Stella's P.O.V.

Pain in the ass!

My stepbrother is the one. I know he's deliberately trying to piss me off. But I'm not one to back down. I'll also leave no chance to annoy him.

I walk through the crowded corridors of my new college, trying to find my classroom. Alex is in the same class as mine, but how could I have asked him to direct me to the classroom when we spent the entire car ride bickering instead?

What the fuck does he think of himself? Mr. Grumpy, with his stupid muscles and his tattoos, acts like the world revolves around him.

"Stella, just stop thinking about him and find your class." I chide myself because I can't be late on my first day. Already, I'm entering college halfway through the semester. The last thing I need is to make a bad impression.

Although it's usually easy for me to make friends because of my talkative nature, I still feel a bit nervous. After all, most people have already formed their groups, and I'm the new girl, the outsider.

I continue walking, dodging groups of students who seem to know exactly where they're going. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm lost in a maze.

I glance at a group of students laughing and chatting together. They all seem so comfortable, like they've been here forever. I sigh, feeling a little out of place.

Finally, I spot the right classroom number and take a deep breath. Here you go, Stella. Just walk in, be yourself, and everything will fall into place. You always make friends easily, don't overthink it.

As I step inside, my eyes scan the room quickly, hoping to find a friendly face.

But then my face lights up with surprise and excitement to see Zoe, a girl with bangs whom I met in Ibiza two months ago. That day, she was so lost when I saved her from the hit of a car. But today, she looks so joyful. I'm happy to see her like this because I love smiling faces. When I see anybody upset, I just can't stop myself from cheering them up.

And I'm so glad to find a familiar face in the classroom full of strangers. Thank you, God.

Zoe is sitting in the middle of the room, chatting with another girl who looks so classy, with her long dark brown hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She must be Zoe's friend.

I walk over to her with a huge smile on my face. I can't express how relieved I am to find Zoe in my class.

"Zoe!" I call out after approaching her.

She looks up, her face puzzled for a second, but then a bright smile spreads across her face as she recognises me. "Oh my god, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I know, right? Small world!" I reply, can't able to stop smiling.

"You two know each other?" The girl sitting next to Zoe asks, her curious blue eyes swaying between me and Zoe.

"Yeah." Zoe nods at her. "I met her in Ibiza. She saved me from an accident and tried to cheer me up."

"Ooh," the girl responds, nodding with interest.

"This is Selene," Zoe introduces her friend, giving her a side hug. "My best friend."

"Nice to meet you, Selene," I say, extending my hand.

"Same here. Welcome to the chaos of college life." Selene replies with a laugh.

I shift my gaze to Zoe and express my happiness. "You know, Zoe. I was a bit nervous about being the new girl. But I'm so happy to find you here."

"Don't worry, you'll fit right in," Zoe assures me. "And we're here for you."

She is so sweet. I'm damn sure we're going to be great friends in the future.

"Thank you—"

Zoe suddenly asks, cutting me off. "Your name is Stella, right?" She looks at me like there is something wrong with my name.

I nod, my brows narrowing in confusion. "Yeah! What happened?"

"Are you Alex's stepsister?"

The mention of Alex instantly sour my mood. Ugh, him again. I roll my eyes. "Yes, unfortunately. How do you know him?"

"He's my boyfriend's friend. We've all hung out a few times. He's not that bad, you know."

"Not that bad?" I scoff. "He's rude, arrogant, and completely mannerless. You should see how he treats me."

Zoe chuckles. "I know he can be a bit... rude sometimes. But deep down, he's not that bad and would do anything for the people he cares about. Especially Sky."

"Whatever." I roll my eyes. "I don't want to talk about him."

Zoe suddenly stands up, her eyes lighting up. I look over and notice a guy with brown hair and blue eyes entering the room with a charming smile on his face, his eyes fixed on her.

She returns her gaze towards me. "Stella, I'm going to sit with my boyfriend because the class is just about to get start. I'll talk to you after this class."

I nod. "No problem."

She walks over to her boyfriend. He takes her hand in his and kisses her knuckles. Seeing them like this, I miss my boyfriend even more.

"See? That's how she ditched her friends for her boyfriend." Selena's words draw my attention.

I laugh, sitting down beside her. "Yep. Boyfriend comes first. What about you, Selene? Are you single?"

"Yep. And you?"

"I have a boyfriend, and I miss him. He lives in Ibiza, the place where I stayed before my mother remarried." I pout at her.

Selene raises an eyebrow, leaning in with a curious smile. "A long-distance relationship, huh?"

Just as I'm about to answer her, the classroom door swings open and there walks in Mr. Grumpy—Alex. I can practically feel my whole body tense up at the sight of him. He strolls in like he owns the place, his eyes scanning the room, probably looking for his usual spot.

Selene follows my gaze and says, "Don't hate Alex. As Zoe said he isn't that bad. It's just that his dad remarried, and it's probably tough on him."

I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. "Yeah, well, he's still a pain in my ass. I get it—his dad remarried, my mom remarried. It's been rough on both of us, but does he have to act like such a jerk all the time?"

Selene shrugs, glancing at Alex as he makes his way toward his seat. "People deal with things differently. Maybe he's just trying to figure it all out."

"By being a complete ass?" I mutter, shaking my head.

Before Selena can answer me, Alex notices me and walks over to us. "Hey Selena, what's up?"

I take my notebook out of my bag, avoiding looking at him.

Selena responds, "Hey, Alex."

"Why are you sitting with a girl like her?"

My head snaps up at his words, a frown already forming on my face. What is his problem? As if I didn't already know. He just doesn't want to leave a single chance to piss me off.

I slam my notebook on the desk, glaring at him. "A girl like her? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He raises his brows. "You know exactly what I mean, Stella."

"Actually, no, I don't," I snap, leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

Selena looks between us nervously, clearly not wanting to get involved in the argument.

"Someone who doesn't know how to behave properly," he says with a smirk. "Someone who doesn't listen to anybody."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I bite back sarcastically. "I didn't realise I was supposed to silently worship the ground you walk on like everyone else. Newsflash, Alex—no one cares about your moody, brooding act."

He leans down, his face just inches from mine. I meet his gaze head-on, even though my heart is pounding. There's something about the way he looks at me that makes my stomach flip, which I can't ignore.

Before he can say something, the professor walks inside and the entire room goes silent. The professor, in her early thirties woman with glasses perched on the tip of her nose, sets her bag down on the desk at the front of the room.

Alex straightens up, but not before shooting one last hard look. As he walks away to his seat, I sigh.

Thank God! The professor walks in at the right time. Or else I would've punched him.