«I’m going crazy. There’s no other explanation for my sudden obsession with knowing the exact shade of her eyes.»

Chapter 1

Athena

Considering I’m achingly new to this whole party scene, I seem to be blending in quite all right. Sure, I catch people staring at me every once and again when I turn my head, but it’s not like I’m the cause of major outbursts of whispers or anything of the sort. It’s… slightly unfamiliar but highly appreciated.

Perhaps I have my new roommate to thank for that. If she hadn’t told me what to wear and forced me into it- quite literary, I would have been at a complete loss. I would have probably turned up in my usual oversized shirt paired with cargo pants. Scratch that, I wouldn’t have come here at all if my tornado of a roommate hadn’t insisted.

Katherine is a fellow freshman here at UCLK, but unlike me, she doesn’t seem nervous about the change at all. No, she seems elated to dive head-first into the whole experience, and while I share the sentiment deep down, I can still feel the restricting bonds of my past holding me back, making me hesitate.

I spent the first three years of high school in a weird stage of being known yet being invisible. My older brother, Hermes, was the rising star of the school’s football team, so everyone knew him. Everyone loved him, too, with his hearty, booming laughs and his expressive face, which could either be comical or make you feel deeply understood without him uttering a word. Yeah, my brother is fantastic. He really is.

Being his little sister is what’s not always so glorious. With my being only one year below him, he took me under his wing. I was often to trail behind him and his friends whenever he momentarily forgot about me, or to spend all my afternoons on the stands while he was at practice so we could drive home together.

It should have been great. It’s every teenage girl’s dream, no? Hanging out with the older, cooler kids? With the main crowd of the school? I should have been the girl who could have any guy on the team with all the time I spent around them. Turns out that being the team captain’s little sister really puts a buffer on getting any attention- or action- from any of the players. Not only that, but my brother naturally decided to be a freaking cliché and scare away any guy that even dared to look interested. It’s safe to say that any high school sweethearts were out of the question while Hermes was still at school.

My childhood best friend, Meave, celebrated my brother’s graduation, claiming our lives were finally starting now that my bodyguard was gone. Throughout the first three years, she was the only one by my side, and that’s solely due to us having known each other before. I must have looked unapproachable to the other girls in my grade, and those who showed interest were always quick to reveal themselves to be using me to get close to the team. That was always a bummer.

It made me stick close to Meave, my forever darling. By sticking by my side, she basically gave up her own anticipated high school experiences. I know she was really holding out high hopes for our senior year, though. Too bad that that didn’t go according to plan either. With my brother gone, I became the new favorite plaything of a few envious people. At least, that’s what Meave calls them.

She always told me the only reason they were teasing me, spreading rumors, and pointing fingers was that I was in the spotlight for a long time, making them envy me, but with my brother there, they had to hide all their nasty feelings. Hence, the outlet in senior year.

If only those people had known that the spotlight wasn’t all that great from my point of view.

It could have been better, but it wasn’t the worst. I kept to myself and stuck close to Meave. It’s all I ever needed. I’m not much of a people person, and I don’t want to sound ungrateful toward my brother, but the way he always moved in big groups, thereby making me move in big groups, wasn’t what I wanted. He meant well, he just sometimes doesn’t really consider his actions from the different views of all the parties involved.

I love my brother. I love my parents too, but I have to admit that moving away from them was the thing I was most excited about before going to college. No more cleaning up after other people, no more damn curfews, and no more subtle, innocent comments that silently cut through me without anyone noticing.

Nope, just me and my fiery-headed roommate in our tight little dorm. I feel giddy just thinking about it. It might not be much but it’s partially mine. I put my few clothes in the small closet and dumped my sketchbooks and art supplies beneath my bed. Our window grants me the perfect view of the giant tree growing on the school’s premises, so I don’t have to buy succulents or something. It’s a good thing, too, since I have the blackest thumb when it comes to plants…

Either way, speaking of my roommate, a particularly hard tug on my arm makes me stumble a step, nearly taking another person to the ground with me.

«Whoa, easy. Shit, are you all right?» a deep voice asks over the music, steadying me with two big hands on either side of my upper arms. I can’t even see his face, I’m standing so close to him I’m basically inhaling his chest. With painfully burning cheeks, I take a step back. There’s only one thing for me to do now; hope the dark, flickering LEDs aren’t enough to make the beautiful stranger see that my pale complexion has now taken on what must be a tomato-red tint.

And, hell, but he is beautiful. Or handsome, whatever. Dark, thick hair falls lightly onto his forehead, curling around his ears in a shaggy yet somehow controlled way. His face is clean-shaven, revealing the sharp cut of his cheekbones and jaw, and, as I keep staring, mouthwatering dimples on either side of his full lips appear.

Why my mouth starts watering at the sight of those dents in his skin, I can’t say. All I know is that my lips feel suddenly parched, and I subtly suck my bottom lip into my mouth, wetting it just slightly before I let it plop out again.

I remember my brother ranting to me about how so many girls try flirting with him by licking their lips overly obviously. The memory makes me blush even harder. I don’t want this man to think I’m flirting with him. Hell, surely not after I rammed him like a tipsy camel.

When I don’t say anything for an uncomfortable amount of time, he clears his throat, prompting my eyes to meet his awaiting gaze. I shake myself. «Yes, sorry. Oh, God,» I groan under my breath before straightening up to save my last remaining shreds of dignity. «I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you okay?» I ask quickly, remembering my manners.

If anything, the man’s smile widens fondly. As if I was an amusing kitten. Something small and cute. Indignation curls in my stomach, and I straighten my back further, slightly pushing my chest out in the process as I narrow my eyes.

It wasn’t a conscious invitation for him to ogle my breasts, which are a lot more exposed than they would be in one of my band shirts, still, his gaze drops. It’s only for a second, and when he meets my eyes again, he seems almost uncomfortable at having been so obvious. I shift on my feet, sharing the sentiment.

God, I don’t know how to act. I’ve never been to a party like party like this where I know no one apart from my roommate, who I met yesterday and who seems to have conveniently vanished now that I could really use her social skills.

I’m not good at meeting strangers and I’m wearing an outfit that’s way out of my comfort zone. I could use any sort of armor because right now, I feel bare.

It’s ridiculous seeing as I’m wearing a black halter top that covers most of my stomach paired with form-fitting leather pants that only flare below the knees. When Katherine talked me into putting this on at the dorm, I felt comfortable with it. I’m comfortable in my body- I work hard to keep it in shape, after all- but revealing clothes attract attention, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

You wanted to stop being invisible, I remind myself.

«I’m good. It takes a bit more than a little shove to knock me off balance,» the man finally drawls, ending the uncomfortable silence. «I’m Romeo, by the way. It’s nice to meet you,» he adds, his dimples showing once more.

«Athena,» I introduce myself, then blow out a breathy laugh. «I swear this isn’t usually how I make acquaintances.»

If the music weren’t so loud, I’m pretty sure I could have heard Romeo snort in amusement. As it is, it’s all I can do to watch him tip his head back to reveal the long column of his defined throat. My gaze lingers on his prominent Adam’s apple before I seize the chance to glance quickly back at that chest I was so close to before.

When I bumped into him, it felt like hitting a brick wall. Now, in the dim lighting shining down on us, I can just barely make out the dark shadows beneath what seems to be at least a six-pack. And then there are his pecks…

He clears his throat again, but I don’t rush to avert my eyes. Hell, he got an eyeful of my boobs before, I might as well make it even by checking him out. Besides, he’s a stranger I’m likely to never see again so there’s no harm. My eyes lazily move upwards, trailing over his corded arms, taking in his broad shoulders, and finally coming back to his flawless face.

A face that now wears a challenging smirk, his eyes glinting. Do you like what you see? They seem to be asking. The answer would be yes, but rather than saying that, I merely smile back, forcing every bit of confidence in my body into my eyes as I stare him down.

After a few seconds of the stare-down, he chuckles. As he opens his mouth to say something, two smaller hands grab my right arm. I’m whirled around to face a sweaty Katherine. She visibly slumps in relief when she recognizes me.

«Here you are. Jesus, I don’t know how I lost you and even less how I couldn’t find you until now. It felt like I was fighting my way through a swarm of people trying to push me away or drown me. I’m so sorry I left your side. I know I promised you I’d stay with you since you don’t know anyone, but I really didn’t mean to lose you in the crowd. I’m not one to go against my word,» she vows, looking almost worried about our new friendship.

I smile at her, hoping she can distinguish that I’m sincere when I say, «Don’t worry about it. I know you didn’t mean it, and it’s not like I’m completely helpless on my own. Just a little shy,» I admit, easing her hands off my arm to link it with hers.

I risk a quick glance over my shoulder to see if my suspicion is right; Romeo is no longer standing behind me. I ignore the tiny sliver of disappointment and keep the smile on my face. As brief as the interaction was, and as messy as that, I didn’t feel all that shy in the end. That’s something. The first step of gaining new experiences and coming out of my shell.