Cee stepped into her dorm room, quietly closing the door behind her. She leaned against it for a second, pressing her fingers to her cheeks. Calm down, Cee. It's just a ride home, just a goodnight… so why the hell are you blushing?
"Ah-ha! I knew something was up!"
Cee jumped as Ava, her roommate and best friend, pounced from her bed, eyes gleaming with mischief. She had been lying down with a book in her hands, but now the book was forgotten as she sat up, grinning like a detective who had just found a major clue.
"What—what are you talking about?" Cee stammered, turning away, hoping to escape to her side of the room.
Ava gasped dramatically. "Oh no, no, no. Don't even try that on me, Miss 'I'm-too-busy-for-romance'!" She hopped off the bed, blocking Cee's path. "You're blushing."
Cee scoffed. "I'm not—"
Ava grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the mirror above the dresser. "Look at yourself, Celine. Pink. Your whole face is pink!"
Cee groaned, covering her face with both hands. "It's nothing, Ava."
Ava narrowed her eyes. "Lies. Blushing like that? There's only one explanation—a man."
Cee sighed, knowing Ava wasn't going to let this go. "Fine. If I tell you, will you stop harassing me?"
Ava beamed. "Depends. If it's boring, no."
Cee rolled her eyes and sat down on her bed. "I had dinner with someone."
Ava let out a loud gasp and dropped onto the bed beside her. "Dinner?! With a guy?"
"Yes."
Ava clutched her chest. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?"
Cee smacked her arm. "Oh, shut up."
Ava wiggled her eyebrows. "Alright, spill. Who's the lucky guy? Is he hot?"
Cee hesitated. She wasn't sure how to explain Carlos—especially how he made her feel. "It's… Carlos."
Ava's eyes widened. "Carlos? The guy who always comes to the café?"
Cee nodded.
Ava squealed. "No way! I knew he had a thing for you! The way he looks at you sometimes? Girl, that man is hooked."
Cee felt her blush deepen. "It's not like that! He was just… apologizing."
Ava raised a suspicious brow. "Apologizing? For what?"
Cee bit her lip. "For getting mad at me earlier. He saw someone harassing me at work and… kind of handled it."
Ava's playful expression turned serious. "Wait, what? Someone harassed you?"
Cee nodded. "It wasn't that bad, just some guy being pushy, but Carlos… well, he didn't take it lightly."
Ava crossed her arms. "Huh. So, broody Carlos is also protective. Interesting." She paused, then smirked. "And after all that, he asked you to dinner? That's a date, babe."
Cee sighed. "I hesitated, but he convinced me."
Ava poked her shoulder. "And? How was it? Was he charming? Did he stare at you like you were the only person in the world?"
Cee thought about how Carlos's eyes had lingered on her during dinner, how he had asked to know more about her, how he had driven her home and wished her goodnight in that deep voice of his.
"…It was nice."
Ava gasped. "Oh my God, you like him!"
Cee shook her head quickly. "No! I mean—I don't dislike him, but it's not like that."
Ava gave her a knowing look. "Uh-huh. That's what people say before they fall hard." She grinned. "Just be careful, Cee. He seems intense."
Cee frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
Ava shrugged. "Guys like him… when they want something, they really go after it." She smirked. "So, if he wants you, let's just say you won't be able to run forever."
Cee groaned and flopped back on her bed, covering her face. What is happening to me?
Ava laughed. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
Ava was still grinning, clearly enjoying Cee's predicament, when a new thought crossed her mind.
"Wait… what's his major?" she asked, tilting her head.
Cee blinked. "Art."
Ava sat up straighter. "Art? No way! That's our major."
Cee shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
Ava squinted at her as if trying to dig into her brain. "So, he's in our department? What year?"
"He's a senior," Cee answered, now slightly curious as to why Ava seemed so invested.
Ava frowned, trying to recall. "Carlos… Carlos… I don't think I know any senior named Carlos." She tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Wait—do you have a picture of him?"
Cee hesitated. She didn't, but… "I think Lucas has one on his Instagram."
Ava's eyes widened. "Lucas? You mean the Lucas? That playboy? You know him?"
Cee sighed. "Not exactly. He's Carlos's roommate."
Ava shook her head in disbelief. "Of course he is." She quickly pulled out her phone and searched for Lucas's Instagram. "I follow him, you know. He's always posting random crap."
Cee watched as Ava scrolled through Lucas's chaotic feed—parties, selfies, expensive cars, and random memes—until finally, she froze.
"Wait… holy shit!"
Cee flinched. "What?"
Ava turned the phone toward her. "This Carlos?"
Cee looked at the image. It was a rare one—Lucas must have sneaked a shot of Carlos, who was leaning against a sleek black sports car, wearing an all-black outfit with his hands in his pockets, his usual unreadable expression on his face. Even in a casual picture, there was something effortlessly intimidating about him.
Ava gasped again. "Cee, I know this guy!"
Cee blinked in confusion. "You do?"
Ava nodded furiously. "Yes! He's the senior I told you about—the one who doesn't talk to anyone in our major. Not even his own mates! He's like a ghost, always in and out, never socializing."
Cee frowned. "Really?"
Ava gripped her arm. "And that's not even the craziest part, Cee." She took a deep breath before saying dramatically, "He's fucking rich."
Cee stared. "Huh?"
Ava's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "He's from the Milton family, Cee. The Milton family."
Cee blinked again, her mind struggling to process the name. It sounded familiar, but—
Ava clutched her head. "Celine, how do you not know this?! The Milton family isn't just rich—they back politicians! They have connections with the freaking president! Their money is on another level."
Cee was silent, absorbing the information.
Ava grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Do you understand what I'm saying? How did you even get his attention?!"
Cee's mind raced. Carlos had never mentioned his family, never flaunted his wealth. He just showed up at the café, drank his coffee, and watched her. He wasn't anything like the rich guys she had encountered before—the arrogant, flashy ones.
Ava groaned. "I knew there was something different about him! I just never expected this. And now you're telling me you had dinner with him? Cee!"
Cee finally found her voice. "I… I didn't know."
Ava let out a sharp breath. "Well, you do now. And girl, whatever you do… be careful."
Cee frowned. "Why do you sound so dramatic?"
Ava sighed. "Because guys like Carlos Milton? They don't just date. If he wants you, he's not gonna let go easily."
Cee swallowed. Deep down, she knew Ava was right. But the scariest part?
She wasn't sure she wanted him to let go.