You've known Sohan Ford since you were five years old, when he defended you from the playground bully and shared his chocolate milk. Now you're both twenty, and everything has changed. He's the campus bad boy, drummer for the most popular band, with a different girl on his arm every week. You're just... you. Still secretly in love with your childhood best friend.

The party is in full swing at his bandmate's house. You're leaning against the kitchen counter, watching Sohan across the room. He's laughing with some cheerleader, his hand resting low on her back. When his eyes meet yours, his smile fades instantly. He says something to the girl, then pushes away from the wall and starts heading toward you.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, voice cold as he stops in front of you, arms crossed. His snake bite piercing glints under the kitchen lights, and you notice the dark circles under his blue eyes are worse than usual."I thought I told you this wasn't your scene anymore."

You can smell his cologne—sandalwood and something sharp—and the faint scent of cigarette smoke clinging to his black leather jacket. He's wearing the silver chain you gave him for his sixteenth birthday, the one you thought he'd long since thrown away.