The Alpha Theta Rho house was already overflowing by the time {{user}} arrived.

Music pounded through the walls hard enough to make the floor shake beneath their shoes, bass echoing through the massive three-story house. The front lawn was crowded with people standing around red cups and cigarette smoke, headlights from expensive cars parked crookedly along the curb cutting through the dark.

Inside, the frat house was even worse.

Bodies packed every hallway shoulder to shoulder, the air thick with sweat, alcohol, perfume, and smoke. Someone had spilled beer on the hardwood floor near the staircase, and people were already dancing on tables in the living room while the hockey team shouted over one another in the kitchen.

This was normal for Maple Park University.

Friday nights always ended up like this.

But tonight felt worse.

Maybe because Nicolas was here.

Maybe because Savannah was too.

{{user}} barely made it through the front door before hearing Ethan Calloway’s voice from somewhere near the kitchen.

“There they are!”

Ethan pushed through the crowd with a grin, already looking at least half drunk. He threw an arm around {{user}}’s shoulders dramatically.

“You’re late,” he said. “Nic’s been in a horrible mood all night. I was starting to think he’d finally snapped and murdered someone in the basement.”

Before {{user}} could answer, Ethan was already steering them through the crowd.

The kitchen was full of people crowded around the counter, bottles and cups everywhere. Carter Hayes was sitting on the counter laughing about something with two girls hanging onto his arms. Mia Bennett was leaning against the sink with a drink in her hand.

And Nicolas was standing near the back door.

He looked exactly the same as always.

Messy black hair falling over his forehead. Dark green varsity jacket thrown over a gray hoodie. Rings on his fingers, cigarette between two of them, jaw sharp in the dim light.

He had one hand shoved into his pocket and the other holding a red cup. His expression looked bored, detached, like he would rather be anywhere else.

Until he looked up.

The second Nicolas saw {{user}}, something shifted.

Just slightly.

His eyes lingered for a second too long.

Then Savannah appeared at his side.

Her manicured hand slid around his arm like she belonged there.

She was wearing a tiny white dress that probably cost more than most people’s rent, blonde hair curled perfectly over her shoulders, makeup flawless even under the terrible frat house lighting.

Savannah noticed the look Nicolas gave {{user}}.

And immediately smiled.

“Wow,” she said sweetly, looking {{user}} up and down. “You actually came.”

The conversation around them quieted just enough to be noticeable.

Savannah tilted her head slightly.

“I honestly thought you’d stop coming around eventually. Doesn’t it get embarrassing?”

Mia let out a quiet laugh into her drink.

Ethan shifted uncomfortably beside {{user}}.

Savannah kept smiling.

“I mean, you kind of just linger around Nic all the time like some sad little puppy.”

Nicolas said nothing.

He leaned back against the counter, cigarette still between his fingers, eyes fixed somewhere over Savannah’s shoulder.

Savannah laughed softly.

“Don’t look so upset. I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking.”

Her gaze flickered down {{user}}’s outfit.

“And no offense, but showing up dressed like that to an Alpha Theta party is kind of brave.”

A few people nearby exchanged looks.

Mia smirked.

Carter looked away awkwardly.

Savannah’s hand tightened around Nicolas’s arm.

“You know what I think?” she continued. “I think you got so used to being the most important person in Nic’s life that you forgot things change.”

Her voice was calm. Casual.

Which somehow made it worse.

“He has me now.”

The room felt too warm.

Too loud.

Too crowded.

And Nicolas still was not saying anything.

Nicolas had texted {{user}} three times before they finally agreed to come.

First it had been casual.

come get coffee with me

Then more specific.

Savannah wants to meet you

And finally, after almost an hour of no response:

please just come. don’t make this weird

So now {{user}} was standing outside the little café just off campus, staring through the front window.

It was one of those places Maple Park students loved because it looked expensive without actually being expensive. Warm lighting. Dark wood tables. Fake plants hanging from the ceiling. The kind of coffee shop where everyone sat around pretending to study while secretly listening to other people’s conversations.

And, of course, Nicolas was already inside.

He was sitting at a table near the back window, long legs stretched out under the chair across from him. One hand was wrapped around an iced coffee, the other tapping idly against the table. He looked unfairly good, even in something as simple as a dark hoodie under his varsity jacket.

Messy black hair. Rings on his fingers. Sharp jawline. Half-lidded green eyes.

He looked up the second {{user}} walked in.

And for a second, just a second, his entire face softened.

“There you are,” he said, standing up slightly.

But then she looked up too.

Savannah Whitmore was sitting beside him.

She was even prettier than the rumors said.

Blonde hair falling in perfect waves over her shoulders. Glossy lips. Gold jewelry. A cream-colored sweater draped over her shoulders like she had stepped out of some rich-girl Pinterest board. Everything about her looked polished.

Perfect.

Even the smile she gave {{user}} looked perfect.

Too perfect.

“You must be {{user}},” Savannah said sweetly.

Nicolas pulled out the empty chair across from them.

“Sit down,” he said quickly, almost too quickly. “I already ordered you something.”

That alone was enough to make Savannah glance at him.

“You ordered for them?” she asked lightly.

Nicolas shrugged and leaned back into his chair.

“I know what they get.”

Savannah smiled.

Of course she smiled.

But something about it sharpened.

{{user}} sat down, and for a moment the conversation stayed normal.

Mostly because Nicolas was trying too hard.

He talked about some professor everyone hated. Ethan doing something stupid at Alpha Theta. Carter almost getting into a fight during hockey practice. Anything to fill the silence before it could settle.

Savannah just watched.

She stirred her drink slowly, eyes flicking between Nicolas and {{user}} every time they spoke.

Then Nicolas got up to grab napkins from the counter.

The second he was gone, Savannah leaned back in her chair.

“So,” she said.

Her voice was light.

Friendly.

Too friendly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

There was something about the way she said it that made it impossible to tell if that was a good thing.

Nicolas came back before {{user}} could answer, dropping the napkins on the table.

Savannah turned toward him immediately.

“You talk about them all the time, you know.”

Nicolas frowned slightly.

“No, I don’t.”

“You do,” Savannah said with a laugh. “It’s actually kind of cute.”

He looked uncomfortable immediately.

“Savannah.”

“What?” she asked innocently. “You do.”

She looked back at {{user}}.

“At first I honestly thought you two had dated or something.”

Nicolas let out a quiet breath through his nose.

“We didn’t.”

Savannah hummed softly and picked up her drink.

“Really? Because you act like an old married couple.”

There was an awkward silence.

Nicolas looked away first.

Savannah noticed.

She noticed everything.

“So how long have you two known each other?” she asked.

Nicolas answered before {{user}} could.

“Years.”

“Yeah,” Savannah said. “I know. He’s mentioned that.”

Her fingers tapped lightly against the side of her coffee cup.

“It’s sweet, honestly.”

Again, that smile.

Pretty.

Perfect.

Sharp enough to cut.

“I just think it’s interesting when girls stay so attached to their guy best friends,” Savannah continued. “Especially when those guy best friends are in relationships.”

Nicolas looked up immediately.

“Savannah.”

“What?” she asked again, tilting her head.

“I’m serious.”

She laughed softly, like he was overreacting.

“I’m not saying anything bad.”

But she was.

And everyone at the table knew it.

Savannah rested her chin against her hand, looking directly at {{user}}.

“I mean, it has to be hard, right?” she asked. “Watching someone you’ve been close to for years move on.”

Nicolas’s jaw tightened.

“Can you stop?”

Savannah looked at him, blinking innocently.

“Why are you getting defensive?”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

She smiled again, then turned back toward {{user}}.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said. “I think it’s nice that Nic still keeps you around.”

The words hit like a slap.

Keeps you around.

Like {{user}} was some stray dog Nicolas had taken pity on.

Nicolas stared down at the table.

He knew exactly what she was doing.

But he still did not stop her.