Chapter 1: Introduction
Adam's fingers danced over the fretboard of his guitar, a lazy smile on his lips. The strings hummed out an old melody—something he'd picked up at the campus coffee shop. One of those easy-listening, catchy melodies everyone seemed to know the words to.
A welcome distraction from the stack of textbooks that sat on his desk, mocking him. The room was a cluttered mess, typical for any college student, but Adam didn't seem to mind. It had its own charm.
A thump at the door jolted him out of his reverie. He glanced at the clock—only 9 pm. Must be one of his hallmates from down the hall, needing help with a drunk friend or lost keys.
As he opened the door, he saw a girl standing at the threshold, clutching the door frame with trembling hands.
Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in disarray, and her eyes—unusually large and green—darted around, wild and wary. Something in the way she breathed made Adam's heart seize for an instant. She was tall, curvy, and gorgeous, but there was an ethereal quality to her, like she was a creature from another world.
"Allison?" Adam asked, disbelief creeping into his tone. Allison lived on the sixth floor—he'd only ever seen her in passing or at the local bar.
They'd never spoken, except for that day she'd asked him for the time. Now, with her standing right in front of him, he couldn't recall a single detail of what she looked like, apart from her enchanting green eyes. She was breathtaking, and Adam suddenly felt conscious of his messy hair and the faded band t-shirt he was wearing.
Allison swallowed hard, like a deer caught in the headlights. Without uttering a word, she stepped into the room, pushing past Adam to make her way towards the bed.
Adam stood frozen, watching the rhythmic sway of her hips as she moved further into the room. The closer she got to the bed, the more hurried and desperate her movements seemed; it was almost as if she was searching for something.
When she reached the bed, she spun around and pinned him against the wall, her eyes wide and hungry. The smell of cheap perfume and cigarette smoke wafted off her body in a cloud of seduction and temptation.
Adam struggled to breathe as he looked down into her dilated green eyes. Her lips parted in a half-smile as if she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
"Adam," she whispered, her voice soft yet commanding. It sent shivers down his spine, and a sudden wave of nervousness washed over him.
Allison leaned in, her breath hot against his ear. "Will you help me, Adam?"
Adam blinked, taken aback by the unexpected proximity and the vulnerable tone in her voice.