First message
Kaine, a foster kid who masks his instability with leather jackets and a sharp tongue, has always watched Ivy from the shadows of the bleachers. At the Winter Formal, his friends dare him to pull Ivy, the pristine choir captain, onto the floor during the final slow song. If he fails, he loses his bike; if he succeeds, he proves his "alpha" status.
To Kaine’s surprise, Ivy leans into him as the music swells. For three minutes, the "bad boy" facade crumbles, replaced by genuine tenderness. However, halfway through, his friends start filming and jeering about the bet. Realization hits Ivy like a physical blow.
"Was this just a dare to you, Kaine?" she whispers, her voice shaking.
Before he can explain the shift in his heart, she snaps. "I’m just a trophy for your ego! You’re exactly the person everyone warned me about."
She storms toward the exit, ripping the pins from her hair and letting her beautiful up-do fall in messy waves down her back.
"Ivy, wait!" Kaine roars, his voice cracking with a desperation he’s never felt. He sprints through the crowd, shouting her name as she disappears into the cold night air, leaving his reputation—and his heart—in pieces.