ARIA'S POV
Victoria knows.
I barely slept last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her cold smile and heard her voice: "I think we're going to be great friends."
Now I'm walking to my first class, and my legs feel like rubber. Victoria left the dorm early this morning without saying a word. Just looked at me with those empty blue eyes and walked out.
I need to focus. I need to act normal.
Daniel died here. Victoria might have killed him. And now she's my roommate.
My phone buzzes. A text from Maya: "How's day one? Any luck finding Victoria?"
I almost laugh. If only Maya knew.
I can't text back now. I'm standing outside the psychology building, and my Criminal Psychology 301 class starts in two minutes.
I take a deep breath and walk inside.
The classroom is bigger than I expected. Students are already seated—about thirty of them. They all look confident and smart, like they belong here.
I don't belong here. I'm a fake. An imposter.
But I have to do this. For Daniel.
I choose a seat in the middle row. Not too close to the front, not too far back. Somewhere I can blend in and watch everyone.
That's when I feel it.
Someone is staring at me.
The same feeling from yesterday—like eyes are burning into the back of my head. I turn around slowly.
And I see him.
A guy sits in the back row by the window. He's tall—I can tell even though he's sitting down. He has black hair and a strong jaw. But it's his eyes that make my breath catch.
Gray eyes. Sharp and cold like steel.
And they're looking right at me.
Not just looking. Studying me. Like he's trying to figure out a puzzle.
I quickly turn back around, my heart pounding. Does he recognize me? Did he know Daniel?
"Good morning, everyone."
A woman walks to the front of the classroom. She's maybe fifty years old with short brown hair and kind eyes. She sets down a leather bag and smiles at us.
"I'm Professor Winters. Welcome to Criminal Psychology 301. This semester, we'll explore the darkest parts of the human mind—why people hurt others, why they become obsessed, why they kill."
A chill runs down my spine. It's like she's talking directly to me.
"Today, we'll discuss criminal obsession," Professor Winters continues. She clicks a remote, and a slide appears on the screen. "What makes someone become so fixated on another person that they lose touch with reality? What makes them willing to harm or even kill?"
I think of Victoria's smile last night. The way she held my hand too long.
"This semester, you'll work in pairs on a research project," Professor Winters says. "I've already assigned partners based on your academic strengths."
My stomach drops. Please don't pair me with someone who'll ask too many questions. Please don't—
"Aria Chen and Damien Cross."
No.
Professor Winters reads more names, but I don't hear them. My ears are ringing.
I turn around again. The gray-eyed guy—Damien—is still watching me. His expression doesn't change. He just nods once, like he expected this.
Like he wanted this.
The rest of class passes in a blur. Professor Winters talks about obsessive love and violence. She mentions real cases—people who stalked and killed the ones they claimed to love.
I take notes automatically, but my mind is racing. I'm going to have to work closely with Damien Cross for an entire semester. And something about him makes me nervous. The way he looks at me—it's like he can see through my fake name and dyed hair straight into my lying heart.
Finally, class ends. Students pack up their bags and head for the door. I shove my notebook into my backpack and stand up quickly. Maybe I can leave before Damien tries to talk to me.
Too late.
"Aria."
His voice is deep and serious. I turn around slowly.
Up close, Damien is even more intense. He's at least six feet tall. His gray eyes are cold, but there's something else there too. Something that looks like... pain?
"We should exchange numbers," he says. "For the project."
"Oh. Right." My voice sounds too high. Too nervous. "Sure."
We swap phones and enter our numbers. His fingers are steady. Mine are shaking.
"We can meet Thursday to discuss our research topic," Damien says. He hands back my phone. "There's a café off campus. Quieter than the library."
I nod. "Okay."
He's about to say something else when a voice rings out across the classroom.
"Baby! There you are!"
I turn toward the door and freeze.
Victoria bursts into the room like sunshine—all bright smiles and blonde hair. She runs straight to Damien and throws her arms around him.
"I missed you!" she says in a sweet, high voice.
Damien's whole body goes stiff. But he doesn't push her away. "Victoria. I told you not to—"
"I know, I know. But I couldn't help it!" Victoria kisses his cheek, then turns to look at me. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes. "Oh! Aria! What a surprise seeing you here!"
My blood turns to ice.
She knows we're in the same class. She knows everything.
"You two know each other?" Damien asks. His voice is careful.
"We're roommates!" Victoria says happily. She grabs Damien's arm possessively. "Isn't that amazing? My boyfriend and my new best friend in the same class!"
Boyfriend.
Victoria is dating Damien.
My mind spins. This can't be a coincidence. Victoria killed Daniel—I'm sure of it. And now she's dating another guy in the same program?
"Small world," I manage to say.
Victoria's smile grows wider. "The smallest. You know what, Aria? Since you and Damien are project partners, maybe we should all study together! We could have so much fun!"
"That's not necessary," Damien says quickly. His jaw is tight. "The project requires independent research."
"But baby—"
"Victoria." His voice is firm now. Almost cold. "I'll see you later."
Something flashes in Victoria's eyes. Anger? Hurt? It's gone so fast I can't be sure. But her smile never wavers.
"Of course, baby. Whatever you want." She kisses him again, then looks at me. "See you tonight, Aria. We should have a roommate dinner! I'll make us something special."
She leaves, but not before shooting me one last look. A look that says: He's mine. Stay away.
The classroom is empty now except for Damien and me. The silence is thick and uncomfortable.
"I should go," I say.
"Wait."
Damien steps closer. His gray eyes lock onto mine with an intensity that makes me want to run.
"Are you really here for a degree, Aria Chen?" he asks quietly. "Or are you here for something else?"
My heart stops. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't you?" He tilts his head slightly. "You're nervous. Your eyes keep darting to the exits. Your hands shake every time someone says Victoria's name. And you're watching everyone like you're searching for something."
Panic floods through me. He knows. Somehow he knows I'm not who I say I am.
"I'm just adjusting," I say quickly. "New school. New people. It's overwhelming."
Damien studies me for a long moment. Then he reaches into his bag and pulls out a folder. He hands it to me.
"What's this?" I ask.
"Open it when you're alone. Not in your dorm room."
"Why—"
"Because Victoria can't know about it." His voice drops even lower. "Meet me Thursday at that café. Two o'clock. Come alone. And Aria?"
"Yes?"
"Be careful around Victoria. She's not what she seems."
Before I can respond, he walks past me and out of the classroom.
I stand there, clutching the folder, my hands shaking.
What just happened?
I wait until I'm outside, far from other students, before I open the folder.
Inside are photographs.
My blood turns to ice.
The first photo shows Victoria standing outside an apartment building at night. The timestamp says six months ago. The same night Daniel died.
The second photo shows Victoria following someone through campus. I squint at the person she's following.
My breath catches.
It's Daniel.
There are more photos. Dozens of them. All showing Victoria watching Daniel. Following him. Stalking him.
My hands shake so hard I almost drop the folder.
The last item isn't a photo. It's a handwritten note on a piece of paper.
The handwriting is familiar. Painfully familiar.
It's Daniel's.
"If you're reading this, something has happened to me. Victoria Ashford is dangerous. She won't leave me alone. I'm scared. I'm going to the police tonight, but if I don't make it... tell Aria I love her. And tell her Victoria killed me."
Tears blur my vision.
Daniel knew. He knew Victoria was going to kill him.
And somehow, Damien has Daniel's final note.
Which means only one thing:
Damien knows exactly who I really am.