“Hi.”

The dim lights of the bar flickered just as a guy stepped up to the mic, the room settling into an eager hush. His presence commanded attention before he even spoke, tall and effortlessly confident, with golden tousled hair that seemed perfectly imperfect.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

He adjusted the mic as he spoke—a deep, manly voice cutting through the stillness. The room erupted into thunderous cheers and applause, like they had been waiting for him all night. His smirk was lazy, but it hooked everyone. And as his eyes scanned the crowd, the moment lingered just long enough for hearts to race.

“I used to come up here, singing the same old. But tonight—” he chuckled softly, voice rich and low as he adjusted his seat on the barstool. “Tonight’s not about the past.”

His words hung in the air like a secret, his tone dipping lower, smoother. “Usually there’s one more person up here with me,” he revealed, voice steady and melodic, pulling everyone in deeper.

Leaning closer to the mic, his smile faltered into something more.. nostalgic. The applause faded, leaving a soft murmur of anticipation hanging in the air. Until, leaving a soft sigh on the mic, “This.. is about someone..” the song emerged like soft waters brimming on the surface.

“Someone.. that changed my life.”

Plain black AC DC tee and a brown Birkenstock. A girl walked to the end of the quad hall like some relay race win depended on her. Eyes dead ahead, narrowing in focus, lips pursed. The only time she looked away was when she wondered what time it was as her eyes darted to her watch hurriedly. And the urgency in her face? It's like her life depends on whatever the hell she's late for.

Meanwhile, everyone else is just.. there. All mingling in weird-ass clown suits. Some talking, some laughing—most.. are enjoying the time of their lives. Sandstone columns lined up infinitely. She grunted in frustration, tiny feet still pounding the numbered floor—when suddenly, out of nowhere, a force grabbed her from the front and dragged her out of the main hall.. into a much narrower one.

Her back somehow bumped against the cold wall, her heart raced as panic set in. Eyes wide, she darted quick glances left and right, scanning the bushes around. It was eerily silent, a stark contrast to the chaos just a few feet away. Her breath hitched, and as her gaze darted to the front, she opened her mouth to scream—

But a hand clamped down, stifling any sound.

"Listen—I need your help, ok—I'll make it up to you later—"

She froze. That's when her eyes locked on his—dark, piercing blue, wild with panic—just as she was. Difference is, his is more in.. urgency. Her mind scrambled to process what was happening, to trace the lines of his face—but the shadows obscured his face, making him almost unrecognizable. But she can almost hear sounds of frantic voices growing louder, closer.

Alarmed, he glanced toward the main hall. His gaze flicked back to hers, "I'm so sorry for this—" he pulled his hand away—

And his lips are on hers.

Her eyes wide in shock. For a split second, she tried to pull away, but his grip—firm, yet.. not forceful—held her in place. And strangely, it didn't feel threatening anymore. It felt..

Divine.

She eventually closed her eyes, surrendering to the moment as the world around them blurred into nothing. His kisses are slow—hell, it wasn't a kiss—she knows. Just a desperate cover, a ploy. She knows his eyes were open every so often—but the voodoo on this kiss was just. too. exhilarating.

The pounding footsteps outside the hallway grew deafening, voices shouting out commands, searching. They were looking for someone.

They're looking for him.

He closed his eyes. The crowd brushed past, eyes darting in their direction but quickly averting, dismissing them as just another couple in a college hallway. Some with disgust—but none lingered. The mob of people rushed by, oblivious to the reason they stood so close—too close, now. Her breath caught in her throat as his body, somehow, pressed closer.

Strange how the kiss went more urgent than before. Strange how he felt comfortable doing this with someone he just met in the hallway—not like he hasn't done worse things with a stranger but—still. Strange, but they give in to the moment, to this moment. To each other.

Maybe it’s the lips. Maybe it’s the bouncing.. soft curly hair. Maybe it’s the way his fingers glides on her brown glazed skin smoothly. Or maybe it’s her scent. That.. hmm, he knows this cologne. It’s a boy’s cologne. And it reminded him of—

He jolted away from her. Startled, she grabs his toned arms, keeping his face lingered just inches apart. For the briefest moment, everything around them went silent. Her breath hitched as their eyes locked as she finally saw him.

Sharp features, shadows tracing the strong lines of his jaw, and those eyes—deep blue like the ocean at its darkest. For a heartbeat, they stayed like that, lost in each other's gaze. His wild startle softened as a small smirk perched on the corner of his lips. She didn't understand how a stranger’s smirk could dangerously tuck the strings in her. His gaze slowly moved to her full lips—until the distant shouts echoed through the hall again.

"I need to go," he murmured, voice low and urgent. "Thank you..?"

She gulps, feeling jittery all over as she mouths, “R—Rena. Renata Paradis,”

He knitted his eyebrows for a while before a smirk formed on his lips.

“Renata Paradis..”

He licked his lips as he scoffed. As if tasting the way her name rolled through his tongue like ecstasy. “Better thank your parents later,” he winked, and just like that, he turned to leave.

She stood frozen, her mind reeling, heart racing. It took her a moment to gather herself, and when she did, she called after him with a sense of necessity. "Wait! Your name!"

He paused mid-step, his silhouette bathed in the dim light. Slowly, he turned back, golden strands of his hair catching the light, his sharp jaw framed perfectly between them. His dark blue eyes sparkled with something unreadable, something.. wild. And in that light.. she realized how there were streaks of green in his gaze, almost like emeralds embedded in the ocean, as if they held the secrets of the sea.

"Dom,"

His lips curved into a grin. That crooked.. dangerous lopsided grin. He lingered for just a second longer, his gaze never leaving hers.. as he finally smirked and said,

"Dominic Hunt."

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote, comment, and add to your library!

Check out some additional content on social media:

Instagram: lifelorestudio

You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! I'll reveal the Playlist by the end of this story, so.. Stay Tuned!

The song that matches this Prologue's vibe:

Plain black AC DC tee and a brown Birkenstock.

Jackson Wang - Cruel (Official Music Video)

The sprawling campus stretched out in a sea of perfectly manicured lawns, dotted with towering palm trees swaying gently in the warm breeze. The paths wound through red-tiled buildings that gleamed under the golden sunlight, their sandstone facades weathered with history—grand and imposing. Students in casual clothes moved with purpose, some chatting, others riding bikes down the wide avenues.

In front of a wide fountain, two boys stood, noticeably impatient. One tapping his foot relentlessly—the sole hitting the ground in an irritated rhythm, while the other let out a low grunt, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

The boy with light blue eyes had his arms crossed tight. Every few seconds, he'd mutter something under his breath, casting glances at the door with mounting frustration. "How much longer for fucks sake?" he grumbled, rolling his shoulders in frustration.

"No one knows," the other sarcastically muttered, though his foot kept stomping on the ground. "Probably got shanked again last night—don't give a damn—but hell knows I'm wiping that stupid smile off his face once he shows up—"

Just as the words left his mouth, water splashed on the back of his head! Holding suppressed irritation, the black haired boy slowly turned..

To find a grinning bro as he skidded into a stop. The boy's white and blue Cortez squeaked as he took in the glares from his two bros. Instinctively, he ducked, anticipating the headlock that was already coming from the wet haired boy.

"Can you be punctual for once, Hunt?" the other blonde grunted, and before anyone could say another word, Dominic found himself locked in a double headlock, laughing as the three tumbled into a wrestling match. They grumbled and cursed—yet, the laughter echoed in between their grunts. It wasn't until the only black haired boy stopped. Breathlessly pausing, followed by the other two, he glanced up..

To notice the wide-eyed stares from the onlookers. For a split second, the world seemed to freeze. But as if on cue, it only ended up with the crowd's—the girl's—swoons.

Of course. It always happens.

The bros exchanged exasperated looks before awkwardly scratching their heads—their egos flew to the roof more than they'd admit. Shrugging off the earlier commotion, they resumed their walk while still sneakily smacking each other's heads.

"Diamond at 5?" the lighter blonde haired boy asked, smacking Dominic playfully on the back of the head as he shot his bro a look.

Dominic barely had time to breathe when the black haired boy playfully gave another smack on the back of the head, causing him to stumble forward a bit. "Don't you remember, Wyatt? Toretto got himself a new passion." he teased, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Tyty," Dominic joked, eliciting rolling eyes from Tyler. "Nah but I really need to join today or else I'll lose the fucking scholarship," he chuckled, straightening up and brushing off his bro's hand from his shoulders.

"Like you ever needed it, asshole." Wyatt snorted. Dominic chuckled, but it came out more bitter than he thought. The boys stopped laughing, exchanging a brief glance of guilt. As perceptive as he is, Wyatt quickly attempted to lighten things up. "I heard someone~ was getting chased around~"

"Yeah—! Broooo~" Tyler jumped in, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Probably get caught for an arranged marriage~"

Dominic closed his eyes and laughed, exasperated. The bros grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"Ah, just the usual. Girls and their crazy delusions," Dominic grinned, shaking his head. However his expression soured as he complained, "Except this time.. it was a whole damn family."

"Wrong target alert!" Wyatt cackled.

Dominic shrugged, still grinning. "I swear if any more psycho—"

When someone bumped into him from the side, sending him stumbling slightly!

In sudden urgency, he turned with his eyebrows raised, ready to snap. "What the—?"

It was a blur, but the culprit barely stopped for a sec. A flustered girl shot him an apologetic glance. Her honey-toned skin catches the sun's glow, curly hair bounced as she turned her head to him. "Sorry—!"

Hunt tilted his head slightly—as if something clicked. Like he recognized—

But she sprinted off.

He stood there, mincing his eyes with his head still tilted, trying to place where he knew her from—

"Kids these days."

Just then, Tyler's voice woke him up from his reverie. Tyler watched the two girls sprint away, shaking his head slightly with a smirk. In contrast, Liam, with his sus face, sidled up next to Dominic, muttering, "New target alert?" and Tyler smacked him lightly on the back of the head. The two of them laughed and kept walking, but as for Dominic.. he couldn't help but glance back one more time.

Is she..?

"You okay—?!"

A girl glanced over just as you leveled with her. Her skin rich, velvety brown that seemed to glow under any light, and her face—soft yet striking—was framed by a cascade of wild, dark curls.

"Yeah—hurry!" you pant, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"Man, if you hadn't been late, we could've actually talked to that hot guy you just bumped into," she huffed as you both dashed down the path.

You rolled your eyes, completely unfazed.

This was the usual. Listening to her ramble on—especially—about boys.. being an utter.. complete..

"You can take him," she continued, "I'll take the other two. Or actually—no. I'll take the one bumped into you. We'll get married right after college.. a honeymoon in Saint Tropez—"

Delulu.

"Shush Talia. Gotta stop you there before you start daydreaming bout how your future kids would look like—again," you said, barely masking your irritation. "And for the record—they looked like they're younger than us—like.." you pause and pant as the two of you turn in the corner. But in all seriousness, you can already feel Talia's judging eyes as you continue with a degrading tone,

"Boys."

"Daddy issues."

"Oh, and by. the. way~ you mean if you weren't late."

"Me..?" Talia halted mid-stride with a face full of disbelief. "Me?!"

You gave her a side-eye as she scrambled to catch up, tilting your head challengingly. "Oh, don't be so—dramatic. I was ready way before you even—I was just—" you paused, thinking fast, not wanting for her to see your lowered pride, to mutter, "painting my face."

"More like painting my future," she scoffed. "You're just being a delulu—hoping she'd run into her indecisive ex who kept leading her on!"

With your mouth hanging open, you snapped your head to her, irritation plastered all over your face while with lightning speed—she drew a hand to your face.

"Don't even deny it—"

"Why is this becoming personal?!"

"Oh it is personal—!"

“Gosh you’re so Pisces coded.”

“Imagine being scolded by an Aquarius.”

"Okay, shush. First of all—it’s the sun. The rising’s Libra.”

“HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER—“

“OK WHY ARE WE—ok. Back to business, please. We need to figure out how the hell we're gonna get in without getting into trouble."

You both ducked around a crowd of people, weaving through the swarm as she rolled her eyes dramatically. "You're the one dragging me into this, babe. Just gotta accept the trouble that comes with it."

"Don't be a smartass. Think smart. Minimize the trouble. I still want to graduate, you know."

She gave you a bewildered look as you finally reached the door. "Huh? After all that yapping about how you just. couldn't handle architecture life anymore? After all your complaints about those flirty architects who have zero gentlemanly manners—?"

"Shut up, Tal for God's sake—"

"And after you smashed your maquette because your professor told you to redesign for the tenth time—"

"Shut it, Mosley. Now.."

Talia rolled her eyes, but her steps faltered as you came to a stop in front of the door. You exchanged a look, before shifting back your gaze to the door. Your eyes trailed nervously—up and down the imposing entrance. A sense of dread crept in, but neither of you dared to say it out loud. The tension grew, and without realizing it, you both gulped at the same time.

You shook your hands out, trying to shrug off the unease. A moment passed as you narrowed your eyes in determination. Until—with a deep breath, and a sudden burst of resolve.. you straighten your posture, looked at the door, and asked,

"How do we get in?"

You and Talia hurried into the classroom, barely slipping through the door as the professor made his grand entrance. Soon as you stepped inside, the weight of a hundred eyes fell on you. Every single student turned to stare, their gazes heavy with curiosity. Great, you thought. But then you remembered:

No matter, I have Talia to handle the sweet-talking.

"Sorry, professor," Talia began without missing a beat, flashing a guilty-but-charming grin before continuing, "my horoscope said I should avoid crowded places before 9:15 AM, so—you know. Safety first."

Or not.

You closed your eyes in exasperation and pressed your hand to your forehead, mumbling under your breath, "Oh God—" while Talia maintained her brilliant grin to the frowning professor.

But by some divine intervention—or maybe just a first-day leniency—he sighed and shook his head. "Next time don't even bother coming here."

Eyes widened, you both lowered your heads, apologizing quickly. Then, your eyes swept over the packed room—searching for seats. It was packed, and you can't find a side-by-side seat for you and her. However, useful for once, Mosley spotted a couple of free spots and motioned hurriedly.

"You sit there," she whispered, motioning to the far left. "I'll be over there," gesturing to the right side of the room, already making her way over. Without much choice, you gave her a quick nod and began climbing the steps toward your seat.

As you moved through the rows, your eyes darted around, trying to focus on your spot—but there was something.. Something nagging at the back of your mind—like.. like you were being watched.

You reached your row, and something—or rather, someone—caught your eye. You squinted. Damn your weak eyesight. Even with the soft lenses, everything beyond a certain distance was still a blur—and there.

A figure, seated right beside the empty seat, staring right at you. And your breath caught in your throat.

It's him.

The guy you bumped into.

Your eyes widened in surprise—and without thinking, you looked away just as you slipped into your seat. Still, carefully giving just enough space between you. Your heart raced as you stared straight ahead, trying to focus on anything else. But curiosity tugged at you.

Why did he seem so.. familiar?

You stole another glance to your left—and sure enough, he was still watching. This time, though, there was something dangerous in his gaze. A small, knowing smirk curled at the corner of his lips, like he was in on a secret you weren't. Then, as casually as he had been staring, he looked away.

Flustered, you quickly turned your attention back to the front of the class, heart pounding in your chest. Fumbling with your notebook, you tried to look like you were paying attention as the professor droned on. Every time you shifted in your seat, you were acutely aware of his presence—the space between you somehow feeling far too small.

You opened your notebook, pretending to take notes. But after a few minutes of trying to scribble down whatever the professor was saying.. you gave up. Your brain had clearly decided not to cooperate. Instead, you found yourself doodling absentmindedly in the margins.

Then you heard it—someone clearing their throat from beside you. Startled, your head snapped to the side. It was him. And for reasons you couldn't explain, your heart leaped in your chest. Maybe it was because you weren't expecting it. Or maybe—let's be honest, it's hard to concentrate when you're sitting next to a stranger who.. looks too good to be sitting next to you. Though, as he looked like he was about to say something, the professor's voice thundered through the room.

"Silence!"

Both of you froze, his mouth snapping shut as his head tilted slightly, scratching the back of his head in defeat. Your eyes went wide as you sat back, retreating into your seat to avoid the professor's wrath. Silently cursing why the hell people aren't already talking with each other too by now.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw two guys next to him react. One, with jet black tousled hair, similarly handsome—softer jawline though—turned casually, looking like he had been taking notes the whole time. The other, more an oval shaped face, blinked groggily, his cheek still red from where it had been pressed against the desk, looking like he had just woken up.

You stole a glance back at the guy sitting next to you, just in time to catch him in a silent exchange with the nerd boy—who shot a quick glance your way before turning his attention back to the professor, unbothered.

When you looked back at the boy next to you, he gave you the same raised eyebrows. You sighed inwardly. Somehow.. disappointed? Knowing that you can't talk to him anymore.. at least not while the professor is watching—

But then, an idea struck you.

You grabbed your pen and started doodling on the corner of your textbook, sketching out a simple lettering. Out of the corner of your eye, you sensed him glancing over in quiet curiosity, but quickly looked back at his phone—in which he's been hiding under the table.

Finished with your masterpiece, you carefully nudged the textbook slightly toward him. It took a few seconds, but he eventually glanced down—maybe noticing something annoying in his line of sight. But a little smirk played on his lips, certainly amused.

Without hesitation, he picked up his once unused pen—and in one quick motion, he wrote back.

Hi.

And a delighted grin bloomed on your lips, and you had to bite your lip to stop it from getting too obvious. Catching your reaction, he couldn't help but look away—course without losing that gorgeous smirk of his.

...

That.. smirk.. I swear I've seen it somewhere—damn my short term memory!

Fearing to move even a single nudge on the paper, you write carefully. Tending to the vocals and consonants—so he could be deceived by your unusual good writing.

'Have we met somewhere? You look oddly familiar.'

And a little chuckle escaped his lips. Caught you off guard, his reaction caused a wrinkle up on your forehead as you tilt your head to his.

However, the little movement somehow caught the boy beside him as his eyes widened. Nodding to your little escapade, in one swift motion, he dropped his pen—and elbowed the blonde guy who was still half-asleep. The guy jolted awake, blinking in confusion before his gaze darted between you and his bro, clearly annoyed.

The 'handcrafted by God himself' guy was about to put the pen to the paper—when a sudden burst of static crackled through the loudspeakers overhead, causing everyone in the room to jump in their seats as a voice came through the static, sounding distorted.

"Morning, Cardinals."

Every conversation, every idle note-taking, every whisper? They died down, leaving the room in dead silence. Not just him, the whole class instinctively retracted their heads to the foreign sound. The professor stopped mid-sentence, blinking in confusion as the voice continued,

"Today, we're bringing you something special. Let's talk about Professor Aldridge from the architecture department~"

You could hear gasps ripple through the room, students turning to one another with wide eyes—some holding back shocked laughter.

"Oh, you know. Mr. High and Mighty who thinks making students redo projects ten times is a learning experience. But what about the time he 'accidentally' spilled coffee on a student's final maquette and blamed the student for it?"

Students looked around in disbelief, while others were already leaning over to whisper the latest gossip. The voice continued, smooth with a mischievous edge,

"And don't get me started on the infamous grading scandal last semester. Who knew favoritism could look so good on paper, huh?"

A ripple of reactions followed—some students scoffed in disbelief, others raised eyebrows, trying to recall if they'd been affected by that 'scandal.' The professor at the front of the room looked completely bewildered, his face a shade paler.

"Or the way he waits until the last minute to cancel classes—because he's busy taking a 'long lunch' with The Dean?"

The room collectively gasped, a few students stifling laughter behind their hands as the professor dropped his lecture and hurried out the door, clearly intent on finding the source of this rogue announcement.

Through the glass panel of the door, you could see Professor Aldridge himself storming down the hallway. His face was an alarming shade of red as he was shouting something incoherent to no one in particular. A few students on the other side of the window looked like they were trying not to laugh.

Then, an ear-piercing screech rang out as the speaker cut out, making half the class wince and cover their ears. Some students took the opportunity to chuckle quietly while others exchanged knowing glances, as if they were savoring this scandalous moment.

You bit your lip, trying to hold back the laughter that threatened to spill out. Across the room, Talia was already grinning at you, eyes twinkling with mischief. She caught your gaze, threw you a playful wink, and in response, you bounced your brows in sublime amusement.

Meanwhile, Dominic was silent. His ocean eyes, dark and unreadable, were fixed on you, observing. He wasn't really paying attention to the fiasco all over the room, no.

His attention was elsewhere.

He watched you and Talia exchanged glances. Almost like he was trying to piece something together—something.. just out of reach. His brows furrowed slightly, the gears in his mind turning. But whatever it is.. all he knows.. is that there's something.

Like a game had just begun..

and none of you knew the rules.

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote, comment, and add to your library!

Check out some additional content on social media:

Instagram: lifelorestudio

You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! I'll reveal the Playlist by the end of this story, so.. Stay Tuned!

The song that matches this Prologue's vibe:

Gracie Abrams - Close To You (Official Visual)

"See y'all tonight at Emporio?" Dominic asked the bros, his tone flat, more out of habit than enthusiasm. His arms crossed tight as he stood on one of the steps. Though..

His eyes weren't even on them.

Tyler, already sliding out of his seat, flung his bag over his shoulder with a grin as he teased, "Yeah bro, you can invite your girlfriend if you'd like," bouncing his right brow mischievously as he nudged Liam, who's also sliding from the seat behind him with a grin. And for once, Dominic's gaze snapped to them—more like a glare, though.

"Stop talking nonsense, would ya?"

"Come on, maaaan~ We know you want her to comeeee~" Liam slung his own bag over his shoulder, couldn't resist jumping in.

Rolling his eyes, Dominic gave a sarcastic retort, "You slept the whole class, Wyatt. What do you know?"

Without missing a beat, Liam stretched out his arm, to dramatically throw it over both Dominic and Tyler's shoulders, pulling them closer. "After nine years," he paused and bounced his brows to Tyler, confirming backup as Tyler reciprocated with a loud laugh—so he switched back his attention to Dom, flipping his hand who's been dangling on Dom's shoulder.. to boast, "We can read you like flipping the back of our hands."

Struggling under his bro's grip, Dominic gruntled, "Shut up."

"Should we remind him how he was for the past hour, Liam my bro?" Tyler excitedly offered as Dominic continued his growl. Mirroring his bro, grinning from ear to ear, Liam nodded in agreed excitement as he made an Oscar worthy performance.

"Once upon a time.. in a lecture class faaaar~ far away from home~ Dominic met a girl.. who bumped into him in the hall~"

Tyler, caught up in the moment, elbowed Liam with unnecessary enthusiasm, trying to wake him from his peaceful nap. His eyes hadn’t left the scene unfolding beside him, and he  definitely wasn’t about to let Liam miss out.

Pissed, Liam slapped Tyler’s hand away, his face contorted in irritation as he groaned, "Stop. fucking. bothering me! I’m trying to sleep Goddammit—"

”Stop whining like a fucking baby and look. to your right!” Cavill hissed.

Still grumbling, Wyatt shot him a death glare—but did as told. “I swear, if this is just some bullshit you—” and he stopped mid-sentence, eyes finally catching sight of Dominic and the girl exchanging serious intense glances. "Fucking hell, Cavill. What. is your point—“

Before Liam could finish, Tyler grabbed him by the cheeks, forcibly tilting his head downwards to the scene.. below. And that’s when Liam finally saw it.

“What the fuck—“

“That’s what I’m talking about you airhead,”

If this wasn’t urgent, he’d be decking Tyler by now. But for the moment, he was just. stunned. Liam blinked, still processing the sight. Until.. with mouth slightly open, he muttered,

“What kind of rom-com shit did we stumble into?”

"Dominic's in loooove~"

"Stop stop stop—alright. I get it." Dominic groaned, dragging his hand down his face.

“Admit it, man. You were practically writing love letters back then,” Tyler chuckled, clearly proud of their little performance.

“Our bro’s got it baad~” Liam chimed in, bouncing his eyebrows teasingly.

“Real bad,” Tyler added with a wink.

Dominic rolled his eyes, but even he couldn’t help the small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. Liam folded his arms across his chest and leaned in, one brow arched as he challenged, "Ok—now that you remember~ Don't be a chicken and ask her."

Liam Wyatt.

Truly a master of leading people to their painful death.

"Do I really have to—"

”Or should I make a bet—“

“NO!”

Two people disagree in unison. Flinching by themselves, they looked at each other in a startle, quickly realizing the traumatic shout they engaged. Clearly it drew attention, but also—

Her, included.

Dominic noticed her and her friend turning around, both glancing up curiously, until the friend leaned in, whispering something. Though she quickly turned away, he surely caught that faint smirk playing on her lips.

Meanwhile, Liam stared at his bros with a sorry look, hesitating, ”I see some unhealed wounds in the two of you, and I get it. I’m sorry,” when Dominic glanced back at them—still with a little smirk on his lips, “now let’s move on—”

“Just—go! Don’t be a pussy!” Tyler pushed Dominic forward.

“Okay okay!” Dominic swatted his friends’ hands, annoyed, before with determination in his eyes, he muttered, “Watch me.”

Grinning, Tyler and Liam followed closely behind as their favorite bro enthusiastically jogged down the steps. Well, this is the moment of truth.

Just as she and her friend were about to exit, a hand reached out to block the door, causing both girls to stop in surprise. Her friend turned—and once she noticed who, her face lit up instantly. With a Flynn Ryder rizz, Hunt striked,

 “Hello, ladies.”

”Why hello handsome,” the friend responded, beaming.

Dominic chuckled at the much taller girl—but his eyes met hers for a brief moment before saying, "There's this bar called Emporio. The others will hang out there tonight. Do.. you—" he trailed off as he noticed her kept glancing over his shoulder.

"Your.. friends..” she hesitantly asked with a raised eyebrow. Confused, he followed her gaze—only to see Tyler and Liam frozen with their mouths hanging open. Hunt closed his eyes and threw back his head in irritation as the girl continued, “They.. want to say something..?"

Dominic fought the urge to strangle his buddies on the spot as he exhaled a heavy breath and chuckled, “Sorry, they can be pretty dumb.”

She giggled, the sound lighting up his mood. He didn’t know whether it’s the shape of her full lips.. or the super white teeth that she had—but.. she’s cute. With a grin still plastered on his face, Dominic scoffed, “I don't know how I still stick with them anyway."

“Hey!” came Liam’s offended voice from behind him, but he just shook his head nonchalantly.

Giving the girls an apologetic laugh, he confirmed, "Yeah, I was about to ask if you guys could join us tonight."

“We could use the nice view,” Liam joined in, winking flirtatiously.

Her friend jumped in, nodding vigorously. “Oh absolutely, we’ll be there.” But then the girl snapped her head toward her friend, giving her a death glare. “What? I wouldn’t miss a hangout with a bunch of hot guys,” her friend said with a wink.

”God you’re embarrassing.” she cynically retorted.

Dominic stifled a laugh as Tyler grinned, pointing to the bold girl. “I like her already.”

Still, Dominic’s focus stayed on her as he beamed, “So, Emporio. 9 o’clock. How’s that sound?”

She exchanged a brief glance with her friend.. before finally nodding with a small smile.

“Yeah, sure. See you tonight—”

“See you tonight.”

Dominic cheered, unable to keep the goofy grin off his face. For a brief moment, they gazed at each other, and Dominic’s grin bloomed. But before he could say anything else, her friend grabbed her by the arm and said, “Ooookay, we have somewhere to be—see you guys!”

Waking up from their moment, they exchanged a quick nod, before she left the room. Dom coughed before gaining his composure and turned back to his friends, smug as ever,

"How's that for a chicken, huh?"

“Yeah—thanks for showing us your little eyes-fuck parade, man.” Liam scoffed, shaking his head as Tyler laughed amusingly. Dominic’s tongue protruded on his left cheek out of embarrassment, but he scoffed before turning away from his two bros.

Just as they reached the door, Tyler asked, “So, what’s her name?”

And Dominic froze mid-step.

His brain processed the colossal mistake he’d just made while Tyler and Liam kept walking.. until they noticed the missing space between them. Turning around, they saw him already massaging his temples, suddenly looking irritated.

“What now?” Tyler called out, already sensing something dumb about to be revealed. Dominic looked up, his tough-guy façade cracking as he gave them an apologetic, nervous laugh.

“I.. I haven’t asked her name yet..”

Tyler’s face immediately twisted, his eyebrows knitting together like he was about to explode. “Are you kidding me, Hunt?” Tyler snapped.

Dominic scratched the back of his head, letting out a weak laugh as Liam blinked, his eyes going wide with disbelief before he slapped a hand to his face, rubbing it like he was trying to wake up from a bad dream—

before he finally lost it.

“YOU STUPID—“

“BITCH!”

Talia stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips. You know that pose—she. is. out of it. And all you could do.. was nervously rub the back of your neck and offer a sheepish grin.

“Ren. You are not. this dumb!” Talia groaned in internal pain, rubbing her temples. Probably just convincing herself to not have an ill thinking about your intelligence.

“Sorry okay?!” you shouted, throwing your hands up defensively. “We were about to—but the announcement came out earlier than expected!”

Talia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait, so you didn’t get his number either?!”

You cringed and shook your head.

She let out an exasperated shriek, “Renata—how?! This level of disaster?! Do you really have to annoy me with every fiber of your being, sister?!” She flopped her body to the bed after flaunting her hands in the air. Giving up, she mumbled, “Thank God it worked, if it isn’t—then this—”

”I know right—?!”

”Do not wish you could change the subject, you—noob!” Talia grunted, throwing her hands.

“You’re the one—” you huffed, heading over to your closet instead, trying to find something to wear as you muttered, “whatever. Didn’t want to be pushy anyway! I’d rather die than come off desperate. So you know what?” Your ramble woke Talia like Viktor woke his Frankenstein. No difference, really. Same rolling eyes.. same.. stupid face.

“It’s all. his. fault.”

“Desperate? Oh, please. Honey, there’s a significant difference between desperate and not knowing his name,” Talia scoffed, stomping over to yank a blouse from the closet, “at least we know where and when,” she exhaled slowly.. finally implementing the breathing technique her pilates coach taught her—till she got reborn with a big smile on her face.

“We can salvage this.”

“Yeah, well, it’s my sleeping hour. Too tired~ Bad mood~ Might just skip it,” you said with a dramatic sigh, half-joking.

Talia’s jaw dropped. “Skip it? You baby! Now pick an outfit before I go nuts,” she yanked another shirt off the rack and threw it at you.

You caught it, giving her a sarcastic smile. “Thank you sooo much, bestie. I’m so glad you’re here to help with this life-altering decision.”

Talia rolled her eyes, stepping forward and grabbing more clothes. “You should be grateful to have a bitch like me. Without me you’d be wearing your ugly birkenstocks.”

”Hey! That baby is comfortable—“

”Shut up and wear it!”

Still clutching the outfit of her choice, you start to undress while rolling your eyes, eliciting a seething teeth from Talia.

“Bro—you did all that flirting, all that smooth talking—and you didn’t even ask her phone number—let alone her fucking name?! And people still call you the greatest playboy of all time. Un-believable. What a disgrace to this human race.”

Tyler threw his hands up dramatically in his seat. At the bar, Liam’s still talking to the bartender, deciding on the menu. Not far from them, the live music blasting through the speakers. Some people danced in the front, some chilling and drinking with their company.. Dominic on the other hand..

Stared to the band in the front, eyes blank, mind reeling. Still wondering how the hell all this could happen. At Tyler’s complaint, he winced, narrowing his eyes while pointing a finger at his bro. Still hoping for any redemption as he defended, “Hey that was—“ eventually speechless, he reluctantly dropped his finger as he realized he had no comeback. “Harsh.”

Taking a deep breath, Dominic tried to explain to the whole table, stammering, “We were about to get there—but—nevermind. I was just—”

“—too busy gawking at her?” Liam interrupted, already back from the bar. Dominic seethed through his teeth as Tyler pinched the bridge of his nose like a disappointed parent.

“Dom—bro. How do you expect to text her? Send a pigeon? Write her name in the sky?”

Groaning, Hunt ran his hand through his hair. “Why’re you guys such a pain in the ass?! Why is this becoming such a big deal?! Who said I’m going to text her?!”

Giving him a look of pure disbelief, Liam shrugged off his mounting irritation, advising, "We need a strategy for this—"

"Fuck! I came here just to have fun—not to plan some fuckup operation," Dominic furiously retorted.

Tyler threw his arm around Dominic’s shoulder, shaking him like an older brother giving a life advice. “Nah, bro. Never thought you’d need this—but listen, I’ll take any moment of glory to irritate you—so! Ok. Rule #1: Introduce yourself.”

”Fuck you and your rules—“

“Rule #2: Ask her name.” Tyler grinned wickedly as Dominic groaned, pushing his arm off, starting to get pissed off.

Liam snorted, nodding enthusiastically as the black haired boy sat back and continued, “And Rule #3: Don't be shy to ask for her number.”

"Tryna be sarcastic, huh Cavill? Tryna be cute, huh?" Dominic nagged, rolling his eyes, clearly not amused by their antics.

Tyler smirked, "Just wanted to see your reaction—totally worth it, bro."

Watching the bickering in amusement, Wyatt laughed. However, the conversation struck a chord in him, causing him to innocently ask, “Hey! Speaking of the damned rules—Ty! How’s Em?!”

Tyler’s expression shifted instantly, his gesture tense. For a slight second, his eyes darted around, but he managed a quick bounce of his eyebrows as he fixed himself.

“G—good! Apparently she loves writing, so.. she's currently taking a break. She’s taking writing courses,"

Wyatt laughed, “Not surprising with her delulu mind of hers.”

But somehow, the air shifted when Wyatt realized what he’d just done. Again, he grimaced. Closing his eyes, he silently seethes through his teeth. Slowly.. he braced himself for turning his head..

To check on Dominic.

He’s spinning his glass on the table, staring down at the swirling liquid. Sensing the silence among them, maybe he thought it’s the best time to finally put on his hollow attention. His voice came out casual, but his eyes flickered with something deeper.

“Oh. She’s taking a break?”

Colder.

“Yeah, just chilling at home.” Tyler chuckled, but heaven knows the guilt is there.

Dom chuckled too, but there was a beat of silence that made Wyatt fidget in his seat. The flicker of pain in his eyes was brief—but unmistakable. No matter how much they tried to laugh it off.. as much as they buried the hatched.. as much as they hated to admit..

It still stung.

"Emilia Hunt."

Dominic said, his voice soft, almost like he was testing how the name rolled on his tongue. The night was quiet except for the soft rustling leaves. The couple lay side by side beside the pool, their heads tilted toward the night sky, where stars twinkled like tiny promises.

Like the ones he used to believe in.

Emily giggled. She turned to look at him, but Dominic was already gazing at her, eyes full of softness that made everything else in the world feel irrelevant. “It suits you,” he murmured, still watching her, the stars reflected in his eyes.

Emily chuckled, shaking her head as she returned her gaze to the sky. “You’re cute, Domdom,”

He smiled, a slow grin spreading across his face. He couldn’t help it. She made him feel.. light. She felt.. different.

“How about we make this our thing?” he said, voice teasing but sincere.

”What? Staring at the stars in your lawn?” she turned her head, eyebrows raised.

“So. Every Friday, 9 o’clock sharp. It’ll be our little ritual,” Dominic encouraged as she laughed. “You can call it something weird—like you always did. We’ll call it..” he paused, eyes twinkling as he gestured dramatically to the sky.. before he finally revealed—

“Nine-O.”

She stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. “Nine-O? Like Hawaii Five-O? Are you serious?”

He threw his hands up in defense, grinning from ear to ear. “Hey—it’s better than those other names you come up with—what was it again? SMASH and WEBBS—?”

“Hey! Those were sacred! Take it back!” Emily gasped, playfully swatting him.

Dominic laughed, catching her hand mid-swing, still teasing. “Not gonna lie, though. This whole ‘tradition’ is just an excuse to get you to come over.”

“Not gonna deny it, huh?”

Emily rolled her eyes, she tried to tickle him, and soon—they were tangled up in each other, until they fell into the pool! The cold water surrounded them, but they didn’t care. They came up, splashing water at each other, laughing harder than ever. Until Dominic, soaking wet, pulled her close, her hair dripping, eyes sparkling. He reached out, his hand moving toward her head like he was about to ruffle her hair—but he stopped.

For a moment, everything stilled. The laughter faded, the world felt quieter, softer. He looked at her—really looked at her—and she met his gaze, the playful energy replaced by something else. Smiling softly.. he leaned in. The kiss was slow, sweet, filled with all the things they didn’t get to say to each other.

Still, it meant nothing. When to him..

It meant everything.

"What did we miss?"

There they were—the girls. The air in the room shifted when they arrived. The bold girl arrived in a soft, flowy dress with pastel colors, her hair cascading in loose waves, exuding a delicate and feminine vibe. Instead, the quiet one, the unnamed girl, strode in with a Pink Floyd bodycon. While wearing flesh colored lips, it still showed how edgy this one is.

"Nothing. Just that Dominic right here~ is having a puberty after turning 23," Tyler teased.

Dominic shot him a furious look, seemingly fed up with any more constant nagging of his bros. He needed to salvage his ruined mood. He really need to.

"Okay, one more word from you—"

"Wow—someone elaborate. Now."

But before he could finish, the friend interrupted, eyes sparkling with interest as she slid into a seat next to Liam and immediately leaned forward, clearly not one to let juicy gossip pass by. With eyes wide in reluctant curiosity, the girl followed suit, quietly sliding to an empty seat beside Tyler.

Liam, mentally ticking off the vibe check in his head, eagerly jumped in. “Dominic? Forgetting to ask a girl’s name?” he teased, smugly gesturing to the girl. “Never happened before~”

The friend raised her eyebrows in delight, her gaze flitting to the girl, who’s been trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips. “Oh really~” she teased, giving her an encouraging nudge. But then she narrowed her eyes as if something struck her. “Wait.. D—Dominic—”

But then a sound of the legs of a chair screeched against the floor, catching everyone’s attention. In a flash, Dominic was across the room, moving toward the stage where a mic stood. People turned, eyes following him curiously as he grabbed the mic.

“Hi,” Dominic’s voice rang out through the speakers, low and confident. “So—I invited two beautiful ladies here tonight, but especially.. the one with beautiful curls over there—”

And all eyes turned to her, whose face flushed as she looked around, unsure of how to react. The room was buzzing, murmurs of curiosity and amusement filling the space. At the table, the friend had an amused face, hands clapped in front of her as she rooted for her girlfriend.

“But stupidly,” Dominic snickered, his smile broad but not quite reaching his eyes. He glanced toward her, something dark flickering behind his usual charm. “I forgot to ask about her name.”

Meanwhile, Tyler and Liam exchanged wide-eyed glances as they’re now on the edge of their seats. The usual cocky demeanor they had was all gone, and that‘s when the girl noticed something off.

“So, what’s your name, love?”

Her smile faded as she noticed the boys’ sudden serious gesture, and as she glanced back at Dominic.. he’s already looking back at her in a way—somewhat like.. hiding something. A flicker of hesitation passed through her as she managed to say, ”R—Renata..”

The name sent a jolt through him—but that’s before a little smirk tweaked on the corner of his lips. Dominic’s face softened as his eyes locked on hers. “Beautiful name,” he murmured, drawing cheers from the audience.

But beneath the cheers, Tyler and Liam’s eyes displayed dread. Liam’s about to get up from his seat when Tyler subtly gestured to him to sit back down. Behind all the dim lights, they could make out a sinister smirk of his, gleaming in the dark.

You watched me succeed in reeling her in?

Now watch me make it all burn.

“So, Renata,” he spoke again, his voice carrying an unsettling undercurrent as he took a step closer to the edge of the stage. His smirk twisted into something colder, sharper. Until he finally opened his mouth again to say—

“Wanna sleep with me?”

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You can elevate your experience by also listening to songs I added to this story's playlist! I'll reveal the Playlist by the end of this story, so.. Stay Tuned!

The song that matches this Chapter's vibe:

Gracie Abrams - Risk (Official Music Video)

It still stung.

Bazzi - Honest [Official Music Video]