Chapter 3

Westbrook High looked exactly like Aria expected.

Big. Loud. Full of people who already knew each other.

She walked through the front doors alone, schedule in one hand, head up. Like she'd done this a hundred times before.

Even if her stomach was doing something else entirely.

She hated that part. The stomach part.

Heads turned as she passed.

A few girls whispered. A guy nearly walked into a locker watching her go by. Aria kept walking like she hadn't noticed any of it.

Across the hallway, Cayden was leaning against a locker with two guys, mid conversation. He glanced up.

And stopped talking.

His jaw tightened, just slightly, watching the way the whole hallway shifted around her without her doing a single thing.

"Yo."

One of his friends nudged him.

"You good?"

"Fine."

Cayden didn't look away.

"That's the new sister, right?"

The friend grinned.

"Damn, she's—"

"Step," Cayden said. Too fast. "And don't finish that sentence."

His friend raised both hands, still grinning.

Aria found her locker without asking anyone for help. She was still figuring out the combination when a guy appeared beside her, easy smile already in place.

"Hey. You're new, right?"

"That obvious?"

He laughed.

"I'm Marcus."

"Aria."

"Nice to meet you, Aria."

His smile widened.

"I can show you around if you want. Help you find your classes."

"She's fine."

Cayden's voice came from behind her, smooth and unbothered, like he'd always been standing there.

Aria turned.

He was right there, one shoulder against the locker next to hers, looking at Marcus like he'd just said something mildly interesting.

"She's my stepsister," Cayden added. "She's got it covered."

Marcus blinked.

"Oh. Didn't know you had a—"

"New thing." Cayden shrugged. "Anyway."

"I can actually speak for myself," Aria said, looking between them. "Thanks though, Marcus. I'll figure it out."

Marcus gave her a small smile.

"Sure. See you around."

He walked off.

Cayden watched him go for half a second longer than necessary.

Aria turned to face him fully.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You know what."

She kept her voice low.

"I don't need you doing that."

"Doing what?"

He looked genuinely confused, which was somehow more annoying than if he'd looked smug.

"I was just standing here."

"You were just standing here," she repeated flatly.

"Exactly."

She stared at him.

He stared back. Calm. Patient. Like he had absolutely nowhere else to be.

"I don't need a babysitter, Cayden."

That one landed. She could see it — just barely — in the way something flickered behind his eyes.

"Wasn't trying to be one," he said.

"Good."

She turned back to her locker.

"Then we're on the same page."

He stayed exactly where he was for another second. Then pushed off the locker and walked back toward his friends, hands in his pockets, like none of it had mattered at all.

Jordan was waiting with a look on his face.

"She seems pretty cool, actually—"

"She's difficult," Cayden said. "Trust me."

"You've known her for like two days."

"Long two days."

Jordan and Eli exchanged a look. The kind that said they weren't fully buying it but weren't going to push. Yet.

The bell rang.

Aria headed toward her first class without looking back.

Cayden's eyes followed her all the way down the hall until she turned the corner and disappeared.

"Dude."

Eli's voice was quiet.

"You're staring."

"I'm not staring."

Cayden grabbed his bag.

"I'm just making sure she finds her class."

"Right." Jordan nodded slowly. "Big brother stuff."

"Step," Cayden said.

Jordan smiled and said absolutely nothing else.

But as they walked toward class, he caught Eli's eye behind Cayden's back.

Eli just shrugged.

They'd both seen it. Neither of them had an explanation for it yet.

By lunch, the whole school already seemed to know who Aria was. The new girl. Cayden Hollis's stepsister. Pretty. Didn't seem to care that people were watching her.

Aria sat with a girl named Priya who had offered the seat with a simple —

"You look like you don't want to sit alone and honestly same."

Aria liked her immediately.

Across the cafeteria, Cayden sat at his usual table, surrounded by people, laughing at something someone said. Easy. Relaxed. The version of him the whole school apparently knew.

He didn't look over at her once.

Which was fine, Aria told herself.

Exactly what she wanted.

So she couldn't explain why she kept noticing it anyway.

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