Rumor has it that the heir to the Evans empire is the most untouchable guy in the wealthy elite circle of our generation. Arrogant, cold-faced, and entirely driven by his own moods, he is the golden boy everyone revolves around. I secretly, carefully harbored a crush on him, only to overhear his soft scoff around a corner: "Lily? Too timid. Not interested." I silently deleted his contact info and decisively walked away, only to cross paths with him again in college. Late at night, in all sorts of places, his voice would go hoarse. "Baby, don't tremble. Look at me." 01 "Holy crap, we actually have a guy this hot in our major?" My roommate, Emma, suddenly screamed while scrolling through campus TikTok. "What? Let me see!" Zoe, my other roommate, asked curiously. Emma held up her phone. "The college Instagram page is blowing up! We have a gorgeous freshman, six-foot-two, insanely built, and word is he's in our department! All the girls are secretly taking photos of him and posting them!" Zoe's eyes lit up. "What's his name? Who is he?" "Hold on!" Emma frantically scrolled through the comments. "Cole! Cole Evans! The notoriously untouchable heir to Evans Enterprises! I can't believe he's going to our school, let alone our department. I thought all these trust-fund kids had terrible grades!" Hearing the name Cole Evans, my hand froze as I was making my bed. I hadn't expected to hear that name again, yet my heart couldn't help but race. I cursed myself silently. Pathetic. 02 I knew Cole. Or rather, I was just a lowly girl who had a massive crush on him. During the summer before my junior year of high school, I went to Los Angeles with my mom for a vacation, and we ended up staying at the Evans estate. Standing in front of their mega-mansion, I was stunned. It turned out my mom's best friend was the wife of the CEO of Evans Enterprises. Eleanor, Cole's mom, welcomed us warmly. She handed me a massive gift card to welcome me, then linked arms with my mom, diving into endless gossip. That was the day I met Cole. Standing at the door of the guest room Eleanor had prepared for me, I hesitated, too scared to go in. Because the decor inside was just too outrageously luxurious! Suddenly, the door to the room next to mine opened. A tall teenage boy appeared in the doorway. His slightly messy hair fell over a strong brow bone, and his eyelids drooped lazily. He looked a bit groggy, like he had just woken up. Gorgeous. That was my first thought. This was an incredibly gorgeous guy. He just looked a bit fierce. Like someone you shouldn't mess with. I stood frozen in place, staring at him blankly. The boy's long, knuckle-defined hand gripped the door handle, and his light brown eyes landed on me. He leaned casually against the doorframe, his voice lazy. "Whose kid are you?" 03 Realizing he was talking to me, I gripped the hem of my shirt, stuttering a little. "M-my mom is Eleanor's best friend. W-we're visiting LA..." Before I could finish, he raised an eyebrow, looking a bit playfully cynical. "Visiting LA?" I nodded obediently. The corners of his lips curled into a faint smile, and he called out my name evenly. "Lily Miller." I froze. He actually knew my name! I couldn't help but ask, my voice tiny, "How did you know my name?" He replied nonchalantly, "Guessed." Now I really didn't know what to do. I was super socially anxious, but also a massive sucker for a pretty face. Whenever I saw someone attractive, I practically forgot how to walk, let alone someone who looked like an absolute heartthrob. I couldn't help but tilt my head up to steal glances at him. He was so tall. So tall that I had to crane my neck, and it actually kind of hurt. Maybe he noticed my nervousness. His eyes curved slightly, he bent down a little, and his voice carried a hint of a bad-boy drawl. "Are you scared of me?" I stubbornly denied it. "N-no, I'm not." But in reality, I was pinching the palms of my hands so hard they were turning red. His aura was just too overwhelming. He didn't look approachable at all. But Cole saw right through me and didn't call me out. A light chuckle escaped his throat. "Mhm." He reached out a hand toward me. "I'm Cole Evans. Nice to meet you, Lily." The heir to the Evans empire? This was him? I carefully reached out and shook his hand. Cole lifted my hand up a bit. My eyes widened, panic setting in, and I wanted to step back. Offensive! He's being inappropriate! Cole's tone was loose as he leaned in closer. "Lily, when you talk to me, you don't need to be so nervous." Those beautiful eyes looked straight at me, carrying a hint of mischief. "I don't bite." My reflection was caught in his light brown pupils, and a burning heat crawled from my neck all the way to the tips of my ears. "G-got it. You... you really don't need to stand so close." So forward. 04 I was handed over to Cole's care. Being new to LA, I wasn't familiar with anything. This was where my mom went to college, so her and Eleanor's social calendar was packed from morning to night. So, the task of babysitting me fell onto Cole's shoulders. At first, he was very annoyed. He looked at me sitting obediently on the sofa waiting for him, totally lost on what to do with me. Meeting my bright, expectant eyes, Cole frowned. "I'm going to a boxing match. You're so skittish, how am I supposed to take you?" I didn't say anything. I just glanced up at him once, then quietly lowered my head. Maybe I looked too pathetic. Cole crossed his arms and stared at me. Suddenly, he scratched the back of his head and let out a very quiet, "Fuck it." He walked over, grabbed my mint-green backpack with one hand, and started stuffing it with things he thought I'd need. Tissues, wet wipes, a water bottle, an umbrella, a portable charger... Once it was packed, he slung it over his own shoulder. His light brown eyes held a hint of resignation. "Let's get one thing straight. This is a legitimate boxing match, so somebody better not get scared and cry." I nodded very gently. "I won't. I won't get scared and cry." But my eyes unconsciously curved into a smile. Yes! Awesome! I get to go to a boxing match! Cole glanced at me, the corners of his mouth turning up, and he scoffed lightly. "Whatever." He had this whole rebel vibe going on, and the mint-green backpack really clashed with his aesthetic. I had just raised both hands, wanting to take the bag back, when Cole reached out his long arm, lightly grabbed the back of my neck, and guided me forward. "The bag's heavy. With your tiny frame, you can't handle it." He didn't look at me, but the warmth of his fingers touching the skin of my neck made my cheeks flush. I gently squeezed my palms. The Evans heir didn't seem as terrifying as the rumors made him out to be. 05 I became Cole's little shadow. He took me to watch street races, play basketball, go to boxing matches, and even surf. I wasn't as scared of him as I was when we first met. He had a wild personality and a ton of friends. Everyone who saw him called him 'Evans.' He was the absolute golden boy, worshipped by everyone. Cole did whatever he felt like doing. If someone crossed his bottom line, he fought fiercely and ruthlessly. But contradicting my stereotype of trust-fund kids, aside from his ridiculously good looks, Cole was surprisingly brilliant. He was ranked number one in his elite prep school, and his physics knowledge was already at a college level. I heard he was preparing for an international physics Olympiad. And the guy rumored to be the hardest to get along with actually had a really solid moral compass. He never showed disgust toward the elderly homeless people with dirty clothes and rough hands who collected plastic bottles around the courts. But sixteen and seventeen-year-olds are rarely good at hiding their emotions. Someone pinched their nose. "God, it smells. Can't that trash collector go somewhere else? What's wrong with the security at this indoor court? Letting someone like that in..." Before the guy could finish, he got kicked hard. He flared up, ready to explode, but when he saw it was Cole who kicked him, he immediately deflated. Rubbing where he got kicked, he asked cautiously, "What's up, man?" Cole radiated a cold aura. He tilted his chin up, his voice flat. "Drink up. Chug all the water in your bottles until they're empty." The guys didn't know why, but they didn't dare argue. One by one, they tilted their heads back and chugged. Someone who had bought three or four sports drinks couldn't finish them and pitifully begged the guy next to him, "Want some? Help me out, man! Aren't we bros? Please, just take a sip!" In no time, all the plastic bottles on the basketball court were empty. Then, I watched as Cole, right in front of everyone, crouched down and carefully placed the empty bottles into the old man's bag, one by one. His voice was polite and patient as he told the man, "From now on, if you need bottles, just go straight to the security booth. I'll tell them to leave our empties there. The sun is too brutal right now; wait until it cools down to come out." His usually arrogant face softened, and his beautiful hands gently supported the old man's dry, rough ones. The summer sun was intense, and because of the basketball game, the front of Cole's hair was a little damp with sweat. But in that moment, in my eyes, Cole was glowing. And my heart was beating so incredibly fast. 06 I fell for Cole Evans. Facing someone with such a good heart, who also perfectly hit every single one of my physical preferences, it was impossible not to. But I didn't dare show a hint of it. Cole had a face that drew too much attention, backed by a billionaire family legacy. The number of girls who liked him was uncountable. And me? I was just the most ordinary girl in the crowd. Worse, my personality was the unlikable, boring, cowardly type. If it weren't for our parents knowing each other, I knew I'd never have the chance to stand next to him. He was like a dazzling star in the sky, way too far out of my reach. I knew exactly how vast the gap was between us. I knew all of that. But a teenage girl's crush is a surging, uncontrollable thing. It was like the tide, wrapping around my insecurities, crashing against the shore again and again, leaving behind nothing but the high-water marks. I carefully kept my crush a secret, cherishing that dream-like summer. But I forgot that a secret crush can actually become a burden to the other person. Cole took me everywhere. Seeing his handsome face every day made me really happy. But the people Cole hung out with were a wild, untamed crowd of ultra-rich kids. For someone with severe social anxiety like me, I stuck out like a sore thumb among them. Soon enough, I became famous in the LA teen elite circles. The rumors about me grew wilder and wilder. "Did you hear? Evans has a girl with him! Some quiet, submissive little thing who follows him around like a puppy. Wherever he goes, she goes." "For real? He actually brought a girl? Must be some relative staying over, right? Like he's just playing tour guide?" "With his temper, do you really think he'd just 'babysit' someone if he didn't want to? I bet he's actually interested in her! Why else would he drag her everywhere?" "Yeah, at that boxing match last week, I saw it clearly. The girl was only watching the fight, but Evans' eyes were practically glued to her the whole time." "No way. So many girls chase him. He's so arrogant, how could he be interested in a girl who's scared of her own shadow? I've seen her—she barely talks, totally passive, zero presence." ... 07 The rumors spiraled out of control, eventually reaching the ears of Cole's inner circle. Those guys loved drama. Around a hallway corner, they laughed and asked him, "Evans, everyone in our circle is saying you're into that little coward. We didn't believe it at first, but now you even wait outside the bathroom for her. Are you serious about this? Do you actually like Lily?" I had just come out of the restroom and accidentally overheard. The hallway wall hid them from my view, so I couldn't see Cole's expression. I knew eavesdropping was wrong, but my feet glued themselves to the floor, my heart leaping into my throat. But the next second, I heard Cole's light scoff. Casual and entirely dismissive. "Lily? She's way too timid. Not interested." Someone pressed on, "But man, you've been so good to her lately, we thought..." "Just babysitting." Cole's voice was laced with a chilling indifference. "Stop spreading rumors. It's bad for her reputation." Standing behind the corner, my heart plummeted from its heights and smashed into the ground. I already knew the answer, but I still couldn't help but hope. By the time I fully processed it, my eyes were already wet. I raised my hand and wiped the tears away. So pathetic. It's just a tiny bit of heartbreak. The sky isn't falling. It's no big deal! It's just that the boy I like doesn't like me back. It's no big deal! I can just like myself, right? But the tears kept coming, faster and faster. I walked toward the exit, sobbing uncontrollably. It hurt so much! Was I already becoming a bother to him? Of course. No one likes being the subject of annoying rumors. So, the very next day, I packed my bags, told my mom I wanted to go back to Portland for a summer camp, and flew home. When faced with hardship, my greatest talent was running away. I firmly believed you couldn't be 'just friends' with someone you were in love with. So I cut the knot swiftly, deleting and blocking Cole's number. I didn't even say goodbye. I just vanished. 08 "Holy crap, he's so gorgeous! I can't believe a guy this hot is a Chemistry major!" My roommate's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I forced myself to ignore my racing heart and kept smoothing my bedsheets. Emma called out to me, "Lily, come look! Aren't you curious? A massive trust-fund billionaire kid, actually testing into our school! With those grades? You're not even a little curious?" I didn't stop making my bed. "Of course he could get into our school. He probably bombed his finals and had to settle for us." Emma's eyes widened, practically vibrating with gossip. "Oh my god, Lily, do you guys know each other?! Cole's only been on campus half a day and he's already a legend. His picture is everywhere. And you actually know him?!" She shoved her phone in my face. In the photo, Cole was leaning against a wall, listening to someone talk. His expression was flat, like he really didn't want to engage, his eyes filled with a casual arrogance. He looked so cool, so effortlessly lazy. This was a side of Cole I had never seen before, and I was hit all over again by how ridiculously handsome he was. Emma shook my arm. "Lily~ What's the deal between you and Cole?~" Hearing his name over and over finally broke my resolve. My mouth puckered into a pout, my voice sounding like it was about to crack. "What deal? It's just... I had a crush on him, and I got rejected. That's the deal..." All three of my roommates froze, guilt washing over their faces. They looked like they wanted to slap themselves. "No wonder you didn't care. S-sorry. We're so sorry." "It's fine. It was back in sophomore year of high school. We weren't even that close. He's probably completely forgotten about me." I turned back to my bed, looking completely unbothered on the outside. But I pinched the same wrinkle in my blanket for a long time, unable to smooth it out. A whole year. It had been a whole year, and I still hadn't forgotten Cole Evans. My heart still raced, just from hearing his name. I couldn't understand why he was at my university. With his grades, getting into the Ivy League should have been effortless. Yet he took his top-tier scores and enrolled in our Chemistry department, even though he loved Physics. If I couldn't figure it out, I wasn't going to try. Classes had just started, and Cole was already famous by noon. As expected, he shined wherever he went. But none of that had anything to do with me. I was so ordinary; I'd just disappear into the sea of students. The Chemistry department was massive. As long as I didn't seek him out, Cole and I would never cross paths. Besides, he didn't even know I went to this school. Or maybe even if he did, he just didn't care. But late that night, as I lay in bed, my phone buzzed with an unknown number. I was extremely socially anxious. Naturally, I never answered unknown numbers. I hurriedly hit decline. But the caller was relentless. The phone kept ringing and ringing. Not wanting to wake my roommates, I finally bit the bullet and answered. Hiding under the covers, I kept my voice low, whispering into the receiver. "Hello?" To my shock, the person on the other end let out a cold scoff. "Hah. Hello? What's so 'hello' about this?" It was that familiar, raspy bad-boy voice, except he sounded like he was grinding his teeth. "Lily Miller. Deleting and blocking me? You better give me an explanation I actually like." The phone slipped from my hand onto the mattress. My heart stopped for a second. It was Cole.
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