Terms of us

“Lori! Wake up!”

My mom’s voice cuts through the air like a siren. I jolt upright in bed, eyes flying to my alarm clock.

8:00 a.m.

I’m supposed to be at school in thirty minutes.

“Crap,” I mutter, stumbling out of bed. So much for my plan to get ready in peace and maybe grab coffee with Alis and Ben. That was yesterday’s dream. Today, I’m officially late.

I make a beeline for my closet, only to trip over—ugh—Oliver’s shoes. Again. My sixteen-year-old brother is a menace who thinks it’s funny to leave his sneakers in front of my door. Probably on purpose.

I yank open the closet and pull out the first T-shirt I see. It’s a designer label—of course. Mom insists I wear the most expensive clothes possible, as if brand names make a person more valuable.

Yeah, right.

I grab a pair of wrinkled skinny jeans from the floor and tug them on. No time to care. Hair? Messy. Makeup? Not happening. Downstairs, I barely set foot in the kitchen before Mom turns around with that look—like she’s about to launch into another rant about my appearance.

I swipe the sandwich she was making—for Dad, apparently—and stuff it in my mouth as I back toward the door.

“Hey!” she yells after me.

Too late. I’m already out the door.

My silver Audi A4 gleams in the driveway. My first day back at college, and at least one thing is going right.

The parking lot is already packed when I arrive. As I pull into a free spot, another car almost swerves into me—a brand-new BMW. Rich kids and their toys. I slam the door shut and start shouting before I even see who’s inside.

“Watch it! I was here first!”

The door of the BMW opens, and a guy steps out. My voice catches in my throat.

He’s... stunning.

Dark black hair falls over his forehead, just messy enough to look perfect. Piercing gray eyes meet mine, and for a second, I forget why I’m mad.

“Sorry,” he says, voice low and smooth.

My brain short-circuits. Did he really just talk to me? I’m staring. I know I am. But I can’t stop.

He steps closer.

“Lori? Is that you?”

Wait... what?

I blink, confused. I don’t recognize him, and I definitely wouldn’t forget someone like him.

He grins, and it hits me like a slap.

“Lori, it’s really you! I barely recognized you without those giant glasses you always wore in grade school.”

And then it clicks.

No. Freaking. Way.

Dante.

Ten years ago…

“Dante! Where are you going?” I screamed, chasing after the car his parents were shoving him into.

He didn’t even turn around.

Didn’t say goodbye.

I stood there, tears streaming down my face, as he disappeared down the road. My best friend. The boy I promised I’d never leave. Gone—without a word.

Today…

He’s standing in front of me. Taller. Older. Hotter than anyone has a right to be.

But all I can see is the nine-year-old boy who vanished without a goodbye.

No way I’m standing here pretending nothing happened.

I spin on my heel, jump back in my car, and park it farther away. Then I walk straight toward the building without a single glance back.

The first day of school is always chaotic. New faces. Fake smiles. Too many people trying too hard. I make it through morning classes avoiding Dante completely, but my stomach is in knots by the time lunch rolls around.

In the cafeteria, I spot our usual table.

Alis is already there, waving me over. She’s been my best friend since forever, still lives next door, and would never ditch me like Dante did.

She’s gorgeous—long blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and legs for days. Today she’s wearing a Gucci dress that hugs her in all the right places. Naturally, half the male population of the school is gawking.

Fay plops down beside us, stuffing carrot sticks into her mouth. She’s Ben’s girlfriend and honestly one of the only girls who doesn’t hate me for being close with him.

“Have you seen the new guy?” she blurts, carrot half-chewed.

I frown. Fay doesn’t usually care about new boys—especially with Ben sitting right next to her, looking like he wants to throw the carrot across the room.

Ben gives me a look. He’s been my ride-or-die since high school. Broad shoulders, short brown hair, kind eyes—he’s the kind of guy girls line up for. And yet, somehow, we’re just friends. Always have been.

Fay never felt threatened by our friendship. We’ve been clear: no romantic stuff. Just chaos and mutual emotional damage.

Sometimes we walk hand-in-hand just to mess with people. Especially the ones who whisper behind our backs that we’re in a secret threesome. It’s hilarious, honestly.

Across the cafeteria, I see Trish—Alis’s older sister—holding court like a queen. No one dares to bring up that they’re related. Trish would murder them with her eyes alone.

And sitting next to her…

Dante.

Wow. That was fast.

Of course he’d fall straight into Trish’s perfectly manicured claws. She’s got a radar for hot new guys.

“He looks so familiar,” Alis says, squinting.

I sigh. “It’s Dante.”

She nearly spits out her drink. “The Dante?!”

I nod.

Her jaw drops. Then she turns around quickly, letting out a groan. She knows how much that name still stings.

Ben and Fay are staring at us, but we’ve both made a silent pact not to ever talk about him. Not really.

The rest of the day, I avoid Trish’s group like they have the plague. I can’t handle another face-to-face with Dante—not yet.

When the final bell rings, I walk to the parking lot, ready to collapse into my car and forget this day ever happened.

Except…

My car is gone.

I freeze.

No Audi. No nothing.

I search every aisle. I check the next lot over. I even look behind the gym. Nothing.

Heart racing, I dial my dad.

“Dad! My car is gone!”

He tells me to calm down—but his voice is already annoyed. I ramble that I parked it this morning and now it’s just gone.

He mumbles something about irresponsibility under his breath, but promises to check on it.

And just like that, Day One of college ends with my first real heartbreak back... and possibly my first stolen car.