Carl Hale has it all — wealth, status, and a last name recognized by half the country. But behind the mansion doors lies a cold emptiness. Raised by staff and overlooked by his glamorous parents, Carl moves through life guarded and alone. After a betrayal at his last school, he’s transferred into a strict missionary academy where he avoids everyone — until Theo.

Theo, the charming scholarship student, is everything Carl is not: bright, beloved, and kind. Carl watches from afar, nursing a quiet crush he knows he’ll never act on. The walls he’s built are too high.

But one reckless night changes everything.

On the night after his forgotten 18th birthday, Carl escapes to a gay bar to feel something. He’s underage, vulnerable — and things quickly spiral out of control. When a stranger steps in to help, it turns out to be Mr. Robert Ashton, the youngest and most mysterious teacher at school — the one students whisper about in the hallways.

Robert takes Carl home to recover, and in the quiet aftermath of that night, something begins between them. A look. A touch. A shared silence that feels like understanding. As Carl starts visiting more often, their bond deepens — into something forbidden and undeniably physical.

But Theo still lingers in Carl’s thoughts, and the guilt of wanting two things he can’t have is suffocating.

In a world that expects perfection from all three of them — the rich boy, the golden student, and the flawless teacher — secrets burn fast. And Carl is about to find out how dangerous it is when comfort, longing, and desire collide behind closed doors.

The last bell rang, and before Carl could even reach the parking lot, Valerie had already hooked her arm through his.


"Where are we going?" he asked, unlocking the car.


"For a spin, obviously," she said like it was the most natural thing in the world.


Gina slid into the back seat, tossing her bag aside. "I call music control."


"No way," Carl said, starting the engine.


"Too late," she grinned, already plugging her phone into the system. Loud pop music filled the car before Carl even pulled out of the school gates.


Julian stepped through the gates of St. Augustine School, sunglasses pushed up in her hair. She had been in the area to run an errand, and since she was early to meet Robert, she decided to drop by and surprise him.


But then her eyes caught movement—a boy in a crisp navy uniform, flanked by two girls, all heading toward a shiny black car.


She knew she'd seen it before—last night, in the hallway of the hotel, sneaking out of Robert's room.


The realization hit like a slap. The uniform left no room for doubt. He wasn't just some stranger—he was Robert's student.


Julian's mouth went dry. She didn't want to believe it, but the image of him disappearing into the elevator was burned into her mind.


Pushing the thought aside, she headed for the building, each step faster than the last. She had to see Robert—now.


The music thumped through the car as Carl turned onto the main road. Gina leaned forward from the back seat, straw between her teeth.


"So…" she said in that drawn-out tone that meant trouble. "How did the lunch date with Mr. Scholarship go?"


Carl shot her a look in the rearview mirror. "It wasn't a date."


"Sure," Valerie chimed in, smirking. "You just happened to meet him on the roof, alone, with snacks."


Carl tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I was thanking him for helping me with math."


"Ohhh, math," Gina teased, drawing out the word like it was code for something else. "And what did the great Theo say?"


"He… asked me to meet him again tomorrow," Carl admitted, trying—and failing—to keep the small smile from his face.


Gina slapped the back of his seat. "See? My tips worked!"


"They didn't," Carl muttered, but Valerie caught the way his ears were turning red.


"Wait—" Valerie twisted in her seat to face him fully. "You're actually going to keep meeting him?"


Carl shrugged, trying to act casual. "I want to. I mean… he's smart. He explains things in a way that makes sense."


"And you like looking at him while he does it," Gina added, leaning back with a smug grin.


Carl didn't answer, but his silence was loud enough for them both to laugh.


"Tomorrow," Valerie said, tapping her finger against the dashboard, "you need to step it up. No just sitting there staring. Actually talk to him."


Carl rolled his eyes, but there was a spark in them now. "You two are insane."


"Insane and invested," Gina corrected. "We're your wingwomen now."


Carl shook his head, but he couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips.


Chapter 16 - Chapter 16