"THERE HE IS."

Harlow's voice came out as a strangled whisper. She grabbed Margot's arm so hard her nails dug into skin.

"Ow-what-"

"Don't look. No, wait, look. But don't make it obvious."

They were standing outside the student union on the first day of orientation. The plaza was packed with students clutching campus maps and orientation packets. Harlow had been in the middle of complaining about her dorm assignment when she froze mid-sentence, staring at something over Margot's shoulder.

Margot turned.

And there he was.

Sebastian Thornton walked across the plaza like he owned it. Tall-well over six feet now-with broad shoulders and long legs that ate up the distance in easy strides. He wore dark jeans and a white button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, the kind of effortlessly expensive look that screamed old money. His hair was dark and slightly messy, like he'd just run his fingers through it. But it was his face that stopped people in their tracks.

Sharp jawline. High cheekbones. And those eyes-pale gray, framed by dark lashes, with a faint upward tilt at the corners that gave him a permanent look of lazy amusement. When he smiled, which he did often, it was the kind of smile that looked both sincere and mocking at the same time.

He was, objectively, the most attractive person Margot had ever seen.

And she hated that she noticed.

"Oh my god," Harlow breathed. "He's even hotter in person. How is that possible?"

Margot didn't answer. She was staring.

Sebastian cut through the crowd with the kind of easy confidence that came from never having to worry about whether people would move out of the way. They always did. A group of girls near the fountain turned to watch him pass, whispering behind their hands. A guy in a MIT Athletics shirt called out a greeting. Sebastian raised one hand in acknowledgment but didn't slow down.

He was headed straight toward them.

No. Not them. Past them. He wasn't looking at her. He didn't even know she existed.

Harlow was frantically smoothing down her hair. "Do I look okay? Tell me I look okay."

"You look fine."

"Fine? FINE? Margot, this is Sebastian Thornton, I need to look-"

He was ten feet away now.

Eight feet.

Five.

And then his eyes shifted. Locked on Margot.

She felt it like a physical jolt. Her heart kicked hard against her ribs. For one frozen second, they stared at each other-and she saw the exact moment recognition flickered across his face.

His lips curved. Just slightly. A slow, knowing smile that said I remember you.

Margot's pulse spiked. She stared back, refusing to look away, her chin lifting in automatic challenge.

Sebastian's smile widened.

Then he was past them, his footsteps fading into the crowd.

Margot released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Did you see that?" Harlow hissed. "He LOOKED at you. Sebastian Thornton looked RIGHT at you."

"He was looking past me."

"He was NOT. He smiled."

"He smiles at everyone."

"Not like that." Harlow clutched Margot's arm again, her eyes wide. "Margot. Do you know him?"

"No."

"Are you SURE?"

"I've never met him."

Technically true. They'd competed against each other once, six years ago. They'd exchanged a few words at the ceremony, but she'd barely registered it. That didn't count as meeting.

"Well, he definitely knows you," Harlow said. "That was not a random look. That was a I-know-something-you-don't-know look."

Margot shook her off and started walking. "You're imagining things."

"I am NOT-"

A flash of movement caught Margot's eye. She glanced back.

Sebastian had stopped about twenty yards away. A girl had appeared at his side-tall, willowy, with platinum blonde hair and the kind of face that belonged on magazine covers. She was wearing a crop top and high-waisted jeans that probably cost more than Margot's entire wardrobe.

The girl leaned into Sebastian, one hand sliding around his waist. He didn't pull away. Instead, he bent his head toward hers, murmuring something that made her laugh-a bright, performative sound that carried across the plaza.

They looked perfect together. Like a photo shoot for a luxury brand.

Margot felt something cold settle in her chest. Annoyance, maybe. Or disappointment. Though why she'd be disappointed, she had no idea.

Sebastian glanced up. His eyes found hers again, and this time he didn't smile. He just looked at her. Steady. Unreadable.

Then the blonde girl tugged on his arm, and he turned away.

"Oh my god," Harlow said. "That's Vanessa Hale. She's an actress. She was in that Netflix series-the one about the boarding school murders? She's FAMOUS."

"Good for her."

"She's also in the sociology program. And apparently dating Sebastian Thornton." Harlow let out a long, wistful sigh. "Of course she is. They probably met at some charity gala for obscenely attractive rich people."

Margot watched them disappear into the student union, Vanessa's hand still wrapped around Sebastian's waist.

A warning bell went off in her head. Loud and clear.

Dangerous. Stay away.

"Come on," she said, turning away. "Let's go find the physics building."

"You're not even a little bit curious?"

"About what?"

"About HIM. Sebastian Thornton. The guy who just eye-fucked you in the middle of the plaza."

"He didn't-" Margot stopped. Took a breath. "I'm not interested."

"Liar."

"Harlow."

"Fine. But for the record, if a guy who looks like that looked at me the way Sebastian just looked at you, I would die. Literally collapse on the spot and die."

Margot said nothing.

But her heart was still racing.

And she hated it.