Chapter 1 — First Encounter
"Watch it!"
Ava spun just in time to see a tall boy shove a girl against the lockers. Books tumbled to the floor, coffee sloshing dangerously.
Without a second thought, Ava dropped her own cup and slammed her books down. "Hands off her, jerk!"
The boy smirked, towering over her. "Or what? You're just an orphan. What are you gonna do?"
Ava's braid swung across her shoulder as she squared her shoulders, eyes blazing. "Try me."
Before he could take a step closer, a calm voice sliced through the tension.
"Maybe you should rethink this."
Ava's gaze lifted, landing on a tall, composed guy leaning against the lockers. Arms crossed, posture perfect, eyes sharp and calculating. He didn't just enter the scene; he dominated it. The kind of presence that made everyone else—bullies, bystanders, even Ava—pause and notice.
"Or… maybe we don't need a hero," Ava shot back, defiant.
He raised an eyebrow, faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You don't seem to need one."
The taller boy hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances with his friend, then shrugged and walked off. Ava let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Thanks… I guess," she muttered, bending to pick up her scattered books.
The tall guy stepped closer, extending a hand. "Recee."
"Ava," she replied, brushing past without shaking it. "Don't think this makes us friends."
Recee tilted his head, intrigued. Bold. Fearless. Completely unafraid of the world. He observed her the way predators study prey—but in a way that made her feel… alive.
Ava gathered the last of her things, and he fell into step beside her, silent for a moment.
"You always have to fight everyone who annoys you?" he asked casually, almost as if commenting on the weather.
Ava smirked, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Someone has to. Otherwise, the world would walk all over us. Besides… some people just need a little wake-up call."
Recee said nothing, but internally, he already knew she was unlike anyone he'd met. She was crazy, fearless, funny… magnetic.
A familiar voice pulled her attention.
"Who was that guy?"
Ava jumped slightly. Her roommate, Mia, leaned casually against the wall with a teasing grin. "You didn't tell me you were starting a fight club before breakfast."
"I wasn't starting a fight club," Ava muttered, picking up the last of her books. "Just… helping someone."
Mia smirked knowingly. "Right. The girl from the cafeteria?"
Ava groaned. "Yeah, that one."
From across the quad, a figure leaned casually against a tree, watching the scene unfold with an amused grin. Ethan, one of Recee's friends, had crooked lips and mischievous eyes that seemed to laugh at everything—even chaos.
"Looks like someone's got a hero now," he called lightly, earning a small chuckle from Mia.
Ava rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Hero? Don't make me laugh."
Recee, silent as ever, gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Observant," he said softly, his gaze fixed on her.
Mia nudged Ava. "Looks like he's interested in you."
"Interested? Don't flatter yourself," Ava replied, letting her braid fall over her shoulder.
The four of them—Ava, Recee, Mia, and Ethan—stood in a chaotic mix of tension, curiosity, and unspoken thoughts. Something about the moment was… electric. Unpredictable. Alive.
Ava finally slung her bag over her shoulder. "Well, I should probably get to class. If anyone wants to follow, be my guest."
Recee stepped aside, letting her pass, but his eyes followed her as she disappeared into the crowd. There was something about her that refused to let him look away.
Ethan leaned against the tree, grin widening. "Looks like you've got some competition."
Recee raised an eyebrow. "Competition?"
"For the chaos award," Ethan said lightly, voice dripping amusement.
Ava didn't hear them. Her mind was already racing—classes, homework, part-time job shifts—but beneath the rush of her usual responsibilities, a quiet thought lingered. The tall, composed stranger… she hadn't seen the last of him.
She moved through the crowd, careful not to spill anything else, yet part of her chest still thumped with adrenaline. Recee's gaze had felt like a weight on her back, heavy, intense… unreadable.
A few steps away, Mia fell into step beside her. "Who is he?" she asked, voice low. "You've got that look. The one you get when someone's… intriguing."
Ava laughed softly, brushing off the question. "No one worth your attention."
Mia raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but let it go. "Right. If you say so."
Meanwhile, Recee remained by the lockers, eyes scanning the campus, but always returning to where Ava had been. He didn't know why, but something about her stirred a thought he couldn't quite name. A challenge, perhaps. Or maybe… curiosity.
Across the quad, Ethan shifted, leaning back against the tree. "She's trouble," he said, mostly to himself. "But the kind of trouble you… want to keep an eye on."
The bell rang, and the campus buzz resumed, but Ava's heart still raced, not from fear, but from the thrill of the morning. Something had changed today. Something significant.
And somewhere in that chaos, Recee already knew… this encounter wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
"What do you think of Ava first impression of recee?"
"Would you stand up to bullies like Ava?"