Mira was walking toward the library, her head down, her shoulders hunched, her glasses slipping down her nose for the hundredth time. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun that looked like it was about to fall apart. She was wearing a plain sweater, too big for her, that hid whatever figure she might have. Her jeans were old and faded, the kind you bought from a discount store and wore until they fell apart.

Noah’s lips curved into a slow, cruel smile.

Maybe he would relieve himself with this one. She was ugly, sure. Plain. Forgettable. The kind of girl you passed in the hallway without noticing. But she had been crushing on him for months. He had seen the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn’t watching. The way her cheeks flushed when he said her name. The way she stuttered and stumbled over her words whenever he was near.

She would be easy. So easy.

"Mira!" he called out, his voice friendly, warm, inviting.

Mira stopped. She turned slowly, like she couldn’t quite believe someone had called her name. When she saw him, her cheeks flushed a deep, embarrassed red.

"Noah." Her voice was soft, breathless, almost trembling.

He smiled. Charming. Practiced. Completely fake. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

She clutched her books to her chest like a shield. "S-sure."

He walked toward her, his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed. "Not here. Too many people. Let’s go somewhere quieter."

She hesitated for just a second. Then she nodded.

He led her away from the courtyard, away from the students, away from anyone who might see or hear. They walked past the science building, past the chemistry labs, past the rows of bicycles chained to racks. The path narrowed. The buildings grew older, more run-down, less maintained.

Mira looked around, frowning. "Where are we going?"

Noah’s voice was smooth. "Somewhere private. I don’t want anyone interrupting us."

He led her toward the old storage building behind the science wing. The building was abandoned, dusty, forgotten. The windows were cracked. The paint was peeling. A faded sign on the door read: PROPERTY OF UNIVERSITY. NO UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY.

No one came here. No one had any reason to.

Mira looked at the building, then at Noah. Her frown deepened. "Why are we here?"

Noah didn’t answer. He pushed open the creaky door. It groaned on its hinges, loud in the silence. Dust motes swirled in the thin light that filtered through the dirty windows. He gestured for her to enter.

Mira hesitated. Her fingers tightened on her books. "Noah, I don’t think—"

His voice was patient, almost kind. "It’s fine. Just for a minute. I just want to talk."

She bit her lip. Then she stepped inside.

The air was thick with dust and the smell of old wood and mildew. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling like gray curtains. Old desks and broken chairs were stacked against the walls in crooked piles. Filing cabinets with rusted handles stood in the corners. A single bare bulb hung from a wire in the center of the room, unlit.

Mira turned to face him. "Noah, what is this—"

He pushed her against the wall.

Her back hit the rough wood with a thud that knocked the breath from her lungs. Her books fell from her arms, scattering across the dusty floor. She gasped, her eyes wide, her hands coming up instinctively to push him away.

He didn’t move.

He leaned close, his body pressing against hers, his face inches from her face. His breath was hot on her cheek. His dark eyes bored into hers.

"Mira," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. "I want you. I’ve been unable to control myself around you."

Her heart hammered against her ribs. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

He kissed her.

His lips pressed against hers, hard, demanding, invasive. His hand cupped the back of her head, holding her in place. His other hand slid down her side, exploring her body through the thick fabric of her sweater.

Mira’s mind went blank. Her thoughts scattered like her books on the floor. Her body screamed at her to push him away, to run, to do something. But she couldn’t move. She was frozen, trapped, paralyzed by shock and fear and something else she didn’t want to name.

This was her first kiss.

She had dreamed of it. Soft, romantic, under the stars. She had imagined candlelight and whispered words and a boy who looked at her like she was beautiful.

Not this. Never this.

She tried to push him away, her hands pressing against his chest. He didn’t move.

"Mm—" She tried to speak, but his mouth muffled her sounds.

His hand found her hip, then her waist, then lower. His eyes lit up with surprise and greed. Beneath the baggy sweater, beneath the plain clothes, she had a beautiful curve figure.

Not bad, he thought. Not bad at all.

He would play with her for a while. Keep her as a secret. Something to pass the time until Krystal noticed him again.

His grip tightened.

"Noah!" Mira finally managed to push him back. Her chest heaved. Her eyes were wet. Her lips were swollen, bruised. "Let me go!"

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Her first kiss. Stolen in a dusty storage room by a boy who didn’t even like her.

Noah stepped back, his hands raised in mock surrender. His voice was soft, almost apologetic. "I’m sorry, Mira. I just... I can’t live without you. I’ve been thinking about you constantly."

She stared at him, her heart pounding, her stomach churning.

"Please," he said, his voice coaxing, sweet. "Give me a chance."

She knew it was a lie. She knew he didn’t mean it. But his eyes were so earnest, his voice so sweet and she had wanted him for so long.

"I... I have to go," she whispered.

She grabbed her books and fled.

Noah watched her go, a slow smile spreading across his face.