At Luxford Academy, the elite boarding school for the ultra-rich, Adriana and Nicholas have been bitter rivals since childhood. Forced to live in the same dorm, their once-friendly pranks have escalated into daily clashes-sharp insults, constant bic...
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I blink my eyes open, only to immediately regret it as the morning light stabs at my skull. My head feels like it's been smashed by a sledgehammer, and I can barely remember how I got here, much less why Lia's soft, warm body is sprawled across me.
The room smells like stale alcohol and sleep, and I can hear the faint snores of everyone who somehow ended up crashing here last night. I try to move, but Lia shifts, mumbling something in her sleep as she snuggles closer, her hair tickling my chin.
Okay, Adri, think. The last thing I remember is us coming back to the dorm and Matteo and Dio daring Theo to shotgun two beers at once, which naturally escalated into a full-on drinking competition. There was laughing, loud music, and at some point, everything just blurred. I must have passed out, but how the hell did I end up with Lia using me as her personal mattress?
Across the room, I spot Matteo with an arm draped protectively over Dio, even in sleep. Theo is curled up in a corner, half-covered by a blanket that's more on the floor than on him. Rora and Drew are tangled together in a stylish heap near the door, like they've somehow managed to make even crashing on the floor look like a photoshoot. Nick is sprawled out on the couch, as far away from everyone as possible, his face now has a soft expression.
"Great," I mutter under my breath, my voice hoarse. "Just great."
Lia stirs again, her eyes fluttering open slowly. When she realizes where she is—and more importantly, who she's on top of—her cheeks turn bright red.
"Oh my God, Adri, I'm so sorry!" she whispers, trying to scramble off me without waking anyone else up. Her mortified expression would be hilarious if my head didn't feel like it was going to explode.
"It's fine," I manage to mumble, rubbing my temples as I sit up. "But next time, maybe pick someone who isn't hungover as hell?"
She bites her lip, nodding sheepishly as she finally gets off me. I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the haze of last night. My throat is dry, my body aching, and all I want is some aspirin and about ten more hours of sleep.
Lia glances around the room, her eyes wide. "How did we all end up here?"
"I don't know, but I'm guessing it has something to do with Matteo's 'momma bear' instincts kicking in and making sure everyone crashed somewhere safe." I wince as I try to stand, feeling like my legs are made of jelly.
"And how I ended up on top of you...?" Lia asks, still looking embarrassed.
"Not a clue," I reply, offering a small, tired smile to try and make her feel less awkward. "But hey, at least Theo didn't wake up first. Can you imagine?"
Lia's eyes widen at the thought, and she giggles quietly, though it quickly turns into a wince. "Oh God, my head..."
"Join the club," I say dryly, glancing around at the unconscious bodies littering the room. "We should probably get some water and coffee going. It's gonna be a rough morning for everyone."
