Chapter 2: Lines You Can’t Cross

“It’s cool, we’re not busy.” He called his friends over and they took all my stuff. I just stood there, stunned.

Suddenly my hands were empty, and I just stood there, lost, staring at Colton.

He raised his eyebrows at me. “If you don’t tell us where you live... we’ll just hang out here at the gate all day.”

So I gave in: “Silver Hall. Room 512.”

But they stopped at Maple Hall with my bags and even tried to head inside.

Panicking, I grabbed Colton’s sleeve and, under the weird looks from his friends, whispered, “I… I’m in Silver Hall.”

Colton just shrugged. “Silver Hall’s full. I checked with the RA—late arrivals have to stay in Maple.”

So, Colton and I became roommates.

At the start of the semester, I was nervous about how I’d get along with new roommates. My stomach was in knots, honestly.

Who would’ve guessed Colton would be so easy to get along with? We hit it off. Fast.

Honestly, I did. I felt really lucky.

But then Lucas told me that guys could date each other too. I had no idea what to do with that info.

“We’re just good friends.” I looked Lucas in the eye and said it, trying to sound serious.

He scoffed. “Have you ever seen Colton act like this with anyone else? Why is he only not a neat freak around you?”

“Don’t give me that ‘all good friends’ stuff. Which of his friends hasn’t known him longer than you? Have you ever seen him treat them this way?”

“I’ve been his friend since we were kids, and even I can’t sit on his bed. Why can you?”

I didn’t know what to say.

Seeing me hesitate, he sneered, “Eli, I’m telling you for your own good. You’d better keep your distance from Colton. The Price family isn’t something you want to get tangled up with.”

That night, after my shower, Colton had already made space for me on his bed.

I stopped at my lower bunk, but he pulled me over and sat me between his legs.

He took my towel and started drying my hair for me. Nobody batted an eye. They were used to it.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about what Lucas said. The words kept echoing in my head.

I pressed my lips together, gathered my courage, and finally said, “Colton, I’ll sleep by myself from now on.”

As soon as I said it, the whole dorm went silent. Even the guy across the room who’d just lost his game stopped cursing.

The only sounds were the fan and the AC. Awkward doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Colton’s hand paused as he dried my hair, then he turned my face toward him. He frowned, looking dead serious.

“Why are you saying this all of a sudden? Did someone say something to you?” My stomach dropped.

I shook my head and kept Lucas out of it.

“It’s just… it doesn’t feel right. And I can dry my own hair from now on. I can handle things myself.”

I lowered my head as I spoke.

Colton’s brows drew even tighter, his gaze so cold it felt like he could shatter steel. I felt it all the way down my spine.

He’d never been this harsh with me before.

Everyone said Colton’s temper had mellowed out since he started hanging with me.

I’d never seen him like this, and it scared me.

He didn’t move for a long time. My hands trembled as I tried to take back my towel.

He grabbed both my hands and, with his other hand, roughly finished drying my hair.

When he was done, he tossed the towel on the desk and pulled me onto the bed with him.

Colton held me tight, not letting go.

I tried to move, but he just hugged me harder.

It was suffocating.

“Don’t move. I’m really pissed right now. I don’t know what I might do.” His voice was low and cold, almost icy.