Croyden University knows that Yvo Sandejas was untouchable. It would be a bullet point in your CV if he ever glances at you—much more stares at you. Kisses you.

No one knows what the legendary Blaise Finch did.

Arden doesn't know what she did to get Kol Sandejas to look at her for more than five fucking seconds.

She thought he hated her.

He's—he's a Sandejas, for God's sake, they're not nice and they certainly don't harbor crushes...which he claims he has. On her. Even the thought of it now makes Arden laugh.

He's a junior and she's a sophomore and never mind that she's always thought he's thinking of different ways to murder her when he stares at the back of her neck and pops his gum in class. Never mind that he's beautiful and the asshole probably knows it, too.

Likes her? And he wants her to do something about it, to like him, too? Arden scoffs, pulling on a red cropped tank top with spaghetti straps. She looks at herself in the mirror and wonders if it's okay to have half her torso out.

Whatever. It's not like Kol is actually going to show up. He's probably sitting in the boys' common room, manspreading like he always fucking does, and doing whatever...whatever it is that he does. Laughing at her reaction yesterday.

"He's not coming," Arden repeats to herself quietly, slipping on her denim jeans with red patterns stitched on the side. "The asshole is not coming."

"And yet you're still getting ready," her roommate Lila says from her bed, raising an eyebrow.

Arden huffs, flips her hair over her shoulder, and faces the mirror of her dresser. She gathers her hair and looks at it, and then puts it down and looks at it. To Lila, she asks, "Up or down?"

"Down. Let him imagine he's pulling it."

"Shut up!" Arden throws a pillow at her.

"What?" Lila's grinning. "It's Kol Sandejas, Arden. Don't tell me that boy isn't thinking of fucking you six ways to Sunday every morning."

She rolls her eyes and faces the mirror again, opting to keep her hair down just because she likes it and not because of what her friend said, and reaches for her makeup bag. "He finds me repulsive."

Lila rolls her eyes as she stands up and grabs her bag. "Repulsively beautiful, then. I'm going to class. Text me what happens." She kisses Arden's cheek before waving and closing the door.

Arden stares at herself in the mirror long after she's done with her makeup and put on her perfume. At five on the dot from her desk clock, she slings her bag over her shoulder and steps out of her room.

There's no one here.

Arden waits for five minutes, staring at the stairs.

No one but other female students come up.

She pushes her tongue against her cheek as anger rises in her chest. She knew it. She knew he was just playing with her—

Blonde hair appears from the corner and Kol's eyes meet hers instantly. She can't read his face, she's never been able to read his face as he walks towards her with his hands in his pockets, and he's only wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and fuck why is her heart racing?

He stops in front of her and stares at her face.

Her whole torso is out and he's staring at her face?

Arden's back presses against the wall. She swallows and tilts her head up to look at him, fucking giants the Sandejases are. "I didn't think you were coming."

"You said five," he says quietly. His voice is always raspy because he doesn't talk.

"It's five past five—"

Kol's arm shoots out and Arden doesn't flinch. He's showing her his watch.

It's five on the dot.

Arden grabs her phone from her jeans and almost dies. Her clock's time was early by five minutes.

She clears her throat. "Sorry."

Kol stares at her.

How did Blaise Finch do this?! How could anyone do this, this man is scary!

Arden slides her back along the wall to put some distance between them and walks forward. "Um, let's go."

Kol's two large strides and he's beside her, and she can smell his cologne and her stomach churns looking at his arms.

Arden is not like this.

She is not—she's not shy around guys, she's not intimidated—hell, if anything, they're the ones scared of her. But with Kol, even when she's trying her best to sneer at him the second he pops his gum, she always seems to fight her nerves and her intimidation.

Is it the height? The pale as snow skin, piercing dark eyes, the sharp jawline? His rudeness and arrogance like the little shit knows he's hot? He does. He probably really does.

Arden blinks, only then realizing that she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to look at where she's going, but she finds herself in the small, cozy diner she's a regular at where they sell the best umami-flavored chicken and karaage.

"Oh. I love it here." Arden smiles and pushes the door open when Kol doesn't make a move to step in first. Look at that, he has manners.

Neon lights greet them inside, and there are a few other people sitting on the bar in front of the kitchen in high stools, and they shut up when Kol walks in after her.

Arden ignores them and moves on to her regular table, greeting the staff in the kitchen with a wave.

She takes out her wallet. "What do you want? I—"

Kol didn't even follow her.

He's at the counter already and his lips are moving and his fingers are handing out bills.

Arden's jaw drops. Is he seriously ordering for her?

Several eyes follow him as he walks to their table, brining one can of Sprite. He puts it down in front of her and sits.

Arden blinks. "You...you didn't even ask me what I wanted."

He only shrugs once.

God. Arden does not know how to do this, because they sit in silence for the next couple of minutes and it is awkward.

Kol also gets up when his name is called and when he slides over her tray, Arden blinks. "How..."

How did he know what she liked. What she ordered here.

Kol is focused on his food. Arden watches his jaw and throat move and Jesus. Arden eats like a beast while this man—everything he does is godly.

She almost wants to run.

"You said you don't know what to do with my fucking feelings."

Arden meets his eyes. He's already staring at her.

She nods once. "Yeah." She doesn't know if she wants him to pack them up and ship them to the North Pole so she doesn't have to deal with them or—

"I have a list."

Arden's brow raises as she chews slowly. "And I assume you want me to do those things on the list."

Kol's jaw tightens, and through gritted teeth, he says, "But I'll do something for you first."

Arden wipes her mouth with a napkin and drinks her Sprite and pretends she doesn't notice his eyes moved to her lips before going back up to her eyes again. "Sandejas, if you're wasting my time—"

"I'm here, aren't I?" he bites out.

Arden didn't think he would be. Kol Sandejas is too arrogant and prideful to let her do anything she wants with him, but here he is proposing it.

She smiles. She suddenly feels a rush of control and the intimidation dials down. "Okay then. What's first on the list?"

Kol focuses back on his food. Arden can't stop smiling as they continue their meal.

He lets her pass through the door again and falls into step beside her on the way back to campus.

Then Kol holds out his palm.

Arden stares at it and takes out her wallet. Ah, he wants her to pay for her meal?

She almost jumps when Kol grunts in annoyance, low in his chest, and glares at her.

Arden's brows furrow. "What is that? You want my class notes?"

Kol stares at her, jaw hardening.

She rolls her eyes. "A high-five, then—"

When her palm meets his, Kol grabs it and pulls her, long fingers clasping hers.

Arden stumbles on her feet with wide eyes, cheeks flaming, staring at Kol's back. He's still walking, looking ahead, but his fingers are tight against her numb ones.

God. Why didn't he just say so!

Ah. Arden bites her lip. This is Kol.

She tries to fight her smile—damn, this is first on the list?—all the way back to her dorm. All the other students they pass by gape at them, and Kol looks like he doesn't give a shit.

His hand feels like it doesn't give a shit as long as it's holding hers.

"Arden—" Mid-wave, Elijah stops. He's walking on the way out of the campus with Oliver, Patirck, and Jackson.

"Hey, hey, where are you taking—" Jackson almost stalks towards them but also stops mid-step the moment Kol's eyes go to him, stepping back.

Kol doesn't break stride and Arden tries really, really hard to keep up. She has small legs, damn it! "I'll join you guys later!" she calls to her friends who are still staring after them.

In front of her dorm, she's panting, hand still in his. "Sandejas, what—"

Arden stares up at him and finds him staring at their hands, mouth twitching.

And then he looks up to meet her eyes, waiting.

He's like a fucking puppy waiting for his treat. Or order.

Arden thinks about it. She stands straight and says, "I want you to compliment me in exchange for that handhold."

Kol scowls.

Arden doesn't back down. "I thought you were repulsed and disgusted every time you stared at me in class and now I want to hear what you actually think. Besides, looking like this—" She waves her free hand to her face and body. "Every day takes time and laborious effort and it's expensive. It's constant maintenance."

Kol stares at her, and Arden sees his jaw move.

When almost a minute passes that his mouth doesn't open, Arden lets go of his hand and turns around.

"I stare and I'm mad because I think your clothes look fucking better on my floor and your face feels like a fucking punch in the stomach. Happy?"

Wow. A punch in the stomach is...she affects him that much?

And is this his way of saying he thinks she's beautiful?

Arden will take what she can get. She faces him and smiles. He looks angry. "Much."

Because she is happy, he's not disgusted or repulsed, he likes her, and for that, Arden tiptoes, puts a hand on his cheek like she did yesterday, and presses her lips to his quickly.

She's pretty sure Kol freezes because he doesn't move. Like yesterday.

Arden grins and opens the door. "See you tomorrow, Sandejas."