She hated him. Or at least, she clung to that hatred like a lifeline, because the alternative was unthinkable. He was her roommate, her rival in every sense of the word-a constant presence she couldn't escape, no matter how hard she tried. His brilliance grated on her nerves, the way he always seemed one step ahead, as if he could read her mind and cut her down before she even spoke. And yet, it wasn't just anger that burned in her chest when he looked at her with those sharp, knowing eyes. It was something heavier, hotter, something she refused to name.