novia shoved a salty fry into her mouth and clapped her hands together. "Because, dear best friend, you have never been in a relationship. We have."

"And we don't want you going into college completely clueless," Amanda added. "You wouldn't even know how to respond if a guy showed interest."

I stared at them, flat and unimpressed. "You do realize this is bullying, right?"

"No, it's not." they said together.

"It absolutely is." I shot back. "It's peer pressure."

My voice must have carried across the small space because the ambient chatter of the diner suddenly dipped into silence. I turned away immediately, becoming very invested in the swirling whipped cream of my milkshake.

They giggled and pivoted to school gossip without missing a beat, whispering about social dramas that I had no interest in following. I stared out the large diner window to tune out the noise, and that was when the atmosphere shifted.

Four boys stepped out of a sleek black car, moving with a coordinated ease that made it seem like the world was built to make space for them.

My eyes found him without effort.

Calvin Simms.

He walked with an effortless, predatory confidence, hands tucked into his pockets and his posture perfectly relaxed. Raven hair fell in dark silk over his forehead, and at six foot one, he loomed over the sidewalk. He was annoyingly handsome. Unfairly so.

Too bad I couldn't stand the sight of him.

I was about to look away when he stopped mid-stride and turned his head. His gaze landed directly on me.

I looked away so fast my neck muscles protested the movement.

Shit.

Why was he staring? We never spoke. That had been the unspoken, comfortable agreement for years.

Except for that one project we had been forced to work on together. We earned an A+, but every step of the process had been miserable. Heated arguments replaced actual cooperation, and sharp insults hid behind layers of thinly veiled sarcasm. It was a miracle we survived the semester without a physical altercation.

"The guys are here." Novia whispered loudly.

Amanda quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. "Stop. They can hear you."

Both of them were suddenly red-faced and flustered, their bravado from earlier vanishing.

I laughed quietly. Amanda had a massive, long-standing crush on Chris, and Novia had been obsessed with Denver for as long as I could remember. Unfortunately for my friends, all four boys had a specific reputation. Serious relationships were not their thing.

That was when I felt it again. The prickling sensation of someone watching me.

I followed the feeling and met Calvin's gaze through the glass a second time. His expression was unreadable. It was calm and distant, which was different from the way he usually went out of his way to avoid looking at me altogether.

Why was he acting so strange?

Calvin Simms. Frederick Myers. Chris Jackson. Denver Andrews.

The untouchables of Trenton High.

I scowled, rolled my eyes, and forced myself to turn away.

"I'm ready to go." I said.

Both girls stared at me like I had just uttered something deeply offensive.

"Please close your mouths." I added lightly. "Your crushes might be watching."

"I need the bathroom." Amanda muttered, her confidence replaced by a sudden shyness.

We tossed our trash and headed inside toward the back. The bathroom was cramped, barely holding the three of us in the small, tiled space. Novia checked both stalls for privacy then turned on me.

"What was that about, Sam?" she demanded.

"What was what?" I asked, shrugging as I stepped into a stall.

She was not dropping the subject.

"This is not over." Novia warned, pointing a finger at the door before disappearing into the stall beside mine.

I exhaled slowly. Why was this such a big deal? We exchanged a look through a window. That was all.

Outside, the cool evening air hit us as Amanda unlocked the car. Novia claimed the shotgun seat, so I slid into the familiar shadows of the backseat.

"I saw the way you two looked at each other." Novia said excitedly as we pulled away. "Do you think he's interested in you?"

I grimaced at the thought. "Absolutely not."

"Oh, he likes you." she insisted.

Amanda met my eyes in the rearview mirror, her expression thoughtful. "I don't know. It wasn't flirty. Calvin didn't show any emotion, but this is the first time I've seen him openly stare at you. And Sam, you've always hated him, but you've never really said why."

Amanda had always been the observant one. She noticed the smallest shifts in tone and the details most people ignored.

I leaned back, genuinely amused. "That was a whole lot of nothing, Amanda. I expected better logic from our reasonable friend."

Novia groaned into the headrest. "You're useless."

I smiled to myself as we pulled out of the parking lot and the diner faded into the distance.

A whole lot of nonsense.

Or so I thought.

Samira's POV

The moment I stepped into Novia's house, I knew trouble was waiting for me. The air was thick with the scent of vanilla candles and the kind of high octane energy my friends only radiated when they had a scheme.

"Finally!" Novia exclaimed, practically dragging me into the living room by my elbow. "I thought you would never get here. You looked like you were surviving a battlefield out there."

"I was." I muttered, dropping my heavy backpack by the door with a satisfying thud. "Hallways should come with hazard pay, especially when Ashley is involved."

Amanda laughed, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder as she crossed her legs on the couch. "You are being dramatic, Sam. She is just annoying, and honestly, completely irrelevant."

"Annoying is putting it lightly." I said, flopping into the velvet armchair. "She is like a human paper cut. Persistent, painful, and impossible to ignore."

Novia leaned in, her eyes glinting with a mischievous light. "That is why we are here. To help you survive the rest of senior year and your big eighteenth birthday."

I blinked, suspicious of the sudden change in tone. "Wait, what do you mean 'help me'?"

"You need guidance." Amanda said slowly, carefully choosing her words like she was handling a fragile artifact. "Because, let's face it, Sam, you have no experience at all."

I groaned, leaning my head back against the chair. "I know. I do not need a lecture."

Novia tilted her head, a stray curl falling over her eye. "No, it is not a lecture. It is strategy."

I raised an eyebrow, my skepticism mounting. "Strategy?"

"Yes!" she said, practically bouncing on the edge of the cushion. "You have been saying all year that you want someone, but no attachment. Someone fun, no strings, just a little experience before we head off to university."

"That is exactly what I have been saying." I muttered. "And it is not your business to help me pick someone."

Amanda's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Oh, but it is our business because we already know the perfect candidate."

I blinked, my mind racing through a list of acceptable classmates. "And who would that be?"

Novia leaned back, smirking like she was about to reveal a master plan for a heist. "Calvin Simms."

I almost choked on the water I had just sipped. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, him." Novia said, unfazed. "Think about it. He is hot, smart, and famously unattached. Commitment free. Best of all, he is the last person who could ever get emotionally attached to you."

My stomach flipped in a way that had nothing to do with the burrito from earlier. "You want me to use Calvin?"

Amanda shrugged. "Call it controlled chaos."

Controlled chaos. Fantastic. My two best friends had officially lost their minds.

"I do not use people." I said slowly, trying to ground the conversation back in reality. "That is not me."

"Exactly!" Novia countered, pointing a finger at me. "That is why this is perfect. He will not try to trap you, you will not get emotionally involved, and you get the experience you're looking for. It is a win-win."

I stared at her as if she had grown a second head right before my eyes. "You really think he would go for that? You do not know him."

"Yes, we do." Amanda said, wagging a finger. "We have watched him. Studied him from afar. He does not do commitment, he does not get emotionally attached, and he is Calvin Simms. He's the gold standard for a temporary distraction."

I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "You are insane. Absolutely insane."

Novia leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. "No, we are brilliant. You are just stubborn, but you are smart enough to make this work if you are careful."

I buried my face in my hands, the heat of a blush starting to bloom. "This is ridiculous."

"You know it is not." Amanda said softly. "You have already spent years hating him. You know exactly how he behaves, and you can handle it."

I peeked through my fingers at them. "You do realize this is morally questionable, right?"

"Morally?" Novia laughed, a bright, carefree sound. "Sam, we are talking about surviving senior year with style, grace, and a little fun. Calvin Simms is the perfect foil for that."

I groaned again. "Fun does not usually involve glares, insults, and endless teenage angst."

"Exactly." Amanda said, smiling widely. "That makes it perfect."

For the next hour, they outlined their plan. It mostly involved me projecting a sense of casual interest, testing his boundaries, and refusing to let my guard down for even a second. They even made me rehearse a few lines to use if Calvin gave me that look, the one that made me want to punch him and melt into a puddle at the exact same time.

"Do not look at him like you care." Novia instructed, pacing the floor. "Smile, roll your eyes, tease him, but stay in total control. If he tries to corner you, escape immediately."

I tried not to groan as the absurdity of the situation sank in. "I cannot believe I am taking advice on this."

"Yes, you can." Amanda said. "Because you want it. You want to be prepared for college, for the next step in your life, and you want to prove that you can handle Calvin Simms without falling apart."

I frowned, the word sticking in my throat. "You make it sound like a game."

"It is a game." Novia said smugly. "High school is a battlefield, and you are about to learn the art of war."

I groaned again and buried my face in a decorative pillow.

"Look." I said finally, sitting up and trying to find my resolve. "Even if I wanted to do this, it is going to be complicated."

Amanda tilted her head, her expression serene. "Complicated makes it fun."

I rolled my eyes. "Fun? You mean stressful, humiliating, and emotionally exhausting."

Novia leaned back, her smirk widening. "Exactly. That is the point. You get all the thrill without the messy attachment."

"Attachment." I muttered. I thought of Calvin, the way his eyes lingered on the back of my head in English class and the way his smirk made me want to scream.

I shook my head vigorously. Do not think about it. Do not think about it.

Novia's grin widened. "You see? You cannot help thinking about him. That is why it will work. You just have to keep your wits about you."

I glanced out the window, watching the clouds drift lazily over the suburban rooftops. Two weeks until I turned eighteen. Two weeks until I could technically do this fully, until I could test myself without worrying about crossing some invisible line.

But I knew it would be harder than I was letting on.

Calvin was not just popular or infuriating. He was smart, observant, and dangerous in a way that made me hyper aware of my own heartbeat whenever he was within a five foot radius. The thought of being near him made me curious, not in the way my friends wanted, not yet, but enough that I had to fight the heat creeping across my cheeks.

Novia elbowed me, breaking my trance. "Earth to Sam. You are thinking about him again, aren't you?"

"Shut up." I muttered, hiding my face behind my hair.

Amanda laughed, a gentle sound of victory. "Exactly why this is perfect. You get to test the waters, Sam. No emotions, just fun."

I groaned again, burying my face back into the pillow. "You two are truly insane."

"Maybe." Novia admitted. "But you are going to love it."

By the time I left Novia's house, I had a plan, or at least a rough sketch of one. Keep Calvin guessing, do not let him see me flinch, and have fun, whatever that actually meant in practice. Two weeks. That was all I had to prepare.

Walking down the quiet, tree lined streets toward my own home, I could not shake the nagging feeling that this plan might backfire spectacularly. Calvin Simms was too unpredictable, too sharp, and dangerous in ways I did not yet understand.

And yet, my pulse raced every time I imagined him looking at me, even for a fleeting second, as if he already knew more than he let on.

Two weeks. The clock was ticking, and the game had already begun.

Samira's POV

Mondays were always the worst, but today felt personal.

I pushed through the sliding doors of Saint Trenton High, my backpack snug against my shoulder, and immediately saw him.

Why is he everywhere lately?

Of course he had to be leaning casually against his locker, talking to Frederick, Denver, and Chris as if they owned the hallways. His raven hair fell perfectly over his forehead, and he was smirking at something Chris said. He looked effortless, untouchable, and infuriating.

I groaned under my breath and adjusted my bag strap. Two weeks until my birthday. Two weeks to make my plan real. And yet I was stuck in the same hall with the one person who made me want to tear my hair out.

"Morning, Sam!" Novia's voice cut through my internal panic.

I forced a smile. "Morning."

Amanda tugged at my sleeve, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Did you see him yet?"

"Yes. I saw him. And yes, I still hate him." I muttered.

Novia smirked. "Hate is a strong word for someone you cannot stop noticing."

I rolled my eyes and stepped aside to avoid a rushing freshman. Observing Calvin Simms from a safe distance was purely scientific. At least, that was the lie I was telling myself. Actually, I was perfectly fine before they suggested him as the perfect candidate.

Still, I could not help it. There was something about the way he carried himself, calm and confident with a quiet danger hidden in his relaxed posture, that made him impossible to ignore. He made it far too easy to notice him.

I shoved the thought away and made my way to Advanced English. Mrs. Huntington was calling roll, and the room buzzed with whispers about last weekend's football game and fresh gossip about Ashley Johnson's latest scheme.

Ashley. Perfectly curled hair, a designer bag swinging from her shoulder, and a smile sharp enough to cut glass. She spotted me, and her expression shifted instantly. Her hatred mirrored mine perfectly.

I ignored her and sank into my seat, hoping to blend into the background. She continued whispering to her friends, tapping her manicured nails and plotting. I looked out the window, letting the slow drift of the clouds draw my attention.

My heart skipped a beat. Calvin had walked in with his friends. He scanned the room, and then his gaze landed on me.

Great. Fantastic.

I shoved a pencil into my bag and tried to focus on Mrs. Huntington's lecture about symbolism in Romeo and Juliet. Classic tragic lovers doomed by hate and circumstance. How original.

"Samira." Mrs. Huntington called.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Read the passage aloud."

I cleared my throat and walked to the front of the room. Calvin's gaze followed me, unwavering and heavy. I refused to meet his eyes. From their desks, Novia and Amanda gave me subtle gestures, reminding me to stay calm and follow the plan.

I read the passage steadily, even as my mind screamed to glare at him, storm off, or throw the book across the room.

"Very good. Sit down."

I returned to my seat, my cheeks warm. Calvin's eyes lingered a moment longer than necessary. Then he looked away as if nothing had happened at all.

The day dragged. Math, history, and chemistry each passed with stolen glances and whispered comments. Denver passed by, grinning. Chris waved at Novia. Frederick laughed at Calvin's joke. I sat in the corner of the cafeteria, burrito in hand, plotting my escape before Ashley could try to corner me again.

By third period, the halls were alive with chaos. Lockers slammed, friends yelled across the corridors, and Calvin's crew strolled past like they owned every tile on the floor.

I tried to walk straight toward my locker when Ashley Johnson blocked my path, arms crossed over her chest.

"Look who it is." she purred.

I raised an eyebrow, matching her tone. "Ashley. Always a pleasure."

She smirked. "I hope you survive senior year without collapsing under the pressure. You do know about the senior party, right?"

I ignored her jab and fumbled with my locker combination. "Not interested."

She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Everyone is curious, especially Calvin Simms."

I could tell she was fishing for a reaction.

"What should I do with that information?" I asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Oh, you know." she said, stepping back with a fake smirk. "We all know you only pretend to hate him." Her minions laughed right on cue. "He will always choose me."

I slammed my locker shut. "Cute. You really need a hobby, Ashley."

Before she could respond, Calvin and his friends appeared at the other end of the hall. I froze.

"Hey, ladies." Denver said, nudging Frederick. Chris smirked at Novia and Amanda as they walked over to stand with me.

Calvin stopped, his gaze locking on me as if he could read every one of my thoughts. I looked down, pretending to tie my shoe, though no one was fooled. By the time I looked up, the crew had disappeared.

Ashley raised an eyebrow, clearly upset that his attention had not been on her, and walked off down the hall.

Novia nudged me. "Smooth, Sam. He definitely saw you."

"I did not. He did not. Novia, stop!" I hissed, shoving her lightly.

Amanda giggled. "Sure, Sam. Keep telling yourself that."

"He seemed distracted in English." Novia jeered.

My stomach twisted. "Distracted? By what?"

I wondered if they had noticed the same tension I felt. The hallway erupted again, and I hurried to class, hoping the next period would feel normal. It never did.

Lunch ended, and I found myself in English again, this time partnered with Calvin for a project. Fantastic. My plan to avoid him had failed miserably.

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and eyes sharp. "Don't waste my time, Sam."

I rolled my eyes. "Please. You look like you are waiting for me to mess up."

He smirked, that infuriating, arrogant smirk. I fought the urge to punch him and grabbed my notebook instead. The assignment was to analyze the themes in Romeo and Juliet.

"What is your take?" he asked, leaning closer than necessary.

"Sometimes people hate each other so much they cannot see what is right in front of them." I cleared my throat, trying to sound professional.

His smirk faltered briefly. "Cute. Very literary."

"Shut up." I muttered.

We spent the next thirty minutes silently competing. Every glance, sigh, and correction became a small battle. Every movement twisted my stomach in ways I refused to admit. By the time class ended, I was mentally drained and emotionally furious.

"Good luck surviving the rest of the day." Novia whispered as we exited the room.

"I will survive." I muttered, ignoring the flutter in my chest when Calvin's gaze lingered a fraction too long as I walked away.

Then came the announcement I had hoped to avoid.

"Attention, students." the PA crackled. "The senior party will be hosted at the Simms residence this Friday. Invitations are going out today."

My stomach dropped. Calvin's house. My enemy's territory.

Ashley definitely didn't know the venue yet, or she would have rubbed it in my face.

Novia elbowed me. "Looks like our plan just got a lot more interesting."

I clenched my fists. "Great. Just what I needed. Him, his friends, and a party where everyone will stare at me like I am supposed to swoon."

Amanda sighed. "Sam... two weeks until your birthday. You are working on our plan, right?"

I exhaled slowly. Two weeks to stick to my rules, stay detached, and avoid falling apart in front of him. And yet I had a sinking feeling that by Friday, nothing would be the same. Calvin Simms had a way of showing up everywhere I did not want him to be.