Chapter 3

The tips of his ears turned red so fast I could watch it happen. His expression didn't move an inch.

"Student government office. After your last class."

He slid a heavy cream-colored card across the table and walked away.

[Elliot Kingsley | Affection +3 | Current: 18/100]

I watched him go. It had been a long time since I'd met a guy this innocent. This was going to be fun.

I was still eating and trying to figure out how to get near my second target when he saved me the trouble.

"Hey. You're the girl trying to get her hooks into Elliot?"

The voice came from right above me. I looked up into a pair of narrowed gray eyes. Dark blond hair, messy, like he'd just pulled off a helmet. A thin white scar cut through one eyebrow. Knox Calloway stood with one hand in his pocket and his team jacket hooked over his shoulder, a tattoo running down the forearm he'd left on display.

He looked me over like I was something stuck to his shoe.

"I thought you were one of the good girls. Guess you're just like every other gold digger who comes sniffing around him."

He gave me one last look of disgust and walked off, his teammates trailing behind him.

[Knox Calloway | Affection -10 | Current: -10/100]

I sat there with my mouth open. Was he into Elliot? Did he think I was competition?

"Are you sure this isn't an MM romance?" I asked the system in my head. "Because taking ten points off me for that is insane."

"I am a one hundred percent straight system, Host. The MM system down the hall and I do not speak."

Wow. Now I kind of shipped the two of them.

My last class had barely let out when my phone buzzed. It was a text from Dad.

Your sister came home crying and said you threatened her into giving up her allowance. Don't expect another cent from me.

So Juliet couldn't stand being miserable alone and wanted to drag me down with her. Not happening.

Before I went to the student government office, I slapped myself across the face. Twice. Hard. My eyes flooded instantly.

That was how I showed up at Elliot's door: a total mess.

The door was half open. Elliot sat at the desk going through a stack of paperwork, reading glasses on, lamplight catching his lashes.

He heard me come in and didn't look up. "Take out last week's quiz."

"Okay," I said, with just a little crack in my voice.

I crept to the chair farthest from him and sat there without moving. When nothing happened, he finally raised his head.

"What's wrong?"

My eyes were red. I glanced up at him, twisting the hem of my sweater between my fingers.

"Nothing. My sister was upset, and she took it out on me."

I kept it vague on purpose. If Juliet ever accused me of lying about her, I'd have room to wiggle.

His gaze landed on my swollen cheek. Behind his glasses, his eyes went sharp.

"She hit you?"

"No. Please don't blame her. I did it to myself. It was an accident."

Every word of that was technically true. I bit my lip and shook my head, and a tear dropped onto the desk anyway.

[Elliot Kingsley | Affection +5 | Current: 23/100]

Last life, Juliet had thrown herself at him. For someone like Elliot, making him want to protect me worked a lot better.

"Come here," he said, quieter than before.

I edged into the seat beside him.

He took a first aid kit out of a drawer and dabbed ointment onto my cheek. The cold made me flinch.

"Does it hurt?"

"No." I managed a small smile. "I was just thinking about all the problems I still can't solve."

His fingers paused for a second, then kept going. His touch stayed light and careful the whole time.

"What's your name?" he asked as he capped the tube.

"Josie Foster. I'm a freshman."

"Come here every day after your last class. I'll tutor you."

I blinked fast, eyes swimming. "That's way too much. I don't want you wasting your time on me."

"You're not wasting my time."

[Elliot Kingsley | Affection +5 | Current: 28/100]

I dropped my head so he wouldn't see me smile. Back off a little and let him come after you. Apparently, the ice prince was a big fan.

It was dark by the time I left. Campus had gone quiet, and the paths were lit only by old-fashioned lamps.

Then someone stepped out and blocked my way.

"You were in there with Elliot for a long time. What were you two doing?"

Knox Calloway stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me.

I tilted my head. "Are you jealous?"