Rosaline's POV
"Idiot, get up and get ready! I think you don't want to be late on your first day," my brother's voice roared, followed by a soft thud as a pillow hit my face.
"What the—! How did you get in my room?" I shouted groggily, rubbing my eyes, still half-asleep and fully annoyed.
"Behave like a lady, Rose. Learn how to lock the door first," he said, already halfway out of my room, smug as ever. "And don't blame me if I leave you behind."
With that, Parker sprinted downstairs before I could even throw the pillow back at him.
I groaned and dragged myself out of bed. His words echoed in my head—"Don't blame me if I leave you behind." That jerk knew exactly how to push my buttons.
I rushed into the bathroom, did my morning routine in record time, and took a quick shower. I slipped into my yellow sundress, the one that reached just below my knees, modest but pretty enough to make me feel good on my first day at my new university.
I ran downstairs, almost tripping over the last step. Mom was already at the table, placing a stack of pancakes on the tray, and Dad was calmly sipping coffee while reading the newspaper like he was in a slow-motion ad.
"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad," I said, plastering a sweet smile on my face.
"Good morning, love," they replied in unison.
My brother, in contrast, was busy stuffing his face with pancakes like he hadn't eaten in a week. The second he saw me, he started fake coughing, dramatically beating his chest.
"You okay there, drama king?" I asked, walking over and stealing a bite from his plate, specifically from the neatly cut pieces he'd arranged with so much care.
"Rose! Eat from your own plate!" he scolded, frowning.
I just smirked and mimicked his earlier words. "Don't be late, Parker. I don't want to be late on my first day."
He narrowed his eyes at me but didn't say anything. Instead, he shoved the last piece of pancake into his mouth and stood up.
Soon we were both in the car. He was behind the wheel, and I was already regretting not taking the bus.
"You better behave like a lady, Rose," he began again, as expected. "We don't want enemies on the first day, right? Try to understand your chemistry reactions this time. This college is not like the previous one."
"God, Parker, you sound like you're fifty," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
He kept talking as if he hadn't heard me. I stopped listening and focused on the outside world. I was too excited for my first day to let his lectures ruin my mood.
We reached the university after about twenty minutes. It was bigger than I'd expected. There was a buzz in the air, new students rushing around, seniors looking smug, and the unmistakable scent of fresh beginnings.
I stepped out of the car, adjusting the strap of my sling bag.
"Rose, here—drink this and refresh your cloudy brain," Parker said, handing me a cup of coffee with a smirk on his face.
Despite my annoyance, I took the cup. One thing about him—he always remembered how to get under my skin and how to get me coffee.
As he got back into the car, he shouted one last warning. "Walk properly! Don't go bumping into anyone!"
I scoffed. "Yeah, yeah…"
Thud.
Of course, I bumped into someone the very next second. My hand jerked, and the coffee spilled all over the person in front of me.
"Fuck… hisss…" the stranger hissed in pain. The hot coffee had soaked into his crisp white shirt, now stained and clinging to his torso.
"Oh my God! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't see where I was going—oh no, you got burned!" I panicked, quickly pulling out my hanky and trying to dab the coffee off his shirt.
"Stop it. Stop it now," he growled, his voice sharp and commanding.
"But you're hurt—" I tried to explain, but he grabbed my hand, stopping my frantic attempts to help.
I looked up—and froze.
Piercing gray eyes met mine, cold and stormy like thunderclouds. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. His sharp jaw, ruffled dark hair, and intense presence made him look like he walked straight out of a movie. A very angry movie.
"If you can't walk properly or hold your damn drink, just stay home. Why bother others first thing in the morning, idiot," he snapped, his voice full of irritation.
Idiot? Again?
That was it. First Parker, now this arrogant coffee-stained stranger?
I narrowed my eyes and shot back, "Listen, mister. I know it was my fault, and I said sorry! But that doesn't give you the right to call me an idiot. You're an idiot. Your whole family must be idiots!"
I shoved my hanky into his hand and stormed off, my face burning with a mix of embarrassment and rage.
"Great way to start the first day of uni. Holy shit," I muttered under my breath, making my way to the administration office.
I collected my timetable, trying to shake off the incident.
Forget him, Rose. He must be from another department. You won't see him again.
Or so I told myself.
Little did I know who I'd just bumped into.
....
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