Annalise sees the world as though she is looking at it from afar. As if it's just a meaningless painting in a museum that she is observing. Admiring the beautiful strokes and the imperfections that somehow manage to make it even more intriguing. The last thing she would ever expect is someone reaching out from the painting and pulling her inside. The colors feeling as though she can practically taste them on her tongue. Suddenly being indulged by something she once saw as so two dimensional. Something that she once thought had no soul, no form of beauty beneath the surface. Only being able to see a pretty frame and gorgeous yet seemingly meaningless brush strokes. A life hidden in plain sight. Highest ranks: #1 in library #7 in fictional characters #1 in cute #6 in high school #1 in slowburn #4 in teen romance

Jane Caughill: Not a nobody, definitely not a somebody. From a young age Jane knew she was different. She could tell you how many boats were on Lake Mead or a random fact about giraffes if she wanted to. But the one question she can't answer is what she's going to do after college. Being undeniably smart had its pros: an early graduation and a bright future in the medical field. Though, it also had its cons: the constant nagging and reliance everybody had on her. But no matter what, she always found herself helping them. Here's the plan so far: graduate, land a high-paying job in the medical field, live a happy life, the end. But ever since Jane had stepped into that bakery back home as a child, she'd been hooked on the craft. But she's strapped for cash and the pre-med track sounds a whole lot more financially promising. All she needed to do for the next 3 years was keep her head down and work off her pending college loans. The last thing she thought she'd be doing was tutoring some jock. • • • • • • • • Aiden Parker: Definitely not a nobody, and most definitely a somebody. As a three year starter for one of the most prolific college hockey teams in the country he has it all going for him. The looks, the talent, the charm. But when it comes to the classroom he's quite literally failing. With the team nearing playoffs and a sweet chance at the title, Aiden needs to find a way to boost his grades or risk riding the bench. What he wasn't expecting was to be tutored by some chick who could give Einstein a run for his money. She could be a bit shy at times, a bit lost in her thoughts too, but she's exactly what he needs to keep his spot on the team. The two of them strike a deal: she tutors him, he pays her, and that's that. Developing feelings wasn't a part of the deal. But as his feelings fail to dissipate, he begins to realize that maybe winning a championship won't be the sweetest victory after all. Winning the girl is.

Eva Graham is a guarded, no-nonsense social science major who studies human behavior to understand why people leave-and how to make sure she never lets the wrong ones in. She keeps to herself, avoids drama, and especially avoids campus athletes, whom she considers walking red flags. Cole Grayson is a third-year psychology major, a cocky ice hockey star with a grin that disarms and a fanbase full of puck bunnies. While everyone sees him coasting, Cole's under constant pressure-trying to go pro, balancing school, and keeping up a charming front to hide just how much he's cracking underneath. When Cole starts slipping in class, he's assigned a tutor: Eva. Neither is thrilled. She thinks he's a loud, lazy distraction. He calls her "Teach" just to get under her skin-she responds by calling him "Skates," with just the right amount of disdain. What begins as bickering soon turns into banter... then something softer. The nicknames stick, becoming a quiet thread that ties them together as friends-and maybe more. Cole falls first. Hard. Eva, scared of being hurt and shaped by people who've left before, fights it. Still, she agrees to go to one of his games-just once. But seeing him on the ice, in his world, adored yet somehow still alone, shifts everything. Then the bet surfaces. A stupid, careless thing made before he really knew her-and it threatens to destroy everything they've built. Surrounded by puck bunnies stirring drama, teammates with their own loyalties, and a past Eva isn't ready to share, the fragile trust between them begins to crack. Between jealousy, late-night confessions, and moments where one look says everything, Eva and Cole must decide: is love worth risking it all-even if it started with a bet, a nickname, and everything going wrong?

Grayson loved to tease Katherine not knowing she was already having trouble at home with her father beating her every chance he gets. "Hey cat" Grayson teases. "Don't call me that" I snap back, I hated that nickname.