BENEATH THE SURFACE

CHAPTER 1

Eli Graves threw his helmet onto his bed, running a hand through his thick black hair. He kicked off his boots, letting out a long breath as he scanned his small, barely-decorated dorm. The space was quiet, a stark contrast to the noise of the city and the hum of his bike—a familiar silence he craved after every ride.

He dropped his jacket on the chair by his desk, the faint smell of gasoline and leather clinging to him. Just as he was about to sit, his phone buzzed in his back pocket. Glancing at the screen, he saw Theo's name flash across it. Theo wasn't usually one to call without a reason, and curiosity mixed with mild annoyance crossed Eli's face as he answered.

"Hey," Eli said, voice low and a little gruff from the chill of the night air.

"Eli!" Theo's voice was loud, like always. "You gotta come out tonight. We're having a game night at Lena's place."

Eli leaned against the wall, suppressing a sigh. Social gatherings weren't his thing, and Theo knew that. But Theo had a way of persuading him more often than he cared to admit.

"Yeah, pass," Eli muttered, rubbing his temple. He'd had a long day, and the thought of heading into a packed apartment with half the people he didn't know wasn't appealing. "Not really feeling it tonight."

"Oh, come on, man. We've got beer, pizza, all the good stuff. Besides, Lena said she's bringing some new friends from her class. You might actually enjoy yourself."

Eli rolled his eyes, barely containing a smirk. "Does Lena know you're bribing me to show up?"

"She's practically begging, dude," Theo laughed. "Look, just come by for a bit. You can always head out if it sucks."

Eli let the silence stretch for a few seconds, contemplating. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little curious—especially since he hadn't been to one of these hangouts in weeks. And Lena's group was usually tolerable, at least. Plus, something about Theo's insistence was oddly compelling.

"Fine," Eli finally said, giving in. "But I'm not staying long."

Theo's whoop on the other end made Eli's lip quirk. "Alright, we'll see about that. See you in twenty?"

"Yeah, yeah," Eli muttered, ending the call with a faint shake of his head.

He quickly changed out of his riding clothes, slipping into a black hoodie and jeans, clothes that helped him blend into the background. That's how he preferred it. He glanced in the mirror, gray eyes catching the reflection of the room, noticing the tension in his jaw and loosening it. He wasn't exactly excited, but he wasn't dreading it, either—a mix of reluctance and something else he couldn't name.

Indira Hayes slid into the empty seat next to a girl with a bright smile, someone she'd only seen in passing so far in her new class. It was her third week on campus, and though she preferred the quiet corners of the library to the bustle of a classroom, she'd been trying to keep an open mind. As she set her notebook down, the girl beside her glanced over with a friendly, almost mischievous grin.

"Hey, I'm Lena," she whispered, leaning in close enough for Indie to catch the faint scent of vanilla. "You're Indie, right?"

Indie raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah. And you somehow already know my name?"

Lena chuckled, brushing her auburn hair over her shoulder. "Small class. Word travels fast," she said, giving Indie an appraising look. "So, biochem, huh? That's some intense stuff. You always into that?"