The Bad Boy's Project

**Washington, D.C.** { Then }

I wrapped my arms tightly around my chest, trying to stop the trembling. Tucked into the shadows of the hallway, I held my breath and peered around the corner.

"Hadrian, don't tell me you actually *like* her?" Niam's voice was slick with a smirk. "I thought she was just a distraction."

Beside him, Veronica and Ajania exchanged sharp, icy looks, but they stayed silent. Around them, the party roared on; a sea of college students remained blissfully oblivious to the world crashing down around me.

Lola let out a dark, jagged laugh before tilting her head back to swallow the rest of her drink.

"Yes, Hadrian," Kior added, his voice carrying an edge I couldn't quite decipher. "Do tell. I think we'd all love to hear this."

A hot tear tracked down my cheek. Past the group, I caught a glimpse of my best friend, April-Mae. She was glowing, caught in the middle of a joke and surrounded by people, completely unaware that I was falling apart just a few feet away.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, the salt stinging my skin. I couldn't stay. Stepping back from the wall, I turned toward the exit, the music feeling like a dull roar in my ears.

This wasn't the plan. Hadrian Smith hadn't just broken my heart; he had ruined me..