g by so fast, it m

ing. I wanted to go ... explore the city. And that's wha

o go out and I'd begrudgingly go, but the

he public because of how the human population made me feel overwhelmed. But

to do that with

ressed in a simple sunny dress

To me, it felt like everyone was looking at me-judging me. I knew they weren't and probably didn't give

ave the environment- it was odd doing this all alone. Then I walk

hat I was doing, and tha

n a sleek black car pulled up beside me. I walke

t horne

ut I reassured myself nothing would happen to me

leaned

Julian's face. " Hi,

f. " Hi. I thought you wer

e to reach out." A hint of a smile played on his lips as he push

s seemed to come alive

's s

id into the passenger seat. It was so com

d. "You got family outside school?

my dress, trying to avoi

l. I've never been to such a place before, my home is

er. "Well, let me show y

I never expected h

anything else to do?

out of my place because I was bored

s offering me a free ride. While I didn't l

," I a

the engine and

body was tense, and my hands clammy. I didn't expect to feel so

are you fro

. "You don't want

sed. "What? Why wo

ne really knows the place, to be honest

I love learning about n

interested. I'd researched hi

posed to be in the same space, and how any

ld him what he

It's a very tiny town." He hummed

think I care either. My main aim from the

out a so

ke how I saw him in his pictures or around people. Was that just

himself

by the driveway of a quaint cafe.

car suddenly didn't feel like it was enough. I was tor

said, my

cepted. "I don't either. I do have some flas

ded. "

as so a

friends?" he blurte

o you want to be f

shocked by his question to speak. He smiled. " Maybe we'll ta

my thoughts before

dle it a bit, trying to ignore the double takes all the women and girls did whenever they saw Julian. It wa

lish major, but one of my best subjects ever was the creat

ted, not expecting the change, but he was insistent. "Consider it a welcome t

, because he'd already done that the first few times. But

rotest whenever I

though when we arrive

on the couch, watching me with an amused expression, offering critiques and suggestions. It all felt so biza

. Julian was nice, the same way Ava was. Be

d in a new environment with new people who actually see

e stood up, his eyes locking onto mine. "Y

dress. Looking at the dress one more time, I acce

d, trying to hand the sale

er hand. "I think I can handle it," he said with

up, deciding that it's dumb to try to stop a literal billionaire from paying for my

us was comfortable. Which was unexpected. We had

y purse, curious. It was a notificatio

pectant. But I didn'

und With Julian B

and I leaving the café .

"Julian

. I'm just checking the time." He nodded

ncreased the closer we got to my dor

freshman, and she 's from the English departmen

lackwell fangirls have probably f

re gossip from 'Th

, shocked and s

anything he could even do? What do people who g

ull up to my building, but I directed him to drop me off

" I said, reaching

w. "Give me your number at least,

citement I felt as I gave him my number. I watched him

a group of girls emerge from the shadows of the dorm building. Their eyes locked o

step back, but the girls closed in,

pace. They pushed me, their wor

ok another step back. I felt the edge of the curb

panicked voice shout

t before I could react, I heard the sound of screeching tires, and sudde

my vision snapped back into f

ckled down my face and Ava's face hovered a

y god, Emily!

y gaze drifted towards a soun

he driver's door swung open, and a figure s

to blur again, and