Chapter 1: Introduction
The plane’s engines hummed a steady, lulling rhythm that did nothing to calm the nervous flutter in Dani’s stomach. He clutched the armrests, knuckles white, as he stared out the small, oval window at the endless stretch of blue below. The ocean glittered under the sun, deceptively peaceful, like the surface of a dream. But Dani knew dreams could shatter.
Next to him, Nicholas sprawled in his seat, one long leg stretched out into the aisle, his broad shoulders taking up more than his fair share of space. He was laughing at something one of the other guys had said—something crude, no doubt—his deep voice rough with amusement.
One of the little ones anxiously clung to Dani's side and another asked for a juice box , but he didn't mind. He was used to being the quiet one, the one who kept the peace. The one who made sure everyone else was okay.
Nicholas’s gaze flicked over to him, sharp and assessing, before sliding away again. Dani pretended not to notice. He wasn’t good at holding eye contact, especially with someone like Nicholas, who had a way of making the air feel charged, like the moment before a storm.
The other guys were still talking, their voices overlapping in a blur of laughter and half-finished thoughts. Someone mentioned a party after the class was over, another joked about hooking up with someone from the biology department. Dani didn’t contribute. He never did.