Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
THE WARNING
Maya Carter had never believed in warnings.
Not the dramatic kind, anyway.
She believed in checking the weather before leaving home, charging her phone before going out, and never trusting a person who said, “I promise this won't hurt.”
But when she arrived at Westbridge College, her roommate gave her one warning that she couldn't ignore.
“Stay away from Adrian Cole.”
Maya paused while unpacking her clothes.
“Who?”
Tessa turned around so quickly that her braids nearly hit Maya in the face.
“Adrian Cole.”
Maya blinked.
“Am I supposed to know him?”
“No. And that's exactly how I want it to remain.”
Tessa dropped onto her bed dramatically.
Maya laughed.
“Why are you talking like he's a criminal?”
“He isn't.”
“Then what's the problem?”
Tessa lowered her voice.
“He's trouble.”
Maya rolled her eyes.
“Everyone says that about someone popular.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
Tessa pointed toward the window.
“Look.”
Maya reluctantly walked over.
Across the courtyard stood a group of students. At the center was a tall boy wearing a dark jacket, laughing with his friends.
He looked completely relaxed.
Then, as if he could somehow feel Maya watching him, he turned.
Their eyes met.
Maya immediately looked away.
Tessa gasped.
“You saw him!”
“I saw a person.”
“That person is Adrian Cole.”
“And?”
“And you need to stay away from him.”
Maya folded her arms.
“You're making him sound dangerous.”
“He's not dangerous.”
“Then why avoid him?”
“Because every girl who gets close to him ends up with a story.”
Maya smiled.
“Maybe I like stories.”
“You'll regret saying that.”
Maya returned to unpacking.
“Relax. I'm not interested in him.”
Tessa stared at her.
“You said that very confidently.”
“Because it's true.”
A knock came at the door.
Before either girl could answer, a voice came from outside.
“Excuse me. Is this room 214?”
Tessa froze.
Maya looked at her.
“Who is it?”
Tessa whispered.
“Adrian.”
Maya's smile disappeared.
The door opened.
And there he was.
The boy she had just been warned to avoid.
Adrian looked between them.
“Hi.”
Tessa didn't respond.
Maya did.
“Hi.”
Adrian smiled.
“I think you dropped this.”
He held up a small notebook.
Maya looked down.
Her notebook was missing.
She slowly reached for it.
“Where did you find it?”
“Outside.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
He started to leave, then stopped.
“I'm Adrian, by the way.”
Maya almost laughed.
She already knew.
“Maya.”
“I know.”
She frowned.
“How?”
Adrian pointed at the notebook.
Her name was written across the front.
“Oh.”
He smiled.
“See you around, Maya.”
Then he walked away.
Tessa waited until his footsteps disappeared.
Then she turned toward Maya.
“I warned you.”
Maya looked at the notebook in her hands.
“What did I do?”
“You spoke to him.”
Maya laughed.
“For thirty seconds.”
Tessa shook her head.
“This is how it starts.”
Maya smiled.
“It's nothing.”
But somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a strange feeling that Tessa might be right.
Because sometimes the people you're warned to avoid are exactly the people you never expect to meet.
