Eighteen Below Him

Samira's POV

"I'm telling you, babe. College is going to be wild, and you're going to need experience to survive it." Amanda said with absolute confidence.

I scoffed. The logic was hollow and made zero sense.

"It's almost exam season." Novia added, her eyes brightening as if she had just decoded the secrets of the universe. "You have from now until summer break to at least get a boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes hard enough to feel the strain. "Shouldn't we be focused on exams and getting into a decent university?" I asked, taking a thick bite of my burrito.

We were tucked into our usual booth at the downtown diner. The cracked red vinyl of the seats poked at my legs, and the overhead lighting was a permanent, hazy amber that made everything look like an old photograph. The milkshakes were thick, sugary masterpieces that tasted better than they had any right to. Saturday evenings here had become a sacred, predictable routine for us.

Amanda groaned at my practicality while Novia dramatically slumped her weight against the booth.

"Besides..." I said, shifting my weight so I faced them fully, "Why are you two pushing me into a relationship when neither of you is dating anyone? That's hypocrisy."

They exchanged a look. It was a slow, knowing communication that was far too smug for my comfort. I let out a long sigh. That particular expression never signaled anything good for my future.

"What?" I asked.

Novia shoved a salty fry into her mouth and clapped her hands together. "Because, dear best friend, you have never been in a relationship. We have."

"And we don't want you going into college completely clueless," Amanda added. "You wouldn't even know how to respond if a guy showed interest."

I stared at them, flat and unimpressed. "You do realize this is bullying, right?"

"No, it's not." they said together.

"It absolutely is." I shot back. "It's peer pressure."

My voice must have carried across the small space because the ambient chatter of the diner suddenly dipped into silence. I turned away immediately, becoming very invested in the swirling whipped cream of my milkshake.

They giggled and pivoted to school gossip without missing a beat, whispering about social dramas that I had no interest in following. I stared out the large diner window to tune out the noise, and that was when the atmosphere shifted.

Four boys stepped out of a sleek black car, moving with a coordinated ease that made it seem like the world was built to make space for them.

My eyes found him without effort.

Calvin Simms.

He walked with an effortless, predatory confidence, hands tucked into his pockets and his posture perfectly relaxed. Raven hair fell in dark silk over his forehead, and at six foot one, he loomed over the sidewalk. He was annoyingly handsome. Unfairly so.

Too bad I couldn't stand the sight of him.

I was about to look away when he stopped mid-stride and turned his