SKYE

"I just need a good fuck."

I dropped the line while lying sprawled out on my bed, arms folded behind my head. Alvin tore his eyes away from whatever he was studying on his laptop and glanced at me with a bit of sympathy. My other roommate, Archer, didn't even flinch, still buried in his phone.

"That bad already? It's only the start of the semester," Alvin muttered.

"So what? I broke up with Martin four months ago, and since then, I haven't felt like getting into any flings," I shot back.

He gave me a look, then shrugged. "I get it. It's tough finding time to date with all the shit in our major. Just a crazy-ass workload. So—" he cleared his throat, "I had to make some compromises."

There was a moment of silence. Archer still didn't say a word, ignoring our conversation like he usually did. But Alvin seemed ready to talk, even though I wasn't sure if I wanted to dig into what he meant. His sex life never overly interested me, but for some reason, I decided to ask, "Back in high school, you weren't much of a… dater. ‘Education over ejaculations', you always said. Did something change?"

Chuckling, he stretched out his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"No fucking way, you know my priorities. But I still need to fuck; I just don't do long-terms. It's too much of a time-suck. Freshman year, I was drowning in work—sometimes didn't even have time to buy groceries. I almost lost my scholarship! So, dating went out the window," he admitted.

I watched him for a sec; he seemed a little embarrassed, like he thought I'd judge him. He glanced at me and scratched his chin. I've always been more into long-term relationships, and Alvin knew that. Maybe that's why he never talked much about his sex life before.

"What's up, Alvin? You got something to tell me?" I pressed.

He snorted lightly and looked out the window, like he wasn't sure if he could trust me. That's when Archer finally looked up and eyed him.

"You can't be serious, Alvin. You really gonna tell him about this shit?"

Alvin rolled his eyes and bit his lip. I was even more curious now, so I sat down on his bed and gave him a look. He grimaced and avoided my gaze.

"C'mon! Spit it out already, you've got my attention, fucker," I demanded.

Alvin cursed under his breath, then muttered, "This is a secret, and it's really risky. If I tell you, and you spill, it could fuck things up for like twenty people."

My jaw dropped. Archer just snorted and went back to his phone.

"The fuck? What did you get yourself into?"

Grunting and snorting unhappily, Alvin made a face, then he sat up straight, giving me an annoyed look. "At the beginning of senior year, a bunch of us realized this major is a bitch, and it's almost impossible to have a love life. So, we came up with something quick and practical."

"You just realized it at the beginning of senior year? Well, it took you some time."

He pouted. "Before, we all tried and tried… but we finally gave up!"

Alvin and I have known each other since high school. We weren't best friends or anything, but we hung out in the same group because we were both into programming. After high school, I ended up going to a different college that was closer to my family's place. But then, at the beginning of last semester, my boyfriend, Martin, broke up with me, and I came to the conclusion that I couldn't keep going to classes with him every day while he was already with his new guy.

In a desperate move, I decided to transfer to another college in the middle of my senior year without telling anyone. I didn't know any students here except Alvin and Gabriel Nolan—my second cousin. I found out that transferring from one college to another for the senior year was nearly impossible—that's just how their rules were—so I needed a little miracle. Luckily, Finn Delgado, who was my brother Winter's ex, worked here as a professor, and he helped me pull off that miracle.

Then Alvin offered me a free spot in his three-person dorm room on campus. Since Archer and Gabriel were also friends, I didn't feel like I was among strangers—and I needed to be around familiar people, hoping it would lift my mood—and… it actually did.

The second semester started two weeks ago, and I'd been slowly getting back to normal. Alvin still irritated me sometimes—he'd gotten even more full of himself since high school—but overall, I didn't regret the decision.

"Can't you just tell me? I'll keep my mouth shut," I said, giving him a questioning look.

Alvin looked at me cautiously. "You gotta swear on everything that you won't say a word."

I leaned back against the wall, settling onto his bed. "You know me, Alvin. I'm not about to go looking for trouble."

Alvin sighed, got up from his chair, and sat on the other edge of the bed. He lowered his voice, "Me and a few other students decided to pay for sex."

"Wow, what a bombshell!" I rolled my eyes in irritation. "What's so dangerous about that? Lots of students hire escorts, especially the ones with money. I doubt you'd get kicked out for that. You're all adults, so why all the secrecy?"

Alvin gave a wry smile. "It's not as simple as you think. They aren't just regular escorts. They're other students. We have a… pact."

That sounded so high school, but I raised my eyebrows, feeling intrigued. "Offering sexual services on campus can get you expelled."

He nodded, still smiling. "Yep. Exactly. It's against the rules. You could get kicked out, blacklisted and even face some legal shit."

There was a pause. I was still staring at him.

"I won't go into the details of how it started, but let's just say we found some guys who were struggling for money. They agreed, in secret, and under the strictest confidence, to act as basically paid fuckbuddies for us. Because of it, we're all at risk. Using these services on campus is a big deal, so all of us need to be careful."

I wasn't sure what to make of it. It was consensual and everyone could do what they wanted, but it was still kind of shady. The fact that these people had money problems made me feel strangely uncomfortable.

"How'd you convince them to do it?"

Alvin waved his hand dismissively.

"I managed to find out, very cleverly and anonymously, who was in the most financial trouble, who was on the brink of getting expelled because they couldn't afford tuition… and I gathered ten people from that group."

Archer huffed. "So cleverly and anonymously, huh? You let yourself get fucked by that hideous beta in the administrative office, didn't you? And he let you sneak a peek at students' tuition payment records or something like that."

Alvin growled in annoyance. "Whatever, bro! I did what was necessary for the greater good!"

Archer shot him a wry smirk from his bunk, repeatedly making obscene gestures with his hand and mouth, but Alvin ignored him.

"You were the sole organizer of all this?"

Alvin nodded, and I burst out laughing.

"So, you're a pimp? Where's your mustache and cigar?"

He cursed quietly. "Don't be an idiot! I just got the ball rolling, but I don't gain anything from it. It's voluntary. If this ever got out, I'd be facing criminal charges, not just expulsion. I just piqued their interest, and now it's a… self-sustaining system." He made a face.

Silence fell, and I hesitated. I still felt there was something wrong with involving people desperate for money, but if they agreed, who was I to judge?

"How many of you are there, you know, as clients?"

"We have ten patrons and ten… companions. So, to put it bluntly, the workload isn't heavy."

"Companions? You call them that? Kinda euphemistic."

"They're not pro-escorts, Skye! There are no outsiders involved. It's more like a closed fuck-buddies club with benefits, with a sugar daddy vibe. We're just sponsors for their tuition. We all have our preferred companions, and we stick to them. I would even say it has a poly-group feel to it."

"Are all the patrons alphas?" I probed.

"No, six alphas, two betas, and two omegas."

I whistled softly in surprise. "Oh, I see. And what about the… companions?"

"Five omegas, three betas, and two alphas."

"Ah, so something for everyone. A diverse crowd!" Rubbing my chin, I decided to investigate, "So how does it all work?"

"We all have a shared password. We use it when meeting someone new, but after that, everyone just handles it on their own. You casually ask when, what, and how much, making sure no one else hears. No conversations over texts or messaging apps, of course, for security reasons. No digital trace."

"Right," I muttered.

"We agreed that when we bring someone new into the group, everyone gets notified to avoid surprises and awkwardness. But we haven't accepted any new members since we started five months ago, so we've never needed the password. We've been a closed group from the start; it's been working pretty well so far."

We both sat in silence for a moment, me feeling a strange mix of unease and excitement.

"I've never used paid services before; it just didn't appeal to me. I'm all for long-term, but damn, I'm stressed from all the studying, and feeling a bit desperate. What you're saying sounds kinda intriguing—the discreet nature of it. Plus, it's a closed group, so it feels safer," I muttered more to myself than to Alvin and stared at the ceiling, considering my options.

Because it was the second semester of my senior year, I didn't see the point in trying to find a boyfriend now. I had a ton of coursework to catch up on because of the transfer, plus all the extra classes required for this major. It was all overwhelming. Sure, I could probably squeeze in some dating between classes, but it would take careful planning and juggling what little free time I had. Even though I preferred steady relationships, maybe for this one semester, I could make an exception and explore other options to satisfy my ‘carnal' needs?

Suddenly, I noticed a quick glance from Archer. "Are you part of the group, Archer?"

He snorted. "Of course not! I would never pay for sex, it's not my thing."

"So how do you know about this group, if it's all super secretive and shit?"

Alvin grimaced and interjected, "He's a fucking hacker, that's how! Initially, I had this… Excel sheet with all the data, and I was keeping mum about it. He asked me a few times what was going on, but I ignored him, so he got annoyed and hacked my laptop."

I fixed my eyes on Archer. I'd heard from both Alvin and Gabriel that Archer was a brilliant hacker even before I transferred to this college, but finding out that he actually used his skills was way more interesting. "And you didn't let anyone know about it? It's fucking illegal and, let's say, morally gray to use people's desperate financial situations… even if they consent. Didn't it bother you?"

Archer's crystal-blue eyes bore into mine. "Listen, it does kinda bother me. But I do my own shit with hacking. They are all consenting adults, whether I like it or not. And I don't care what Alvin does with his dick and ass. If he wants to catch some STDs, not my problem."

"We all get STD tests every two weeks! And we use condoms!"

"Condoms don't protect well from herpes, idiot."

"Jeez, you're such a buzzkill!" Alvin seemed triggered, but Archer just shrugged and fixed his eyes back on the screen. So, Alvin sighed exaggeratedly, muttering ‘asshole' under his breath.

"Listen, you're my homeboy, we went to high school together, so I'm willing to risk it and invite you to join us… if that's what you want."

He stared at me intently, obviously waiting for my definitive answer.

Clearing my throat, I asked, "So, how does it all work? I mean, do you know the prices, the options?"

He just smiled slightly, stood up, walked over to the desk, took out a piece of paper, and wrote down a long row of numbers and names.

"I learned my lesson with the Excel sheet. No traces. So, I'll jot this down for you, but just for a moment; you need to remember it," he tapped his head. "Only up here, no writing it down; I'll destroy this piece of paper in a sec. You've got a moment to memorize it."

"Sure!" I nodded eagerly, almost snatching the paper from his hand and staring at it intensely while Alvin chuckled.

Here's what I saw on the paper:

Anselm (omega) hj 15, bj 60, a 120

Darren (omega) hj 15, bj 50

Stephen (omega) hj 15, bj 50, a 120

Tim (omega) hj 15, bj 60, a 120

Thomas (omega) hj 15, bj 60, a 120

Sean (beta) hj 15, bj 50, a 130

Frank (beta) hj 15, bj 50, a 120

Soren (beta) hj 10, bj 70

Robin (alpha) hj 15, bj 60

Mark (alpha) hj 15, bj 50, a 200

"No way, I have to remember all this? You must be joking!"

"No fucking joking. We all know it. If you forget something, I can always give you a hint, but it's better to get familiar with it because nobody pays me for mediation, you get that, right?" He grinned wryly.

"Wait! What are these names supposed to tell me? There are plenty of Tims and Robins on campus."

Alvin just chuckled and took out his phone.

"I'll show you their faces on Facebook, dummy. I've got them added as friends, so I can see their private albums. That's how you'll recognize them, but don't invite them as friends yourself, remember the rule: the fewer traces, the better."

"Oh my God, this conspiracy is intense, but I guess I get it. Why don't some of them offer the full set of… services?" I made a meaningful wink.

"They set those conditions from the start. One alpha, one beta, and one omega decided the anal stuff wasn't for them."

"I also notice some differences in prices. Where do those come from?"

"Don't ask me; everyone set their own. I don't impose anything on anyone. I'm not a damn pimp; it's a free arrangement. If someone wants to charge more, that's on them. You don't have to hire them if you think it's too expensive; just go to someone else who's cheaper. Am I clear?" He gave me an intense look, and I shrugged.

"Alright, alright, I understand. It's just a group of people exchanging favors, and nobody asks silly questions, right?"

Alvin nodded with a cheeky smile. "Exactly. Just a group of fuckbuddies with a bit of financial help."

We were silent for a moment.

"So, how do I fit into your elite circle?" I smiled ironically.

"Well, I know you've got some decent cash from your part-time job at Nathaniel's company, and your parents are well-off, so that's the only thing you need if you want to enjoy the helping hands of our friends."

I have to admit, I was intrigued by this, and I even liked the whole mystery surrounding it. The fact that it was a closed group especially tempted me. Less risk of health hazards and just a more intimate feel overall.

"I like this whole… exclusivity of the group," I murmured.

"Yeah, a lot of us feel the same way. We're all friends beyond that—we sometimes party together and hang out. We don't want to hire professional escorts; we prefer to keep it, so to speak, in the family. You know, we all use protection, it's just safer that way."

"Well, then show me the pictures," I motioned to him, and he opened Facebook.

On the screen appeared the face of some alpha—not very handsome, but still bearable.

"This is Mark. The only alpha you can go all the way with."

"Have you ever used his services?" I asked, somewhat uncertainly.

Alvin squirmed a bit and then said, "You know… I've used the services of all our friends, just as a matter of principle, to know how things are going. But I'll admit I have my favorites."

"Then tell me something about each of them, just a few words to help me decide."

"I'm not gonna discourage you from anyone; that's not the point. Everyone should have an equal chance. Mark is fine if you're into alphas. There's also another alpha, Robin. But he doesn't offer the ‘a' service." He showed me Robin's picture. The guy did look really attractive, with a pleasant smile. But I've never really been interested in alphas. Yeah, my freshman year, I fooled around with a few guys, exchanged some handies, but nothing serious.

"Now I'll show you our omegas," Alvin said, opening more profiles on Facebook.

They were fairly decent-looking, but none of them really caught my attention. I felt almost disappointed since I had a rather specific taste—I only liked tall, slender guys with long black hair, and for some reason, I could never bring myself to date any other type. None of the omegas met my criteria.

Finally, Alvin opened three beta profiles.

"This is Sean, one of the two betas who offer the full package. I gotta say, he's quite charming. Sometimes I use his services, even though he's pricier than some omegas. But personally, I think it's worth spending a few extra bucks because he's pretty enthusiastic." Alvin cracked a smile.

Sean had curly red hair and big green eyes. Yes, for a beta, he was quite attractive.

"For full disclosure, Sean dated Archer for like a… month just before the fuckbuddy club started, but they split. Archer is into redheads, you know. But Sean couldn't handle his… um, conservative approach to dating."

Archer furrowed his brows. "Dated? Gosh, Alvin, we went on a few dates, and we just didn't click, that's all!"

I chose not to comment on that, especially because I already knew from Alvin about Archer's weird, not-very-progressive approach to relationships, so it probably wasn't the best idea to start the topic altogether.

"And this is Frank," Alvin showed me another beta's picture, but this one didn't catch my attention at all. I frowned slightly, slowly losing hope. "Oh no, also not my type," I muttered.

"Picky, huh? Okay, bad news. That's your last chance. Although, I wouldn't really call it a chance. This is our… alpha- basher, Soren," Alvin chuckled, pointing to a face in his friends list.

"Alpha-basher?" I raised an eyebrow, lowering myself a bit to focus on the tiny, pixelated picture.

"Yeah, Soren is a whole other… world. He's technically in our group, but he only does services for one of our beta patrons and for one omega. He absolutely hates alphas! There's only one alpha, Don, whom he tolerates around, but I doubt if he even received one handie from him. Soren doesn't do alphas in general. The thing with him is… he's bitchy and never in a good mood. So, since you're an alpha, I'd say he's off the table. Slim chances of a hj and no chances at all for a bj."

I leaned in closer to get a better look at Soren and… froze, recognizing the guy! I'd only been at this college for two weeks, so I'd attended just a few lectures and labs, but I couldn't miss this particular beta—I noticed him right away.

"What the fuck? I can't believe it; I know this guy! Well, 'know' might be a stretch, but I've had dealings with him." I grimaced.

"How so? Did he rub you the wrong way? Wouldn't surprise me; he's quite the character," Alvin replied with a nasal-sounding chuckle.

"Yeah, he's in my major, and we have most of our courses together. On the first day, I tried to sit next to him, and he ostentatiously moved a few seats away. Another time, I said hi to him in the hallway, and he straight-up ignored me. And once, there were no other seats in the cafeteria, so I asked if I could join him, and he said he was waiting for someone. So, I ended up eating on the windowsill. And guess what? No one ever came—he just sat there alone at the table," I explained, frowning.

Alvin snickered. "Doesn't surprise me at all. Soren can be impossible. To be honest, I seriously debated whether to involve him in our little circle at all, but his friend Sean convinced me because Soren has some financial troubles related to his late father's medical bills. That's the only reason I agreed, because that guy can be super nasty."

"I noticed. He was looking at me like he wanted to kill me," I muttered.

Alvin leaned in slightly and added in a confidential tone, "There's a whole story behind that, you know. Sean leaked it to me, but promise you won't spread it around."

"Sure, sure, now that I know so much, I can keep one more secret."

"It's an interesting case, kind of similar to yours and Martin's. Soren dated one alpha all through high school—high school sweethearts, that kind of shit. They went to college together, and Soren was supposedly head over heels in love, planning a future together. They were about to get married! Everything seemed perfect, romantic, until one day his fiancé met his High Mate! He'd met his Half Mates before, but… he always chose Soren over them. It probably got Soren's hopes up that it'd stay that way. But this time, his fiancé couldn't resist, and he ultimately broke up the engagement. You know, the High Mate charm—the next best thing apart from finding your True Mate."

"Don't even talk to me about it," I muttered quietly, since the same thing happened to me. My ex left for his High Mate, although we weren't engaged, but we dated for a year and a half, and I was pretty smitten with Martin.

"Yeah. He took it really hard. Sean told me Soren even attempted suicide, and then he changed—a total personality shift. Apparently, he completely stopped smiling, became gloomy, aggressive, and constantly sour. He transferred here from another college for his senior year, so you see, it's a very similar story to yours. Now Soren hates alphas and doesn't trust them. He believes betas shouldn't get involved with us at all because it's a sure thing they'll be abandoned sooner or later. Talking to him is usually unpleasant; he's bitter and hostile."

I stayed silent for a moment, staring at Soren's photo. He looked quite unique, definitely different from the others and… very much my type!

"I feel sorry for him…" I muttered, still fixing my eyes on the picture with a strange intensity.

Since I'd seen him in person, I knew he was pretty tall, probably around 5'11", maybe even a bit more. Of course, compared to me at 6'6", he was still quite a bit shorter, but objectively, he seemed slender, with a harmonious, shapely figure.

On both sides of his neck, he had some black spiky tattoos that climbed up to his cheekbone and temple. His ink-black hair was shaved above his ears, fading upward, and long on the top and back of his head, reaching the middle of his back. It was kinda like a faded mohawk haircut variation, but with long hair on top and back. He also had a bunch of piercings—in his right eyebrow, the right corner of his mouth, his left nostril, and a whole bunch in both earlobes, all silver and some artistically shaped.

As for his face… It definitely caught my eye. He was quite pale, but undeniably intriguing, a very striking beauty. He had somewhat sharp, almost cat-like features, high cheekbones, a delicate chin, and slightly slanted eyes the color of a bright, stormy sky. His lips were the most beautiful—full and softly outlined, maybe even sweet, although whenever I saw them in person, they were always twisted in a contemptuous or haughty grimace.

"Feeling sorry for him doesn't mean you'd want his services, does it?" Alvin asked with a raised eyebrow. "It's unlikely he would agree anyway."

"He's in my major, I see him daily…"

"Well, that's true. He's really into programming, and he's pretty good at it. We both took a few of the same programming courses, and I saw how he breezed through all the assignments with ease. From what Sean told me, Soren's been working part-time at DevApp for over a year already."

I perked up. "Really?! DevApp? My older brother Winter works there too, as a head of one of the departments. Wow, Soren must be something if he managed to secure even a part-time job there. I heard it's tough to get an internship in DevApp, let alone a job."

"Yeah, Soren's a real geek. Besides what he does for us, he never goes anywhere, always studying, doesn't hang out with anyone. I can count on one hand the times I've seen him at a party. Only when there's free food!"

"Interesting. If he works there, why does he need extra cash?"

"He is paying off the high medical bills of his dad. The man was basically dying for a decade after a horrible accident that left him almost completely immobile, and Soren inherited the debt even after his dad died. The insurance didn't cover everything."

"Damn, tough situation."

"Yeah, pretty tragic. Soren basically raised himself, since his dad was bedridden, but he's fighting hard for his future. He already secured a promise from DevApp HR that after he finishes the year, he'll have a full-time job there. With their salaries, he'll pay off the debts quickly."

"That's true, they pay their specialists well. I heard even junior programmers earn decently."

Alvin nodded. There was a brief moment of silence, as I thought about the news I'd heard, feeling sympathetic to Soren's situation.

"So, what's the verdict? Anyone you ‘fancy' in particular?"

"Stephen and Sean seem okay, pretty attractive," I said, purposely omitting Soren. For some reason, I didn't want to talk about him right now.

Alvin frowned. "No! Not my favorite Sean!"

I shrugged. "He's objectively attractive. You said when someone new joins, they need to know the password."

"Oh yeah, of course. Without it, don't even try to arrange anything. The password is ‘Kingdom of Promises'. We also call our club that."

"Oh, that's so dramatic, but alright, I'll remember."

"Jerk, don't complain."

"Alright, thanks a lot for letting me into your secret club, or… kingdom." I grinned crookedly. "I need to think about who I'd like to, let's say, try out."

"Take your time. If you can't decide, you can always fuck me for free!" He winked and gave a somewhat awkward chuckle.

Archer shot him a contemptuous look.

"No, thanks…" I made a sour face.

It wasn't the first time Alvin jokingly offered himself, but he wasn't my type, not in the slightest. Not that he was ugly, I just wasn't into his type of somewhat obnoxious personality.

"Your loss. Okay, I'll let them know that a new person is joining. I'll also inform our patrons."

"Patrons… what a name."

"Yeah, sounds classy, right?" He grinned and added, "Just spare me the details if you pick Sean. I don't need those to be happy!"

I went back to lying on my bed, noticing Archer's strange glare out of the corner of my eye. For some weird reason, I couldn't get Soren out of my mind. That dude was getting on my nerves with his insolent behavior from day one because I didn't understand what I did to deserve it. Now that I knew his story better, I got his motives, but it still felt strange, remembering his hostile gaze and how he ostentatiously moved away from me in the lecture hall…

Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

This evening, while showering and jerking off, I tried to fantasize about fucking my ex, Martin. I usually did so for this exact purpose, despite the fact that it could be considered self-torture. But as soon as I closed my eyes and pictured Martin's pretty face, his long black curls, and his willowy body under me, moaning and begging me to fuck him harder, I couldn't shoo away the overlay that superimposed itself on Martin's face.

His steel-blue eyes turned into stormy gray, and a tattoo grew on the sides of his face. Also… earrings pierced through his skin. It wasn't long before it was Soren under me, begging, "Yeah, go deeper, Skye. Fuck me, crush me, plow me, devour me!" It's funny how the imagination works, right? I finished superfast, and I splashed my cum all over the shower wall, feeling surprisingly satisfied. For sure, this new fantasy was a welcome addition to my mental sex file cabinet.

***

The next day, as I walked to class, I noticed a group of people standing to the left of the building entrance, smoking cigarettes. I immediately recognized Soren and Sean, and there was also some alpha with bleached blond hair standing next to them. The trio was talking—or rather, Sean was doing most of the talking, engaging the blond guy. Soren smoked, taking deep drags and glancing off to the side toward the park, not seeming particularly interested in the conversation, or maybe even slightly miffed by it.

As I walked past, our eyes met for a brief moment. From this distance, I couldn't make out his facial expression very well because it was obscured by smoke, but he immediately turned his head, looking over to the distant buildings, not giving me any indication that he even noticed me—not that I cared. I just felt this weird shiver down my spine, as I already knew that it was Soren whose services I'd want to purchase, even if just for a handjob. Despite how he treated me. Yeah, he said he didn't do alphas, but maybe he would if I gave him a good price?

Well, it was a nice idea.

I entered the lecture hall and sat in the back row to be able to observe the whole room. Two minutes before the lecture started, Soren walked in. He and I shared most of the courses. He looked around and saw me sitting in the seat he usually took, and then ostentatiously turned to the side and sat two rows in front of me.

Throughout the lecture, I kept glancing in his direction. He was wearing a thick black hoodie and tight black jeans. His long hair was tied up in a ponytail that fell down his neck and back, and I noticed his unusually pale skin. I didn't know why, but throughout the lecture, my eyes kept wandering toward him, my gaze sliding over his exposed, white neck, but of course, I didn't make any move.

The same thing happened in the cafeteria. Soren met Sean there, and they had lunch together. I sat nearby, within sight of Soren. I knew he glanced at me a few times, but he was very careful not to let our eyes meet, as if he didn't want to give me any satisfaction. I noticed that other students didn't even try to approach him; evidently, they already knew his ways.

Then came the next lecture, during which Soren sat on the opposite side of the room from me. It was almost strange how he kept away from me. There were plenty of other students, but somehow, he singled me out, ostentatiously distancing himself from me in all the lectures and labs.

What was his deal? He treated others with indifference, sometimes sitting next to one of the other students, but he avoided me like I was the bubonic plague.

I observed Soren over the next few days. He didn't have many friends; he mainly hung out with Sean. I guess since he transferred here for senior year, he still hadn't made friends with all the students in our major—Computer Science and Engineering—but he'd been here the whole semester longer than I was, so he probably felt less like a ‘new guy' than I did anyway.

Sometimes he talked to one of the omegas, whom I recognized as Tim from Alvin's list. Occasionally, Mark, an alpha from the same list, joined them for a short chit-chat with Sean, but Soren ignored him pretty consistently. Unfortunately, there was someone else who often hovered around them—the bleached alpha. I didn't recognize him from the list; maybe he was a patron or their colleague. I remembered Alvin mentioning some Don, but I had no idea if that was him.

Slowly, I was gathering the courage to approach Soren, but it wasn't until a week later that I noticed a suitable opportunity.

One day, I arrived early before class and saw Soren standing alone, leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette, waiting for the lecture.

I felt my heart racing. Although I didn't smoke, I had bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter a few days prior, just to have a pretext to approach him.

Slowly walking, I came closer, feeling my heart pounding. The only advantage of me being an alpha and him being a beta was that he couldn't hear my heart, since betas had much weaker hearing than alphas and omegas. But to my surprise, I noticed that his heart sped up significantly when I stood about six feet away from him and took out the cigarettes! I could hear it quickening: thump, thump, thump… Did I somehow affect him?

I lit my cigarette, trying to appear casual, but I didn't intend to actually smoke; it was more for show.

Soren didn't look at me; his silvery, stormy eyes were fixed on the campus park, where it was raining, everything drowned in gray. There was silence as we stood about six feet apart.

And his heart continued to do it… thump, thump, thump! So quick!

But why?

There were still twenty minutes until the lecture, so there was plenty of time for a conversation. Finally, I took a step toward him and extended my hand, saying, "Hey, I'm Skye."

But to my disappointment, his cold eyes glanced at my face for a brief moment, and then a disdainful grimace formed on his beautiful lips. He turned away, didn't shake my hand, didn't say a word. Instead, he took a deep drag, walked to the ashtray, put out his cigarette, turned around, and headed toward the lecture hall.

Well, that didn't go as planned. His hostility remained firm, and I couldn't understand why he only acted this way toward me—he just ignored the other students. Pretty strange.

I quickly ditched my cigarette and followed him into the lecture hall. To my surprise, he sat in the front row, almost directly across from the professor's podium. That was a clear signal: ‘stay away from me'.

Unsure what to do, I passed by him slowly, but he didn't honor me with a glance; he just stared at his phone screen, ignoring everything around him.

Well, my plan went up in smoke. Literally. I lost the courage to approach him again.

The next opportunity came two days later when I noticed him sitting alone in the cafeteria. This time, he was at a three- person table, so he couldn't easily explain that he was waiting for a friend.

As I grabbed a tray, my heart pounding, I approached his table and just sat down without asking. I came from behind on purpose, so he couldn't see me and run away. I noticed he flinched slightly in surprise when he heard the clink of my tray next to his elbow.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" I asked, but only after my rear was already on the chair.

I saw a grimace of anger on his face. The cafeteria was pretty crowded, and no other tables were available, so he couldn't easily escape my company, especially since his tray was still full.

Up close, his face seemed even more hostile, with tightly clenched lips and narrowed eyes. But it also looked even more… eye-catching.

He didn't say anything, just leaned over his tray and sped up his eating, obviously wanting to finish as quickly as possible so he could get up and leave me as usual.

But his heart did it again; boom, boom, boom.

"I noticed we're in almost all the programming courses together. I'm new here, just transferred from Dornel College."

Silence. He didn't even raise his eyes, just continued to focus on his food, only his heart was galloping. I didn't know what else to say, except to get to the point. I was almost about to utter the password Alvin had told me, but something held me back. Shyness?

After some hesitation, I started to eat, saying nothing. So pathetic. The strange thing was, I had never been a particularly shy guy, so why did Soren evoke this strange timidity in me? The next few minutes passed in total silence until I suddenly heard footsteps… and saw Sean approaching us.

I could almost see the brief flash of relief on Soren's face when he saw his friend.

Sean sat down next to us with a cheerful smile.

"Hey, Soren, care to introduce us?"

"I don't know him," Soren said coldly, not even looking at me.

"Oh, okay. Hi, I'm Sean," the redheaded beta greeted me, smiling and holding out his hand.

I shook it. He was unquestionably attractive, but somehow, he didn't appeal to me.

"I'm Skye, nice to meet you."

"Likewise!"

"Sorry for intruding on you like this, but I'm new here and don't know many people yet," I said, though I was already sick of constantly repeating that I was new. It sounded so lame.

"Oh, where did you transfer from?" Sean raised his eyebrows slightly, and when I told him the name of my previous college, he murmured, "I see," and raised an eyebrow. "You probably have a lot of catching up to do. No offense, but I heard Dornel College doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to programming courses."

"I'm not offended because it's true. Right from the start, I can see how much I have to catch up on, especially with Python. It's intense here."

"Soren could help you; I've heard he's the best with Python," Sean suddenly said, glancing at Soren, who was eating with his head bowed low over his tray. Soren twitched slightly at the sound of his name and then glared at Sean.

"You're crazy. I don't have time for this!" he growled instead of responding normally.

"Of course, not for free—"

"No way," Soren cut him off sharply, shooting a murderous glance at his friend.

"Why did you decide to transfer here?" Sean asked, still cheerful, apparently used to Soren's behavior and not fazed by it at all.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say. Then, suddenly, I decided to tell the truth.

"The reason is pretty pathetic… a broken heart. My longtime boyfriend left me for his High Mate. That's when I decided to move away. And I ended up here for the last semester of my studies. I know it sounds crazy, but I just couldn't stay and watch him walk around campus with his new boyfriend, holding hands and kissing."

I noticed the quick glance Sean shot at Soren before he said, "Well, that sucks, but it happens more often than you'd think."

An awkward silence fell. Soren was eating really quickly now, shoving food into his mouth and deliberately avoiding eye contact with me. His fingers, adorned with silver rings and black nail polish, seemed almost clenched on the fork.

"Isn't it hard to transfer during senior year? It seems crazy, if not impossible. I bet college policy is against it," Sean pressed, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from ‘exes leaving for a better mate'.

"It is, but my brother's ex, Finn Delgado, is a professor here. I'm on good terms with him. We've kind of been friends for years, and he helped me with all the formal stuff."

"Finn Delgado, the geneticist? I've heard of him. He's hot, to be honest."

"We're just friends."

"Yeah, but he's a beta, so probably not your type anyway." Sean winked, though his gaze was a little too inquisitive.

Soren lowered his head even further over his plate, as if cringing at his friend's line of questioning.

"That wouldn't be a problem. I'm into betas and omegas, but he's my brother's ex, so he's off-limits. I have standards," I muttered, thinking about how my own brother, Storm, didn't mind such entanglements.

Sean looked surprised but then smiled and murmured, "I see… So, you're friends with Alvin?"

"More like, we went to the same high school."

"Good that you knew some people here; transfers can be lonely," he muttered, glancing at Soren meaningfully. "So, you two are roommates now?"

I hesitated, wondering if I should mention Archer's name, knowing they had ‘kinda dated'.

"We also share the room with Archer Wentworth. But yeah, I knew people here before transferring—Finn, Alvin, and also Archer's friend, Gabriel Nolan is my second cousin, he goes here too, sophomore year."

Sean's mouth dropped open. "No way! I know both of them; they're weirdos! I mean Archer and Gabe. Archer's a backward conservative prick that I almost dated, and Gabriel… I've heard he's some crazy ecoactivist—like, one of the deranged ones. He spills oil on antique paintings and stuff. I don't envy you that company!"

Feeling defensive, especially since Soren was there and might judge me based on the people I was associated with, I quickly explained, "I don't really hang out with them. We only hit the gym together, and that's about it. I have to study a lot. Archer keeps to himself, and I barely know my cousin. We didn't grow up together; we've only met at a few family gatherings. He's pretty closed off too."

Sean eyed me with a skeptical look. Without a doubt, hanging out with those guys was a negative point for me in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Soren picked up the last piece of chicken, stood up, and without saying a word, walked away from the table.

Sean watched him leave, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"I guess he doesn't like me," I muttered with a wry smile.

"Don't worry about it; that's just Soren. He's allergic to alphas."

"Not all of them. I saw him with some blond alpha earlier."

Sean smiled subtly. "Ah, Don. Trust me, he's super allergic to him too. He just tolerates his presence for now. Soren's aversion to alphas is incurable," he replied and giggled.

We chatted a bit more about campus life and the different activities. I learned there was a mixer on Friday. Sean and Soren were planning to go just for the free food. One thing led to another, and Sean invited me too. Without hesitation, I agreed. Maybe it could be another chance to talk to Soren under different circumstances?

By the end of the week, I still hadn't had a chance to meet Soren alone, even though I constantly hovered around them. It seemed like Soren had made it a point to avoid even looking at me.

Instead, Alvin caught up with me, asking if I had finally chosen someone, but I dodged the question, saying I had more studying to do this week.

Friday came earlier than expected, and my hopes were high. The mixer was held in one of the dorms, which had a large common area. The organizers asked for a few dollars to help cover the food, but other than that, there were no requirements—anyone could join.

There were a few dancers already, so I mingled for a while. With all the flashing lights and the almost disco-like atmosphere, I felt strangely anxious. The music was loud, but I wasn't here to have fun—my goal was different. Unfortunately, I couldn't spot Soren anywhere.

Some time passed, but then, to my surprise, I saw him on the dance floor with Tim and Sean. Soren was dressed in black leggings and a loose black shirt with a wide neckline that exposed his shoulders. His face was dusted with glitter, and he wore dark pink lipstick. He looked stunning. I stared at him as the colorful lights moved across his pale face. I watched him for a few minutes, strangely fascinated, admiring his graceful movements. I had to admit, he danced well. His perfect hips swayed in an almost erotic rhythm, and I felt a strange heat inside me.

On impulse, I approached them, feeling drawn to Soren. He raised his eyes to me, heavily lined with eyeliner, looking seductive, mysterious, beautiful, and intense. The contrast between his light silvery-gray irises and the black eyeliner was striking. It took my breath away, and I stared for a moment, mesmerized. Unfortunately, I saw the same hostile glint in his eyes again, but I didn't let it stop me from asking directly, "Care to dance with me, Soren?"

Sean noticed me immediately and waved, but Soren responded coldly, "Get lost."

That was it.

Sean's eyes widened in surprise; even he seemed a bit disgusted by Soren's behavior. "Hey, Skye, join us. Don't mind Soren; we can do a group dance."

But I wasn't in the mood anymore, feeling a strange bitterness. So I turned to Sean and said, "No, thanks. I appreciate it, but I don't want to bother you guys."

Without waiting for a response, I walked away and leaned against the wall, still watching the dancing group. I saw Sean say something to Soren, but he just shrugged. They danced for a few more minutes while I stared mindlessly.

"Hi, Skye," a quiet voice said next to me. I turned and saw my cousin Gabriel standing there with his usual ‘sorry I'm bothering you' look, like he was apologetic just for existing. This guy had some serious lemon vibes and was always the one picked on at family gatherings. As far as I knew, he was bullied in school too and started practicing martial arts to stand up to his bullies. We were never close, so I didn't care much that we attended the same college now.

"What's up, Gabe?"

I wasn't in the mood for talking, especially because, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alvin walking in with the blond alpha—Don, I guessed his name was. Why was Alvin hanging out with this waste of space in the first place?

They joined the trio on the dance floor, and I felt a wave of intense irritation because this time, Soren didn't move away. The blond put his arm around him and pulled him close. They swayed to the music, and my throat tightened with growing annoyance. Again, why did he single me out in his… hating?

"So… how's it going since your transfer? Lots of work?" Gabriel asked.

Oh, he was still there.

"Yeah, a shitload. Is Uncle Van better? I heard he had heart surgery."

"Yep, he's all better now. Thanks for asking."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, not really paying attention because I just noticed that Soren was watching me closely over the blond alpha's shoulder.

Even from that distance, I could see a flash of triumph in his eyes, as if he was pleased, I saw him dancing with another alpha right after he so rudely rejected me.

I also caught Sean glancing at me, he probably pitied me a little.

Then another omega with long chestnut hair asked Sean to dance, despite Alvin's obvious displeasure. That left Soren, Alvin, Tim, and Don grouped at the snack table. A moment later, Alvin asked Tim to dance, leaving Soren alone with Don.

Soren glanced my way from time to time, as if making sure I hadn't missed him talking to another alpha. So strange and kinda twisted.

The blond leaned toward him, occasionally brushing his arm, now and then placing his hand on Soren's back, stirring some pretty violent emotions in my nervous system, even though I had no reason to be jealous. There was nothing between me and Soren, right? My irritation was definitely unfounded.

At one point, Don put his hand on Soren's back and led him toward the exit. I knew I shouldn't follow them—this couldn't end well—and yet…

"Excuse me for a second," I muttered to Gabriel, who was still standing next to me, biting his lower lip and looking like a lost puppy.

So I followed them, silly me. But instead of going outside, Soren and Don turned into one of the dark hallways and disappeared from my sight. There was only one possibility: they were going for a quick hj or to make out. Why else would they go deeper into the dorm instead of leaving?

After some hesitation, I didn't follow them. I returned to the dance hall feeling slightly nauseous. What was happening to me? Why was I so interested in a guy who was making money like this? I could only be mad at myself for obsessing over him these past few weeks, knowing exactly what he was about. And I blamed my cowardice—I could've just told him the password Alvin had given me, the ‘Kingdom of Promises' thing, and tried my luck. Maybe he'd agree?

But the sour taste wouldn't leave my mouth.

Gabriel was still waiting in the same spot, so, reluctantly, I went back to him. The guy was really the epitome of boring. Despite having the same attractive, manly features my father's side of the family was known for, his overall aura dulled it all down; he seemed like a weathered version of a typical Nolan. Don't get me wrong, he had a good face, but he desperately needed better grooming and more… personality or confidence to highlight his undoubtedly pleasant appearance. One thing I will say, though—he had quite a body. He practiced Muay Thai, and from what I knew, he and Archer were sparring partners at the local MT club.

Gabriel started asking about my brother Rain's divorce, but I didn't have much to say. Then he asked about my job at Nathaniel's company, since he was also his cousin, but I answered with monosyllables, hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone. I wasn't in the mood for small talk. He finally got the clue and said, "Okay, I'd better get going."

"Yeah, take care, Gabe," I forced a small smile for his sake.

After he left, I stood there, leaning against the wall, gloomy and lonely, sipping on an energy drink, absentmindedly watching the dancing couples. My thoughts drifted back to Soren. Could I really expect anything from him? I knew from the start he was hostile toward alphas.

At one point, Sean came up to me with a sympathetic look on his face. "Hey, looks like you're not having a good time. Sorry about Soren, but that's just how he is. You gotta get used to it."

"You don't have to apologize on his behalf; you're fine. I appreciate your kindness," I said quietly, taking another sip from the can.

Sean looked at me thoughtfully for a moment. "Sorry to ask, but do you like Soren? Because I noticed you often look at him and try to approach him."

I swallowed and met his gaze. Apparently, it was obvious to everyone else by now. I hesitated, not knowing what to say, but finally admitted it, "Yeah. I really like him. He… he's perfect for me. So beautiful. But I guess nothing will come of it because he doesn't feel the same way."

Sean bit his lip lightly. "Let me give you some advice: just forget about him, find someone else. Soren is a complicated case; you'll never succeed, even though you're a looker yourself. Sorry to say this, but that's the truth."

His words hit me unpleasantly. I stared at my can, fighting off the unsettling feeling, and then looked him straight in the eyes. "I don't believe in ‘never'. There's always a chance."

Sean winced slightly. "In this case, believe me, it's really slim. For your own good, you should let go, Skye. He's not interested and won't be. I'm serious about this."

Another wave of stress hit me, so strong that I instinctively clenched my jaw. But why such a strong reaction?

"Thanks for the warning. I appreciate it," I choked out.

As I turned and headed toward the exit, Soren and the blond alpha walked in from a side corridor. Our eyes met, and I shifted my gaze between Soren and Don. When he noticed my attention, another grimace of triumph appeared on his lips; he seemed kinda pleased with himself.

I didn't understand what his deal was, but maybe there was no point in trying to figure it out? Perhaps Sean was right. No point in pursuing this guy.

Feeling kinda defeated, I left the dorm, but just as I was stepping out, I turned back one last time and saw Sean talking to Soren, pointing in my direction. I was sure he told Soren I was into him, called him beautiful and all that, which gave him even more satisfaction, knowing I'd seen him with Don in the dark hallway.

Stupid, silly me.

I returned to my dorm feeling dejected. Why was I so obsessed with him? I really couldn't understand myself. Was it the idiotic pattern of wanting what you cannot have? But he was in the fuckbuddies club, for fuck's sake!

Wait. That was actually my only chance.

Maybe I should just fuck it all, and ask him? Give him the password and make it simple. Once and for all, I'd know. If he refused, then I'd move on.

Feeling alternating waves of disappointment and fear, I spent the weekend studying. By the end, I had reached a point in my mind, where I was ready. Yeah, I'll give him the password and take this stupid risk.

***

The next Monday, I woke up early, knowing that Soren had a class soon. Alvin was still asleep, and Archer was out for his morning jog. The guy was like a machine—studying, working out, and eating healthy. He even managed to squeeze in his martial arts training and lived an overall disciplined life that just… wasn't for me. I barely dragged myself out of bed, feeling exhausted from studying all weekend. How could I squeeze more out of my body? I was fit too—I also attended the gym, but three times a week, not fucking every day like this freak!

Feeling super low on energy, I left the dorm in a light drizzle and headed for the college buildings. I showed up twenty minutes before class, and to my surprise, Soren was already there, standing in front of the building, smoking, surrounded by a cloud of smoke. When he saw me, his eyes narrowed in hostility.

It was time—now or never.

Forcing some courage out of me, I walked up to Soren, stopped in front of him, and said, "Password: Kingdom of Promises."

Only then did I see a change in his face—his pupils dilated slightly—but he just blew smoke in my direction and tilted his head.

"So?"

"I'd like to use your services," I said, trying to maintain a calm tone. "For three times the usual amount."

He scoffed and took a drag of his cigarette. "I'm not interested. Get lost."

I'll admit, it wasn't what I expected. After all, he needed money, had financial troubles, and now he was just giving up the chance to earn three times his normal rate? The naive hope that it would tempt him just died.

Yeah, Alvin had said nothing tied anyone here—that everyone could set their own rules and serve whoever they wanted, but… still, I'd been cautiously optimistic, hoping that the money would do the trick. Silly me.

So, this was my last chance, and now it was gone, too.

"Why? If I may ask, what is it about me that repels you so much?"

His lips twisted into an even more scornful grimace. His heart, like always when I was around, was racing like crazy. "I don't have to explain anything to you. Get lost!"

I was silent for a moment. "I don't get it. What have I done to you? What's worse about me than that blond guy?"

Soren clenched his lips tightly and then stubbed out his cigarette on the building wall. "I'm tired of talking to you," he growled before turning around and walking away.

And that was it. A failure. Yep.

With my mind kind of blanked out, I went back to my room and took out my violin, hoping to take a break from thinking about this whole shitty situation. I began to play, taking advantage of the time alone. Archer was still out jogging or at the gym with Gabe, and Alvin was off who knows where.

The music soothed my nerves in one way, but in another, it added to them. I still had a certain stiffness in my left fingers, and sometimes they'd slip clumsily off the strings. Since my fight with my brother Storm, when he broke two of my fingers, they had never been a hundred percent like before.

Clutching the fingerboard nervously, I tried to play, my eyebrows furrowed and my jaw clenched. But my irritation only grew until I had to stop and put the violin back in its case, cursing under my breath, battling anger and disappointment… on every level of my life.

Soren's rejection had transformed within me, becoming a persistent, nagging hum at the back of my mind, pushed to the edges, seemingly unimportant yet impossible to fully silence.

When Archer and Alvin came back into the room one hour later, I pondered whether I should even say anything. Maybe just to vent? I impulsively sat down on the bed beside Alvin and said, "I tried the password on Soren today."

Alvin jerked his head up and stared at me.

"On Soren? But why? Do you have a death wish? You picked the highest bar, Skye. I told you your chances were slim, you're an alpha."

I sighed in irritation. "I thought he'd agree because I offered him triple the money, but he seems to… hate me."

"Don't take it personally. Soren is a walking-talking venom. I told you, better pick someone else, less of a headache."

Archer, who was on his laptop, raised his crystal blue eyes to me, but his face remained unfazed.

"But I don't get it. What's the problem? You used his services, so he must've agreed, right?"

"Only a hj, once, at the beginning. And even then, he was super stiff and hostile. He doesn't do alphas; I've told you like five times. He only serves these two guys, beta and omega: May and Ed."

"What about this Don guy? He seems to make an exception."

"Pfff, Don is his paypig! He gives Soren money, like, a lot, for no reason—not for sex. That's why Soren tolerates Don being around."

"So, if he only has May and Ed as patrons, and Don is just a friend, why's he even on the list you showed me? Why include him at all?"

"Because he's part of our fuckgroup, at least officially. And I pretty much warned you—your chances were slim. Seriously, I didn't think you'd run straight to him—there are much nicer guys out there."

"I'm just… attracted to him," I reluctantly admitted.

Alvin chuckled, looking amused. Archer just stared at me—I could never read that guy.

"Don is attracted to Soren too, you know. And trust me, a lot of other guys fancy him as well. Don's shelling out just to hang around, putting up with all of Soren's bullshit. He calls it ‘friendly support'. No other alpha would take the crap Soren dishes out; he's always clowning on them, laughing in their faces, straight-up roasting them. But Don? He just lets it slide. Maybe that's why Soren keeps him around."

"I could give him money too, as 'friendly support'."

"You serious? That's… hard simping," Archer scoffed, wincing with distaste.

Even Alvin giggled. "Never took you for a paypig candidate before."

I scowled, my brow furrowing. "Back off, guys, I'm goal-oriented, that's all."

"So, what did you ask Soren for anyway?" Alvin tilted his head.

"I didn't even get that far. Just told him I'd pay triple for his services, and he shut me down right away."

Alvin raised his eyebrows a bit. "Triple? Damn. I agree with Archer, that's some serious simping. But… I'm curious why he said no. Maybe… I can find out!"

He immediately grabbed his phone, and I almost flinched.

"Whoa! Are you really gonna call him? Like, right now?" My eyes widened.

"Yeah, why not? He always picks up."

I was low-key stunned by how direct he was with it. He found Soren's name in his contacts and dialed.

"Hey, it's me. Calling about the Kingdom of Promises."

I leaned in, trying to hear Soren's response, and Alvin noticed, switching to speaker, so I could listen in.

"Don't tell me this is about that new dude."

"Yeah, it is. Just curious what the deal was. If Skye's weird, I should warn the others."

I shot Alvin a confused look, but he just smiled and winked like he knew this was the only way to get Soren to spill.

Soren cursed under his breath. "That guy's a creep. He's been eyeing me since day one, almost stalking me. I don't like his vibe."

"You think he's not fit for our group? Should I kick him out?"

A moment of silence. "I'm not saying that. Maybe he's okay with others, but he's fixated on me, and I don't like it."

"Don is fixated on you too. Kinda the same, right?"

Soren snorted in irritation. "What do you want from me, Alvin? I get to choose who I work with, don't I?"

"Of course, I just wanna know if there's gonna be any drama. I don't want to piss off any patrons. Skye's got money, and he's reliable; I wanted to keep him in the group."

"So? What's your point?"

"Nothing, just saying that if we treat patrons like crap, it's not gonna—"

"Is this some kind of blackmail? Like, agree or get lost?" Soren's voice became heated.

"No, you know how we roll. I just wanna be in the loop since I vouched for him. I'd rather know what to say to him."

"There's nothing to say except I don't like the dude. I'm not dealing with him."

"Not even a handie?"

A pause. "Not even."

"Okay, sorry to bother you, but I need to know these things. Don't wanna look stupid in front of the new patron."

Alvin hung up and looked at me with an amused expression. "So, there you have it, you're a creep, and he doesn't like your vibe. No hj for you."

I stared at him for a moment. "I wasn't even that creepy! Sure, he probably figured out I'm into him, but I introduced myself normally, didn't follow him around, didn't sit next to him in class. I kept it chill. No idea what's his problem."

"Well, we're not finding out now. Might be a lost cause. Better move on, maybe hit up Tim or Stephen."

I sighed. "Honestly, I'm over it for now. Got a ton of studying to do, and I suck at Python."

"You've probably taken on too much—extra courses, catching up on stuff your college didn't offer, and you've got things going on with Soren too. What else?"

"Don't forget about my work! My brother Rain is on my case every day if I mess up the code."

"You both still work for your cousin's startup?"

"Yeah, Rain's full-time, I'm just part-time, small things."

My cousin Nathaniel had a family business, and we helped him with that. Alvin would also occasionally work for him, but only for less demanding gigs.

"I wouldn't wanna work full-time at such a tiny software company. Too risky if things go south. I'm aiming for D-Project!"

D-Project was a significant player, a serious competitor to DevApp, and considered the next big thing in terms of software development. But I just like the flexibility I could have with smaller gigs. Besides, Nathaniel was a good boss and a responsible businessman, even though he was only half a year older than me.

"Good luck with that." I shrugged, wanting to quickly end the convo. "Anyway, I gotta go finish this task Nathaniel gave me before Rain loses his shit. Ever since his divorce, he's been a real pain in the ass, always complaining." I hesitated and added, "So, no fuck for me then. Definitely not from Soren."

I got up with a grumpy face and walked toward my bed to pull out my laptop from my backpack. Alvin watched me for a moment.

"Why Soren? I don't get it. He's so weird. I'm not saying he's ugly, but he's got this sharp, wildcat look, you know? Pale skin, those slanted, hostile eyes. Like fucking arrows, aiming to kill you."

I paused for a second. To me, Soren was beautiful. Flawless. Perfect.

"I dunno, no specific reason."

I didn't say anything else and just got back to work. Alvin watched me for a bit longer but didn't push it. There wasn't much more to add anyway. We all went back to our screens.