Lucas did not take defeat well.
He took it personally.
Very personally.
"She set me up."
Adrian didn't even look up from his book. "She handed you a soda."
"It was psychological," Lucas insisted, pacing the length of their dorm room like a man plotting revenge. "The way she looked at me—calm, confident, like she already knew she'd win."
Daniel, sprawled lazily on the couch, didn't bother hiding his amusement. "That's because she did know."
Lucas stopped pacing.
"That's not the point."
"It is exactly the point," Adrian said calmly, turning a page. "You lost."
Lucas stared at him.
"You're supposed to comfort me."
"I warned you."
"That's not comfort."
Daniel snorted.
Lucas pointed at both of them accusingly.
"I can't believe I live with traitors."
Adrian finally closed his book and looked up.
"What exactly do you want to do about it?"
Lucas's expression changed.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
A grin spread across his face.
"I want revenge."
Daniel sat up immediately.
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm planning."
"I don't need to," Daniel replied. "The answer is still no."
Lucas ignored him and turned to Adrian.
"We steal her motorcycle."
Silence.
Adrian blinked once.
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"Absolutely not."
Lucas threw his hands in the air.
"Why does no one support me in this house?"
"Because your ideas are terrible," Adrian said.
"It's not stealing," Lucas argued quickly. "It's… temporary relocation."
Daniel stared at him.
"That's worse."
Lucas leaned forward, lowering his voice like he was sharing something brilliant.
"We just move it somewhere else. She panics. I win."
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You won't win anything."
"I'll win satisfaction."
"You'll win a disciplinary hearing."
Lucas waved him off.
"You worry too much."
Adrian stood up.
"I'm not involved."
Lucas pointed dramatically.
"Fine. When I succeed, don't come asking for credit."
"I won't."
Lucas turned to Daniel.
"You're helping me."
Daniel crossed his arms.
"No."
Lucas looked betrayed.
"You're both useless."
Adrian grabbed his jacket.
"I'm going to the library."
Lucas scoffed.
"You're abandoning me in my time of need."
"You created the situation."
"That's not the point!"
Adrian walked past him.
"Don't do anything stupid."
Lucas grinned.
"No promises."
Adrian paused at the door.
Looked back.
Sighed.
Then left.
Lucas turned slowly to Daniel.
"…So it's just us."
Daniel shook his head.
"No, it's just you."
Lucas smiled.
"We'll see."
Ten minutes later—
Lucas was crouched behind a low concrete wall near the gym building.
Daniel stood beside him, arms folded, looking like he deeply regretted every life decision that led him here.
"This is illegal," Daniel muttered.
"It's not illegal if we don't get caught," Lucas whispered.
"That's not how laws work."
Lucas peeked over the wall.
"There it is."
Riley's motorcycle stood a few feet away, parked neatly under a tree.
Daniel sighed.
"You dragged me here for this."
"You came willingly."
"I came to stop you."
Lucas grinned.
"You can't stop greatness."
Daniel deadpanned. "This isn't greatness. This is stupidity."
Lucas ignored him.
He took a deep breath.
"Alright. Operation Revenge begins now."
Daniel grabbed his arm.
"Lucas—"
Too late.
Lucas stood up.
And walked straight toward the motorcycle.
Daniel followed reluctantly, already preparing to apologize on his behalf.
Lucas reached the bike and circled it slowly.
"Nice machine," he muttered.
He crouched slightly, inspecting it.
"You're seriously doing this," Daniel said.
Lucas glanced at him.
"I'm committed now."
Daniel opened his mouth to argue—
"Planning something?"
Both of them froze.
Lucas closed his eyes.
"…I knew it."
Slowly, he turned around.
Riley stood a few steps away, arms crossed, watching them with sharp, unimpressed eyes.
Lucas smiled.
A very fake smile.
"No."
Daniel sighed.
"Yes."
Lucas whipped his head toward him.
"Why do you keep exposing me?!"
Daniel shrugged.
"I believe in honesty."
Riley raised a brow.
"You were going to steal my bike?"
Lucas shook his head quickly.
"No."
"Yes," Daniel repeated.
Lucas groaned.
"I need new friends."
Riley stepped closer.
Each step calm.
Measured.
Lucas instinctively took one back.
"I wasn't going to steal it," he said quickly. "Just… move it."
"Without my permission."
"…Temporarily."
Riley stopped in front of him.
Close enough that he could see the faint challenge in her eyes.
"Why?"
Lucas straightened slightly, trying to regain his confidence.
"You embarrassed me."
"You embarrassed yourself."
"That's debatable."
"It's not."
Daniel snorted quietly.
Lucas ignored him.
"You humiliated me in front of the entire cafeteria."
Riley tilted her head.
"So your solution was theft?"
"Temporary relocation," Lucas corrected.
Riley's lips twitched slightly.
Then—
Before Lucas could react—
She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward.
Lucas froze.
Completely.
"I value my life," he said quickly.
"Good," Riley replied calmly.
Her grip tightened just slightly.
"Then don't touch my bike."
Lucas nodded immediately.
"I won't."
"Ever."
"I said I won't!"
She held his gaze for a second longer.
Then let go.
Lucas stumbled back slightly, straightening his shirt like nothing had happened.
Daniel looked impressed.
"That was effective."
Lucas pointed at him.
"Not helping."
Riley crossed her arms again.
"Anything else you want to confess?"
Lucas hesitated.
"…No."
"Good."
"Because I'm innocent."
"You're not."
"Details."
A familiar voice cut through the tension.
"What's going on?"
All three turned.
Adrian stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, expression calm—but his eyes immediately took in the scene.
Lucas. Disheveled.
Riley. Unbothered.
Daniel. Tired.
Adrian sighed.
"I leave for ten minutes."
Lucas pointed at Riley.
"She attacked me."
Riley rolled her eyes.
"He tried to steal my bike."
Adrian looked at Lucas.
"You did what?"
Lucas laughed nervously.
"It sounds worse than it is."
"It sounds exactly as bad as it is."
Daniel nodded. "He was committed."
Lucas glared at him.
"You're not my friend anymore."
Adrian stepped closer, his gaze shifting briefly to Riley.
"Are you okay?"
Riley blinked.
The question caught her off guard.
"I'm fine."
Adrian nodded.
Then looked back at Lucas.
"Apologize."
Lucas stared at him.
"Why am I always the one apologizing?"
"Because you're always wrong."
Lucas opened his mouth—
Closed it.
Then sighed dramatically.
"This is bullying."
Riley smirked.
"I agree."
Lucas pointed at her.
"You're the cause of all this."
She shrugged.
"You started it."
He paused.
"…That's fair."
Daniel laughed.
Adrian shook his head slightly.
For a moment, everything settled.
The tension.
The chaos.
And in that quiet—
Adrian's gaze drifted back to Riley.
Again.
There it was.
That strange feeling.
Like he was looking at someone he should know.
Someone he had forgotten.
Riley noticed.
Of course she did.
Their eyes met.
For just a second—
Everything else faded.
Then Lucas stepped between them dramatically.
"No eye contact."
Both of them blinked.
Lucas crossed his arms.
"This is suspicious."
Riley snorted.
"You're ridiculous."
"And you're dangerous."
"Good."
Lucas paused.
"…Why do you keep saying that like it's a good thing?"
Riley smiled.
Because to her—
It was.
Because she hadn't come back to be gentle.
She had come back to disrupt everything.
Lucas shook his head.
"This isn't over."
Riley met his gaze.
"I hope not."
Adrian exhaled softly.
Something told him—
This was only the beginning.
And somehow…
His quiet, controlled life had just become a lot more complicated.