After Oliwia met her new bedmate and put her things away, she couldn't stand it anymore - she had to explore the campus. The excitement in her was indescribable. Everything was new, exciting and felt like it was from a movie. The wide, cobbled paths were lined with old, venerable buildings with tall windows and ornate details that told stories from centuries. Green lawns stretched between the buildings, and occasionally students stood together in small groups, laughing, chatting, absorbed in discussions.
The air smelled of freshly mowed grass, books, and something she couldn't quite grasp—maybe it was the infinite possibility that lay in this city. She was fascinated, her eyes wandering from one imposing building to the next, her fingers gliding over the cool, rough masonry of an old college. A tingling sensation ran down her back. This was truly their new home.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice that someone was walking directly at her - until she suddenly hit a firm chest. The impact made her stagger a step back, but a strong hand grabbed her arm and held her tightly.
"Caution, not again," said a familiar, amused voice.
Oliwia blinked and looked up. It was him. The guy from the plane. The man who had helped her when her luggage almost fell on her head. His gaze rested on her, mischievous, defiant, as if he had long since seen through her.
She was out of breath for a moment.
Oliwia smiled sheepishly and brushed a strand off her face as she cleared her throat.
"You again," she muttered, not being able to decide whether she should be amused or embarrassed.
He grinned. "Yes, I seem to be everywhere you stumble."
"Very funny."
"Lukas," he said, reaching out to her.
She hesitated for a moment before she grabbed her. "Oliwia."
But before the conversation could continue, a small group of young men came running to her. The leader of the troop, a tall guy with dark hair and a wide grin, suddenly put his arm around Lukas' shoulders with a casual self-evident.
"Well, have you found your first victim yet?" He asked grinning, while the other two chuckled in the background.
Lukas snorted and rolled his eyes before he could reply, but the answer came from his friend:
"No, no, the guy is decent."
Oliwia raised an eyebrow. "The guy?"
Ryan looked at her amused. "Oh, a Polish. Interesting." Then he turned back to Lukas. "Are you coming with me? Or would you rather stand around here and collect international encounters?"
Lukas just grinned, gave Oliwia a quick look and seemed to think for a moment.
Lukas looks at me and grins, but before he can say anything, one of the boys snorts - Aiden.
"Tzz, bullshit!"
I frown. "What, please?"
Aiden looks at me from top to bottom. He's big. Broadly built. At least 1.90. His face is immaculate, angular, almost outrageously perfect. A clean, even face, as if it had come straight from a glossy magazine. His green eyes are penetrating, almost piercing, framed by thick, dark eyelashes - eyelashes for which many a woman would kill.
But the expression in those beautiful eyes is anything but friendly. Arrogance lies in it. Complacency.
"Since when does Oxford accept women like you?" He asks slowly, with a mocking smile. "I mean, it's obvious you're looking for a sugar daddy."
I'm staring at him. For a moment I don't know whether to laugh or give him one. Heat shoots in my face - not out of embarrassment, but out of pure anger.
Lukas taps Aiden with his elbow, shakes his head slightly. "Bro, stop it." His voice is calm, but determined.
Aiden just shrugs his shoulders. "I'm just telling the truth."
My fingers are clensing into fists. My first impulse is to justify myself, but why should I? So I lift my chin, look him straight in the eye.
"Obvious?" My voice is cool. "The only thing that's obvious is your lack of respect."
Lukas suppresses a smile. Aiden raises an eyebrow as if he didn't expect me to fight back.
"Just let him talk," Lukas says to me. He steps closer to me, pushes himself slightly between us, as if he wanted to create a barrier. "He loves to hear himself talk."
Aiden laughs softly. "Oh, Lukas. Do you want to defend them? Is it your new toy?"
Lukas's smile faded. His jaw tightens, and his blue eyes sparkle dangerously. "Believe me, Aiden, you don't want to find out how far you can go."
For a moment, tense silence is in the air. Then Ryan sighs and steps between us. "Okay, okay, that's enough."
Lukas smiles at me, his gaze holds mine one moment longer than necessary. "See you tomorrow at our welcome speech, Oliwia." His voice is calm, almost playful, but there is something challenging in his eyes.
Before I can say anything, he turns around. With casual steps he walks away, his boys in tow. Aiden gives me one last, amused look before he turns away.
I stop, my heart beats faster than I want to admit. What a strange first day.
~~~~
The next morning in the student dormitory, in our room, Lorelei and I were getting ready.
Lorelei slipped into her outfit while I stood in front of the mirror and smoothed my dress. It was a beautiful, royal blue dress that reached to the knees. The long sleeves gave it elegance, but the off-the-shoulder fit set a seductive accent. I wore high heels – unusual for me, but they fit perfectly.
"Wow, Oliwia, so you definitely want to break hearts today," Lorelei teased as she put on her earrings. "Or rather drive certain guys crazy?"
I rolled my eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Lorelei grinned widely. "Oh please! I saw you talking to Lukas and his boys yesterday." She raised her eyebrows in a telling way. "Do you know who they are?"
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
She sat down on her bed, crossed her arms and looked at me conspiringly. "They're not just hot guys with a lot of self-confidence. These are millionnaire children, Oliwia. The kind of guys who grew up in villas, were chauffeured to school and drank champagne like it was water."
I blinked in surprise. "Serious?"
"Mhm." Lorelei nodded meaningfully. "Lukas' family owns one of the largest investment firms in Europe. His father is something of a financial mogul. And Aiden? His father's in the construction industry, but not somehow – I mean, that's billions, honey." She leaned forward and grinned. "No wonder they behave as if the world belongs to them."
I shook my head. "That explains a lot."
"Oh yes." Lorelei chuckled. "And do you know what's best? Guys like that love it when a woman gives them contra. So congratulations – I'm sure you aroused Lukas' interest yesterday."
I gave her a sceptical look. "He just talked to me in a friendly way."
"Sweetie, please." She shook her head laughing. "The guy looked at you like you were the challenge of his life. And Aiden?" She winked at me. "He just misbehaved because he wanted to test you."
I rolled my eyes as I walked to my suitcase and opened a small casket. An heirloom. I brought out the golden chain, the necklace I had inherited from my great-great-grandma. It sparkled in the light, timelessly beautiful. I gently put it around my neck and closed the clasp.
Lorelei turned to me again, her eyes widening. "Wow, you look great!" Then she scrutinised my chain with honest admiration. "And this necklace ... it's beautiful! Where did you get them?"
I stroked the cool gold with my fingers and smiled slightly. "It belonged to my great-great-grandma. A family heirloom."
Lorelei nodded impressed. "That explains why she looks so special. It suits you perfectly." Then she grinned again. "I bet Lukas won't be able to take his eyes off you. And if not, then Aiden at the latest - maybe he likes women who put him in his place.
I threw a pillow at her head. "Shill up, Lorelei."
She just laughed. "Hey, I'm just telling the truth!"
Lorelei and I entered the assembly hall, and immediately it was clear that many of the students noticed us. Some were already sitting in rows of chairs, while others were still standing together in groups, talking quietly to each other. The atmosphere was charged – everyone waited anxiously for the welcome speech.
My eyes immediately fell on Lukas and his boys, who were quite far ahead. Lukas was absorbed in a conversation with Ryan when Ryan suddenly pushed his arm against Lukas. Lukas immediately turned to him and, when he noticed me, he grinned charmingly and winked at me. He whispered something in Ryan's ear, and they both laughed.
"Well, that was a look," whispered Lorelei, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Look at him as if he's about to conquer the world."
I rolled my eyes. "Come on, he's just being polite."
"Polite?" Lorelei snorted. "The guy has more charm than a 5-star restaurant. Believe me, you triggered something." She shook her head. "But wait, you don't want his buddy Aiden to see you, do you?"
I turned around, and there he was – Aiden. He stood right next to the other boys, his green eyes fixed on us. Lorelei smiled when she realised that I had noticed that he was staring at me closely.
"Oh-oh," she whispered softly. "Greeneye has you in its sights, and now it really starts." She signalled her chin at Aiden. "Look at that. The guy looks like he's about to come to you and make you a personal offer of how you'll live in his world."
"Stop, that's exaggerated," I muttered, but I couldn't deny that Aiden was looking at me closely as if he was illuminating me.
"I'm just telling the truth." Lorelei laughed. "Believe me, Green-eye is like a jaguar. He looks at you, then he runs up to you and - zack! - you are the prey."
"Come on, he just sees that I'm here," I replied, but I felt Aiden continue to follow my movements with his eyes.
"I think he wants to test you," Lorelei said as Aiden moved a little closer. "He thinks you're like a new toy that he hasn't quite understood yet. But don't worry, if he can't eat you right away, he'll probably make you the next best challenge."
I couldn't help laughing. "What an idea, Lorelei. I hope you're right, and he doesn't really want to... eat me."
"Well, if you think about it..." Lorelei grinned. Then just be careful that you don't end up in his pantry as soon as he's done stalking. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll turn his head with a charming smile."
But at that moment Aiden stopped, his gaze wandered to my neck again. I knew he had noticed the necklace I was wearing. His expression changed at that moment. He tilted his head to take a closer look. It was as if he had noticed something that interested him, but also irritated him.
"Oh-oh, he sees it," Lorelei said with a wide grin. "I don't know if that's the best moment for an heirloom if you don't want him to ask more questions."
I snorted. "Seriously, Lorelei? You're making it worse."
"Just because I'm being honest," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "But if he starts asking you questions about your family right now, it could get a little uncomfortable."
But before Aiden could take another step towards us, a voice suddenly sounded from the loudspeaker, penetrating the whole room.
"Good morning, dear students," said the dean, his voice clear and firm. "I welcome you to the official welcome speech."
Aiden stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing for a moment, as if he wanted to tell me something else, but then he turned away and went back to his boys.
Lorelei laughed softly. "Well, that's it for today. I hope you didn't completely lose sight of your hunting prey."
(Lukas)
After the welcome speech, Ryan, Aiden and I sat in my room. The festivities were over, and now it was quiet. I leaned back on the sofa while the two of them spread out on the armchairs.
Ryan grinned and looked at me with a mocking look. "So, if I didn't know better, Lukas, then Oliwia is your new toy, bro?"
I couldn't resist a smug grin. "Toys? Maybe, but she will soon realise that she doesn't feel safe around me. She will already find herself with me. Believe me, this is not a challenge."
Ryan laughed and put his feet on the table. "Sure, you always get what you want. But what's so special about her? She really doesn't seem to be the type to get wrapped up just like that."
I shook my head and leaned back. "You don't understand that, Ryan. She's one of those village beauties who think they're better, but deep down she's just as naive as the others. Don't worry, I'll crack them very quickly."
Ryan grinned and continued, "Polish, huh? Bro, I heard they're pretty wild in bed."
I laughed softly and looked at Ryan. "Exactly. She thinks she might fight back, but I know how to get her to follow me. These girls are a bit like fire – they just need the right spark."
Aiden, who had been calm until now, shook his head. "You overestimate yourself, Lukas. She won't run after you so easily."
"Oh, Aiden," I said with a mocking smile, "you just don't understand. She's cute, yes, but a real challenge? Certainly not. She'll be with me soon, you'll see."
Ryan grinned even wider. "You always have a plan, Lukas. And that's exactly what I like about you."
I leaned back and put on a smug grin. "This will be child's play. She will quickly realise that she is not as special as she thinks. A village beauty like her will have no chance in my hands."
Ryan grinned and looked at me. "And have you talked to Max yet? The private welcome party he's doing?"
I grinned confidently. "Sure, all the bitches are coming, that's clear."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "And what about the village beauty? Will you invite them too?"
I shook my head, a mischievous grin on my lips. "No, I want something simple today. Just want to check one out quickly today and then run away. Oliwia is something else, she gets her own time – but today is not her day."
Aiden, who had been listening quietly until now, shook his head. "Lukas, they're coming either way. They always want to be there, especially at a party like that."
I nodded briefly. "Yes, that's true. But I don't want to play games today. The village beauty is left out for the time being. I have enough of what I feel like today."
Ryan laughed and patted me on the shoulder. "You're really a tough guy, Lukas. Always have a clear plan."
"Of course," I said with a self-satisfied grin. "But Olivia will not be so easy to have. She's special, but I don't want any effort tonight."
~~~~~
(Oliwia)
The evening of the welcome party had finally arrived, and I stood with Lorelei at the door of the trendy liaison house. The music was booming loudly from inside, and I could already feel the vibrations through the walls. It was 7 p.m., and the sun was just disappearing behind the trees, which put a gray twilight over the campus.
I looked at Lorelei uncertainly as I put my hand to the door. "You, I don't know, don't I look like a slut? I've never been to a party like this..." My voice betrayed my insecurity as I looked at the colourful, exciting scenario outside the door. The noise was overwhelming, and the smell of alcohol and perfume mixed in the air.
Lorelei grinned and put a soothing hand on my shoulder. "Oliwia, you look stunning, and this party is going to be crazy! Relax, no one will judge you here. This is exactly the place to have fun and meet new people!"
When we opened the door, the noise of the music became even louder. The room was crowded with students standing in small groups, drinking, laughing, and talking. The walls of the house were decorated with colourful lights, and the floor was covered with empty cups and bottles. There were small tables with snacks and drinks everywhere, and in the corner a DJ was playing electronic music that filled the room with energy.
It was like in a movie - students in fancy outfits who talked, danced and laughed wildly. Some of them stood at the bar and ordered drinks, while others sat in small groups and had conversations that were almost drowned by the loud music. The space was a chaotic but fascinating mess of young people moving in a mixture of self-confidence and uncertainty.
I felt a little out of place when I entered the room. It was a huge difference from the quiet environment I was used to. But Lorelei pushed me further, and I couldn't help but let myself be carried away by the atmosphere.
The room was filled with loud music and loud conversations when we entered the party. Max, who obviously had already drunk enough, toasted the bar with a group of guys. When he saw us, he shouted for fun, but loud enough for everyone to hear: "The hookers are here!"
I felt my stomach contract. It was obvious that he didn't mean it seriously, but at that moment I felt somehow uncomfortable. Max smiled at Lorelei as he said, and quickly added, "Fun! You already know how this works!"
Lorelei laughed as she accepted the comment with a wink, but I couldn't completely wipe away the nervous mood. I knew it was all just a joke, but somehow the atmosphere still felt awkward. I forced myself to smile when Max also looked at me briefly and continued with a crooked grin.
Lorelei and I ran to the bar, where we got plastic cups of alcohol. I took a sip and immediately grimaced. "Well, what is that?" I said as the cocktail left a strange mixture of aromas in my mouth.
Lorelei grinned and looked at me. "That's a cocktail, Olivia. Honestly, you should get used to the Oxford mixes if you stay here." She laughed and took a sip herself. "Where is the vodka?" I then asked, more out of habit, with a mocking undertone.
At that moment, Ryan stepped up to us, and his eyes sparkled with a confident glow. "Well, ladies," he said with a charming grin. "You look to bite."
I felt a little uncomfortable with his words, but Lorelei replied with a cheeky smile: "Thank you, Ryan. But we know you always say that."
I could feel the alcohol slowly rising into my head, and I tried to ignore the unpleasant tension that was in the air. Ryan stood next to us and sipped his own drink while he continued to scrutinise us with a seductive look.
Suddenly, two girls appeared - one with black hair, the other blonde. Both looked like they had only been confirmed all their lives and knew exactly how good they looked. Without asking, they put their arms around Ryan, pressed themselves to him and gave us a derogatory look.
"Tell me, don't you want to introduce us?" Asked the black-haired with a smug smile, while the blonde looked at me from top to bottom, as if I were out of place.
Lorelei crossed her arms and grimaced. "Great, the Oxford furies are also there," she muttered drily, so I had to hold back a laugh.
Ryan just grinned in amusement. "Oh, ladies, don't worry, I can take care of everyone."
The two girls laughed playfully, but their eyes remained cool. I could feel that I didn't belong here in her eyes. But instead of downsettling myself, I lifted my chin slightly and took another sip of my drink – no matter how disgusting it was.
Lorelei and I decided to just keep going. She was quickly in a party mood anyway and disappeared shortly afterwards onto the dance floor, where she danced with a guy who obviously totally wanted her.
I, on the other hand, still felt out of place. So I grabbed a new drink – this time with more vodka – and let myself sink into a free sofa. The party was loud, there was laughter, dancing, and drinking everywhere, but my eyes wandered through the room until it stuck to Aiden.
He stood at the bar, a drink in his hand, while a girl next to him kept talking to him. She was pretty, I couldn't deny that, but Aiden didn't really seem to care about her. Instead, his gaze cllung – for whatever reason – to me.
I felt a slight nervousness spreading in me. What was his problem? First he had looked at me derogatory when I arrived today, and now he looked at me as if I had something about me that interested him.
I took another sip, trying to ignore the heat in my face, and wondering what in the world was going on in his head.
A guy I'd never seen before suddenly let himself plump on the sofa next to me. He had that slightly laming look that only someone who had definitely had too much to drink could have.
"Well, beauty," he lailed grinning, while leaning a little closer to me. "Do you want to fuck?"
My mouth almost opened in shock. "What?!" I opened my eyes and instinctively moved away from him. "Disapert!"
But instead of leaving, he just laughed dirty, suddenly put his arm around me and just pressed a kiss on my cheek. I was frozen.
Before I could react, however, I heard the clanking of a glass placed on a table somewhere. I turned my head—and there he was. Aiden.
His gaze was dark, his jaw tense. His green eyes sparkled dangerously as he looked at me and the guy. I could literally see his anger rising in him, and at that moment it was clear to me - this was about to escalate.
I didn't understand what Aiden wanted from me. Why did he look at me so angry? Why did he even care? My thoughts were rattlering in my head.
Then I looked at the guy next to me who was still looking at me with his dirty grin. And suddenly I had an idea. An absolutely crazy, impulsive idea.
I forced myself to smile and said with played conviction, "Do you know what? Yes, let's fuck."
The guy blinked in surprise. He probably didn't expect me to agree.
I felt my heart race. My hands trembled slightly, and a mixture of nervousness and adrenaline spread inside me. I had never slept with anyone – and of course I wouldn't. But I wanted to see how Aiden reacted. I wanted to challenge him.
So I took the stranger's hand, slowly stood up and pulled him with me towards the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. I felt Aiden's piercing gaze in my back, I could literally feel his anger condensing.
I entered a strange room with the guy, my heart was beating up to my neck. It was dark, only a small bedside lamp cast a weak light on the unmade bed. The guy grinned widely, as if he was sure of his triumph.
As soon as the door was closed behind us, he began to pull his shirt over his head.
"Calm down, boy!" I said quickly and raised my hands. "I changed my mind."
His expression frost for a moment, then his surprise turned into anger. His jaws were grinding, and before I could react, he roughly grabbed me by the shoulders.
"You bitch!" he hissed angrily.
My body stiffened, fear crept up in me. But before he could do anything else, the door flew open.
An icid shiver ran down my spine when I heard a deep, dangerously calm voice:
"Take it, and you're dead."
I slowly turned my head. Aiden
His green eyes sparkled with pure anger, his jaw was tense, his whole posture radiated dominance and threat. He stood in the doorway, his hands clenched into fists, ready to strike at any moment.
The guy immediately let go of me and instinctively took a step back. But I knew it was getting really dangerous for him now.
The guy muttered something more incomprehensible before turning away from me and storming out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him, and the room was suddenly quiet, far too quiet. I could literally grasp the tension in the air when Aiden stood in front of me – now all alone.
His eyes sparkled with anger as he looked at me from head to toe, and I felt his anger build up.
"What the hell were you thinking?!" He hissed, his voice sharp as a knife. "You're not here in the club, you can't just go into a room with some guy as if it were nothing!"
I tried to hold myself, but the anger in me also rose. Why did he even care?
"How's it going on you?" I asked sharply, trying to regain control of the situation. "What does it make what I do to do?"
Aiden took a step closer, his presence so overwhelming that it was hard to stay calm. "What are you doing?" He laughed without humour, and the sound was cutting. "You look like a fucking whore, that's what you do!"
I twitched when his words hit like a bang. My heart raced, and a part of me just wanted to run away, but I stopped.
"I can take care of myself," I tried to defend myself, even though I suddenly felt incredibly small.
"Oh, you can take care of yourself, right?" Aiden shook his head, his eyes flashing with anger. "Do you know what could happen if you hang out with guys like that? You have no glimmer of what you're getting into!"
He stepped even closer, his voice became quieter, but much more threatening. "You're playing a damn dangerous game, Olivia. And I won't watch you put yourself in danger."
I stood there, trembling with anger as Aiden continued to look at me mockingly. "You really have no idea how you deal with people, do you?" it slipped out of me. My voice was cutting with anger. "You can't just judge everything and everyone without knowing anything at all!"
Aiden grinned as if he was just trying to provoke me further. "Oh, you want to teach me a lesson now? Come on, you know exactly what you're doing here. You play the innocent, but you're also here to be impressed by someone."
"You're really the last one who should say that!" I cried, losing control of my patience almost completely. Without thinking much, I raised my hand and gave him a strong slap.
The sound echoed through the room, and I could see Aiden being surprised for a moment. But then his expression changed, and he came a step closer. "Hit me again," he said, but his voice was calm and defiant, as if he was just waiting for something.
I was angry, really angry, and I just wanted to hit him again. But at that moment, before I could do anything, Aiden stepped a step closer to me and kissed me. It was unexpected and at the same time somehow different. The kiss was gentle, but at the same time full of intensity. I could feel his hand resting on my lower back, but it didn't push me.
I was completely surprised by that moment. My heart was beating much faster, and I didn't know how to react. It was a kiss that was completely different from anything I had ever experienced before. For a moment, everything stood still. I could no longer perceive the world around me, so intense was the connection that suddenly existed between us.
But when I collected myself a little and stepped back to get a clear thought, I suddenly heard the door open. It was Ryan who came in with a mischievous grin on his lips.
"What are you doing there?" he asked with a mischievous smile and literally let the tension in the room burst.
Aiden, who was still a little backing away from that moment, looked confused for a moment before he started with a "Um... I... um, no!" He replied as if he didn't quite know how to feel in this situation.
I ran out of the room quickly, my heart still beating faster from what had just happened. Everything felt kind of overwhelming, and I just wanted to get out. "Let's run away," I said to Lorelei when I found her. Her eyes twinkled, but she nodded in agreement, without saying a word.
Just as we turned around, Lukas came up to us. I immediately felt my stomach contract. He had just made out with someone else, and I could see the lipstick marks on his neck. A smug grin travelled over his face when he noticed us.
"Well, princess, so you're here too?" Lukas' voice sounded far too relaxed, as if nothing had mattered. "Have you seen the best of the party?"
I felt anger build up in me, but I suppressed it. Instead, I just nodded and tried not to be influenced by his presence. "Sure, looks like you had your fun," I said, without really looking at him.
Lorelei, who had heard the whole drama, interfered: "Well, as it looks, Lukas has more fun with the lipstick brands than with real conversations." She grinned cheekily, and I could see Lukas' grin fading a little.
"Oh, come on," he said when he heard Lorelei's remark, "you know how it works."
"Yes, of course," I replied, "I know exactly how it works." Then I turned around and pulled Lorelei with me to leave the room.
But before we could go on, I heard Lukas' voice behind me: "You'll see what you miss, princess."