Chapter 2

Jordan's POV

I can feel his eyes on me, cold and sharp like a blade as I drag my suitcase into the room. The wheels scrape across the tiled floor, and I can’t help but feel the weight of it—both the suitcase and the tension in the air. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the rocky start.

Kaelen Ashford. I’ve heard the name a few times around campus. He is practically royalty here—his last name is tied to a family that owns half the city’s industries. All the other students talk about him in hushed tones, whispering about his wealth, his arrogance, the way he can make or break reputations with a single word. I didn't think he was such big of a deal, but here now, I can attest to everything I have heard about him. Probably worse. I doubt he has any friends.

Who would want to be his friend anyway?

There’s an unmistakable air of superiority in the way he carries himself. He is sitting at the desk, his arms crossed over his ripped chest muscles, his gaze hard and cold, like he is waiting for me to do something wrong. I want to be offended, but something inside me knows that nothing I say or do is going to impress him. I just can't stand the heat of his eyes on my back.

"Look," I turn and say. "I didn’t ask for this either. I was just offered a place in the dorm and I couldn't say no. I’m just here to study, nothing more. If you’ve got an issue with that, we can figure it out later."

I’m trying to keep it calm, but my words come out flat. I know sharing a room with him isn’t going to be easy, and I'll have to live with that. That’s just the way things are for people like me. We don’t get the luxury of smooth living in places like this.

Kaelen doesn’t answer right away. He just keeps staring at me, his expression unreadable. The tension in the room is thick, making it hard to breathe. And then, he lets out a small scoff and stands up abruptly.

"Really?" he says, his voice cutting through the silence. "First, there is no 'we' here," he spits, his voice menacingly low. "And you, bike boy, should learn how to stay out of my way or I will make your pathetic life a living hell!"

I can feel the weight of his words as they hit me, the arrogance dripping from every syllable. This guy really thinks the world revolves around him, doesn’t he? I shift uncomfortably, placing my guitar case on my bed. I’m not going to let him get to me. I’m not going to let his anger make me lose my cool. Apart of me wonders if this is how it’s going to be with him. I just can't let him have his way.

"I wasn’t trying to piss you off, okay?" I say, my voice steady despite the frustration bubbling inside. "It’s not like I did it on purpose. The mud was just bad timing."

He takes a deep breath, and for a second, I think he might actually calm down. But then, his expression darkens again and he glances around the room.

"You don’t get it, do you?" he says, his voice rising. "People like you don’t belong in places like this. And I don’t have to put up with it."

I can’t help but let out a small chuckle.

"People like me?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly do you think ‘people like me’ are? Someone who has to work for everything I have?"

His eyes narrow, and I notice an instant flash of irritation in them. Good. Maybe I’m getting under his skin.

"Yeah, sure. People like you—guys with no taste, no connections, no class." He scoffs again expressing all over my length. "You should have stayed home."

I feel the insult sting, but I don’t let him see it. Not this time. Instead, I let the silence stretch between us. His words hang in the air, but I refuse to let them define me. I’ve had enough of people like him. People who think their money and status make them better than everyone else.

"You know what," I say after a long pause. "You can hate me all you want, but I’m still your roommate. We’re stuck together for the next few months, so you might want to start figuring out how to live with that."

Kaelen shoots me a glare, his jaw clenched tightly. He doesn’t say anything more. Instead, he turns his back to me, walking back to the window and staring out at the campus below. I watch him for a moment, wondering if this is the beginning of some kind of rivalry or if we’ll just grow used to each other’s presence over time.

I take in a deep breath, trying to let the frustration go. I’m not here to make enemies. I’m just here to get through school. And it's just a damn dorm room for God's sake!

All I care about is that I don't have to cycle to school every day now. I'll do whatever it takes to keep this spot, even if it means having to deal with his arrogance daily. Furthermore, it's not like I have much time on my hands to hang around him.

It will be fine. I tell myself inwardly as I arrange my stuff and get ready for bed. Keeping my head down and staying out of his way won't be a problem, as long as he accords me the same respect. I chance a quick glance at his stiff back. Something tells me that I'm going to wait long before he ever sees me as 'somebody' worth giving a chance but there's nothing I can do about it.

We are after all from different worlds and the space between us is a deep, dark abyss. It is only wise to just focus on why I'm here.