Chapter 1
The New Girl
The first rule of starting over was simple:
Don't let anyone know why you had to start over.
I repeated it in my head as I stood outside the gates of Westbridge College.
New campus.
New people.
New uniform.
New life.
At least, that was the plan.
I adjusted the strap of my bag and took a breath.
"Don't look nervous," I whispered to myself.
A guy walking past glanced at me.
Great.
Apparently, I had said that out loud.
I looked away immediately.
My phone buzzed.
Misha: Where are you???
I typed back.
Me: At the gate.
Three dots appeared instantly.
Misha: DO NOT MOVE.
I frowned.
Too late.
Someone bumped into my shoulder.
My phone slipped from my hand.
"Sorry."
The voice was calm.
Too calm.
I looked up.
And forgot what I was going to say.
He was standing there with one hand in his pocket, the other holding my phone.
Dark hair. Black watch. Slightly crooked smile.
He looked at the screen.
Then at me.
"Aanya Mehra?"
My stomach dropped.
"How do you know my name?"
His smile disappeared.
For exactly one second.
Then it returned.
"Your ID card."
He pointed toward my chest.
I looked down.
Of course.
My college ID was hanging right there.
Idiot.
"Right."
He handed me the phone.
Our fingers almost touched.
I pulled my hand back.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
"First day?" he asked.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Very."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
I narrowed my eyes.
He laughed.
Then he walked away.
I watched him disappear into the crowd.
Something about him bothered me.
I couldn't explain what.
My phone buzzed again.
Misha: I SAID DON'T MOVE 😭
I smiled despite myself.
Then I saw him.
The same guy.
He was standing near the entrance, talking to another student.
And looking directly at me.
Except this time, he wasn't smiling.
He was staring at me like he'd seen a ghost.
Then he said something to the person beside him.
The other guy turned.
Both of them looked at me.
I didn't know them.
I'd never seen them before.
At least...
I thought I hadn't.
Then the guy from the gate walked toward me.
He stopped a few steps away.
"Aanya."
My heart skipped.
"How do you know me?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he lowered his voice.
"You shouldn't have come here."
I stared at him.
"What?"
His eyes moved around the crowded entrance.
Then back to me.
"Because if they find out who you are..."
He paused.
"...everything starts again."
And before I could ask what he meant, he walked away.
Leaving me with one terrifying thought.
He knew.
Somehow, he knew about the night I'd spent the last eight months trying to forget.
And suddenly, starting over didn't feel like a new beginning anymore.
It felt like a countdown.
