Chapter 1
LUCY RENNER STOOD on the steps of Royce Hall, huddled in a circle of UCLA students, though her attention was fixed entirely on her best friend, Ashley Patton.
“I think he’s cute,” Lucy said.
“You have no taste in men.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You go for the artsy types,” Ashley said, rolling her eyes. “The struggling souls who spend their lives living in their parents’ basements.”
“What about Alex?”
“Like I said. Artsy types.”
“You’re a bitch.”
Ashley grinned. “You just can’t handle the truth.”
Lucy broke away to head to her next class when her phone buzzed in her palm. A text message. Unknown Sender.
She stared at the screen, annoyed. “You are officially blocked, whoever you are.”
By the time classes ended, the sun had dipped, and Lucy was back in the dorm. She sat on her bed, forcing her eyes across the pages of a book on the January 6th uprising for Political Science. It was dry as dust. Why are all the required readings written by people who hate writing?
She slammed the book shut and scrolled through Netflix. Nothing.
Her phone rang, shattering the silence. The caller ID flashed: Mom.
“Hi, honey.”
“Hi, Mom.”
“I just wanted to confirm dinner tomorrow.”
“Yes. I’m looking forward to seeing my little nephew.”
“Your brother will be happy to see you, too.”
“I’ve got to get back to studying, Mom,” Lucy lied, eyeing the closed textbook.
“Okay, dear. See you then.”
She tossed the phone onto the mattress, but it buzzed again almost immediately. This time, the name brought a smile: Alex Pastorius.
He was checking in about their date tomorrow evening. Lucy shot back a confirmation and a smiling emoji. The exhaustion of the day finally caught up to her. She let the phone drop, closed her eyes, and was instantly asleep.
