An hour earlier...

"I've got it." I bat my dad's hands away when he reaches for the suitcase. "Seriously."

"Just let me do it, sweet pea," He argues and I know I won't win this one. He grabs the handle and pulls it out of the trunk, grinning at me with that smile that wins everyone over. "You just got home and you're leaving again. Can you blame me for spoiling you?"

"I'm not leaving," I argue with a laugh and hug him around his torso. He lets go of the suitcase to hug me back, his huge arms crushing me and holding me tight. God, I missed my dad's hugs. He's like a bear, all cuddly and warm but can beat you senseless if you cross him. "A girl's got to study."

"Damn straight. I'm so proud of you," He kisses the top of my head, and then my forehead, and then my cheek, until I'm laughing and pushing him back. My dad is seriously the most affectionate person I know.

"Okay," Mom sing-songs and rounds the car. She's wheeling another suitcase behind her as she makes her way to us. A couple of campus guys gawk and stare at her ass and I suppress an eye roll. My parents are hot. I may be biased saying this but they're the best looking couple I know. My mom has maintained her killer hourglass figure over the years, the same body I've — thankfully — been blessed with. Guys salivate over her the way women salivate over my father and not just because he's a retired boxer that made headlines everywhere once upon a time. "Is that everything?"

"Yeah," I nod and give her a hug when she reaches me. We're the same height, total minions compared to my dad. "I'm going to miss you."

"Not as much as we'll miss you." She kisses my forehead and pulls away to squish my cheeks. "Te amo, mi amor. Ser buena."

"Si mamá," I peck her lips and do the same to my dad. Even though I've been away for the better part of four years, I'm still really close to my parents. I always have been. After me they weren't able to conceive again and so I grew up spoiled and loved under their direct attention. I never felt like I was missing out, though. I grew up with the kids of my parents' best friends so I was always surrounded by loads of people I consider family.

"You're positive you want to live on campus?" Dad tries one last time.

He was bummed enough when I accepted my dance program abroad. Even so, he supported me because he knew it was my passion. Mom arranged for me to live with her old friend that she met in her therapist training program when she was younger, the very woman she named me after. I was only fourteen when I asked to transfer to LA and being able to live with Olivia and her wife Kelly was the closing deal to getting permission.

"Technically Mom's the one who convinced me I should live on campus," I point out. "She chose this university and my dorm and everything. I was going to take a year off."

"The sooner you finish with your studies the better," She waves me off. She's good at that — evading a topic with non-answers. It's the therapist in her. "You should get it over with in one shot."

"Well, I only agreed because you guys let me go four years on my own. I owe you."

"You don't owe us anything, sweet pea." Dad rubs my back. "We're your parents. We'd do anything for you."

"I know," I say with a tight throat and a guilty conscience. I mean it when I say I have the best parents and it makes me feel even shittier for keeping the biggest secret I have from them. I clear my throat and offer a smile, blowing a kiss as I start to walk backward. "I'll see you in two weeks. Love you."

"Love you," They say together and wave. A crowd starts to form around Dad, phones out and pieces of paper pushed toward him. He smiles politely and starts signing his autograph like he always does. Before I can turn around Mom jogs up to me.

"Liv," She starts and my brows come together because she appears almost guilty.

"What's wrong?"

"So, maybe I left a tiny detail out when I set up this year for you."

"Mom." The warning in my voice is clear. I love my mom but she has the worst habit of meddling. She sees a problem and she can't bring herself to stay away if she can help it. "What did you do?"

"Hopefully what's best for you?" She sounds unsure and that doesn't help me in the least. She looks around briefly before settling her hands on my shoulder, eyes locked on mine. "I chose this university for a reason."

"Okay?" I'm not following at all.

She takes a deep breath and I already know this is going to be bad. "Lucas goes here."

My heart drops. Literally drops all the way to my fucking toes. I push her arms off me and take a step back, my jaw unhinging. "Mom! What the hell?"

"Just listen, bébé." She grabs my hands tight, her face pleading. Meanwhile I'm trying not to have a freaking heart attack. "He needs you. Ever since Emily..."

She trails off, breath hitching. My chest twists all over again. I love Aunt Emily. She's sweet and caring but she can also be bad-ass if the occasions calls for it. We were all shaken when we found out she has breast cancer and things haven't been the same in our family. My mom is taking it the hardest because her and Aunt Emily grew up together. They're best friends and my mom's usual shine has been a little dimmer since we heard the news.

"I get it, Mom," I say softly. "But you're wrong. This doesn't change anything between me and Lucas. He doesn't need me because he hates me and you know I hate him."

"Are you ever going to tell me why you stopped being best friends?" She asks for the millionth time. "You two loved each other. You couldn't spend a day apart once upon a time."

"Yeah, well, a lot has changed," I try, and fail, to not sound bitter. I can't even think about the son of a bitch without wanting to rip my hair out. "And whatever you're trying to do here won't work. I don't want anything to do with him. You shouldn't have sent me here and lied to me, no less."

"I did lie," She admits. She levels me with a serious stare. "But it's the kind of lie I hope you'll benefit from, just like you think you're saving your father and I from whatever you're hiding from us."

I startle. Oh, what in the hell? I open my mouth to deny it but she cuts me off.

"Olivia West, don't you think I know you better than that? Your father and I both have our suspicions so don't bother. But now that you know we know you've been keeping secrets, you'll go easy on me for lying to you?"

Damn it. I groan in defeat because there's nothing I can say to that, not unless I want to be a hypocrite. "Mom, please. I don't want anything to do with him. Let me transfer."

"Absolutely not. ¿Creece que estoy bromeando? You can't run away from your problems forever, Liv. Please do this for me. Emily is worried out of her mind and that makes me worried. Just...keep an eye on him. He needs you more than you know."

"He doesn't need me," I argue through gritted teeth. "And I don't need him. He hurt me, mamá. So bad. Why can't you understand that?"

"I do. But trust me anyways. Please?"

"Mierda," I grumble under my breath. "Fine. Whatever. I'll live with the fact that he's around here somewhere but that's it. This is a waste of time because I'm going to avoid the hell out of him either way."

"I'll take it." She kisses my cheek. "I love you. Just remember that."

"Maybe later. Right now I'm saying mean things to you in my head."

"Whatever. I'm prettier than you anyways."

Laughter sputters out of me before I can stop it. I shake my head with a glare, annoyed that I can never stay mad at my parents too long. Mom grins back in obvious satisfaction.

"Everything okay?" Dad walks up to us. "My ladies look tense."

"We're talking shit about you," Mom sticks her tongue out at him and I'm grateful she doesn't elaborate.

My dad isn't stupid — he knows I have major problems with Lucas. He's also extremely protective of me so that means he goes hard on Lucas whenever he sees him. But, like my mom, he doesn't push me to tell him what happened between us and I try not to draw any attention to it either. Honestly I've lived the past four years of my life as if he doesn't even exist. I haven't kept any tabs on him whatsoever and my "cousins" know better than to bring him up to me. At holidays and get-togethers one of us always stays at home so we don't come across each other. Everyone knows our rivalry runs deep and they've left it at that. That's why it's so hard to process I might bump into him here.

"Oh yeah?" Dad murmurs, smirking down at Mom and sliding his hands over her ass. He bends down to nip her lips. "Am I going to have to punish you, sweet cheeks?"

"Gross," I scrunch my nose. My parents are sickeningly in love. They're like horny teenagers and have been that way all my life.

"Behave, Hermoso." Mom slaps his chest but I can see the excitement in her eyes. I'm going to throw up. "Say goodbye to your daughter."

He looks over at me, eyes softening and letting go of Mom so he can hug me again. I bury my face in his chest, letting him rock me gently. "I love you, baby. Call everyday."

"I will," I promise and unwind my arms from around him. "Okay. I really need to go, guys. I'll see you soon."

"Wait!"

The three of us turn our heads to the right where Zack is jogging towards us. My grin is immediate. I'm almost as close with Zack as I was with Lucas and luckily, that hasn't changed.

"Look who finally made it," I tease.

"Hey, Tia. Hey, Uncle Cam." He kisses Mom's cheek in greeting and clasps hands with Dad before turning to me. "Here, give me one of your suitcases. There's no elevator and you're on the fourth floor."

I tilt my head. "How'd you know that?"

"Because I'm on the fourth floor." He grabs a suitcase and lifts it without effort. "Let's go."

"Watch after her," Dad instructs in his no-nonsense voice and a rare show of seriousness.

"Always," He nods. "Later."

"Bye guys," I toss my parents a final wave and then follow after Zack, letting him lead us to the residence building. "How've you been?"

"Not any different from when I saw you two weeks ago," He glances at me. "You?"

"The same." My smile is innocent but on the inside I'm raging. "Anything you want to tell me, Zack?"

"Like what?"

"Quit lying, asshole. Mom fessed up."

He curses under his breath. "She told me not to say anything to you. What the fuck should I have done? Your mom can be scary."

"Wuss," I grumble. "Just tell me I have no chance of bumping into him. I'm taking Humanities. Is that far away from whatever building his program is in?"

"Criminal Justice is on the other side of campus," He nods and I breathe a sigh of relief. "But..."

"But?" I tense up again.

"He's my roommate."

I stop walking so fast I almost trip over. "We're going to live on the same floor?"

He winces. "Right across from you, actually."

This has to be some kind of joke. But I see the seriousness on Zack's face and I know it isn't. I punch him on the arm. "You dick! How could you let this happen?"

"Look, I'm on the same boat as Tia," He argues. "You two need to get over your shit already. Whether you like it or not you two are family so hike up your big girl panties and deal with it."

"He's not my family," My voice shakes with so much vehemence Zack goes quiet. "After what he did he's nothing to me. Sorry if that interrupts whatever agenda you have."

I start walking again, my strides longer and faster. I hear Zack groan behind me. "Liv! Come on."

"Screw you," I toss back and speed up. "I never let your friendship with him affect our relationship, did I? Wasn't I always there for you? So why can't you do to the same with me? You are my family, Zack."

"I know." He finally catches up to me, slightly out of breath. "I'm sorry. You got to cut me some slack. Up until now I've been able to keep my friendship with the both of you separate. This is going to be new for me too."

My anger diminishes when I realize he has a point. I instantly deflate. "You're right. Sorry."

"It's okay," He shrugs and I know he means it. Zack has the patience of a saint. He opens the door for me as we enter the residence building and we start up the flight of stairs. "Listen. You haven't been around for four years and now you're back. Just try to enjoy it. We haven't gone to school together since grade school. It'll be fun."

"I guess," I relent. Another good point. "You'll have to show me around. Take me to all the best parties and shit too."

"I don't think so," He frowns. "You're a freshman. You're going to be like fresh meat to those places."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know, but your dad asked me to look out for you."

"And I'm sure you will but I still want to make the most of my university experience. My dance program in LA was strictly work. All we did was train. I'm ready to cut loose now."

"Liv..."

"Come on. Drop the big brother act and help me out. If you say this is going to be a fun semester then prove it. I want to go parties and join clubs and make new friends. Would you rather I do it with your help or without?"

"Goddamn it," He mutters. "You're way too good at blackmail."

"Mamá taught me well," I wink and use my free hand to open the door on the fourth floor stairwell.

"How are you not out of breath?" Zack pants as he drags my suitcase down the hallway. I snort.

"Are you kidding me? Dance gives you insane stamina. That trip up the stairs wouldn't even be considered warm-up in the program I was in."

"Demon," He sneers playfully and I laugh. But I can't help and lose all semblance of humour as I look around, way too aware and alert. Zack must notice because he says, "Relax. He's not here yet. He just got to campus."

"Does he know?" I try to sound disinterested but I'm on edge. Last I heard he got into it with Uncle Jax trying to take time off but he was forced to finish his last year. I'd be the cherry on top to the fuck show he's going through, I'd guess.

"No." Zack stops in front of a door that's already cracked open and peeks inside. "Your roommate must be here already."

"He doesn't know either?" I ask incredulously. "God, what is wrong with you guys?"

"He's not the same, Liv." Zack says so seriously I have no choice but to give him my full attention. "What's happening with Aunt Emily...it's destroying him. He's a fucking mess and completely out of control. We weren't going to bring you up and make him angrier. Getting him to come to campus at all was like yanking teeth out. I know Lucas is naturally an asshole but this is different. He's full of so much hate it's hard to be around him but this isn't the time for more people to give up on him. There's already a chance he'll lose his mom."

"Don't say that," I immediately snap. My stomach twists in denial. God, I can't even think that way. "She'll pull through. You should believe in her."

"I do," He says softly, defensively. "But she is getting worse, you know?"

I swallow down the boulder in my throat. "Well, sometimes you have to get worse before you get better. Stop being so negative, Zack, least of all in front of me. Aunt Emily is going to be fine. Just watch."

He nods, knowing he can't argue any further. I take a deep and calming breath. As happy as I am to be home I already find myself missing LA. It was a fresh start for me, a new chapter, where I could leave behind all my baggage and focus on what I love. Being back here brings back all the things I thought I'd outran but it's catching up to me faster than I was prepared for.

"Sorry. I'm just...tense. There's so much more happening than I can keep with."

"I get it. I was that way at first too. Give yourself some time to adjust. This isn't easy on any of us."

"Yeah," My voice comes out as a whisper.

Illness in the family has a way of suffocating you with grief until it's all you can think about. You can't escape it and it overshadows every part of your life. It's the only thing anyone talks about and it's the one thing you can't get your mind off of no matter what you do. I hate to say it but I understand why Aunt Em hid this from all of us for a month. She knew what would come next and probably went through this with her own mother.

"I'll be right across the hall, okay?" Zack knocks on my door once and makes the short trek to his dorm that's literally four steps from mine. Fantastic.

"What's fantastic?" A new voice asks and I turn around. A girl, with beautiful dark skin and outrageously curly hair, smiles kindly at me. She has an inviting air about her that instantly makes me comfortable. "I'm Grace. You were talking out loud. Your friend is also really hot. I have a bad habit of narrating everything that I do. Sorry."

I laugh, highly amused as she winces and holds her arm out. I do the same and shake her hand with a grin. "Olivia West. I randomly break out dancing at the most inappropriate times so let's call it even."

"West as in the boxer?" Her eyes grow wide. I'm used to the recognition by now. I've grown up with paparazzi following my family and I my whole life. Everyone knows who I am whether I like it or not so I've made my peace with it.

"The very same," I nod. "Sure hope you're my roommate and not breaking and entering."

"I'm way too uncoordinated for that. I never learned how to control my limbs after my growth spurt." She gestures to herself and I do a once-over of her. She's pretty tall. Probably five-eight or five-nine. Either way she makes my five-two frame look minuscule.

"Nothing a little training for your body wouldn't fix," I smile apologetically. "Or so the dancer in me believes."

"Great," She sighs. "You're hot and coordinated. The geek in me is officially intimidated."

I laugh again. "I promise I'm nice. I'll even take the smaller room."

"I think I like you," She grins. "Want help unpacking?"

"That would be great, yeah. I'm going to check out my room first."

"Sure." She grabs a box from the counter and makes her way to the front door. "I'm just going to hang up a couple of decorations. Make the place look more inviting, if that's cool?"

"Totally." I give her a thumbs up and leave her to it.

I wheel my suitcases that has all my personal belongings so I can put them away in place. The dorm is already equipped with furniture so there isn't much for me to do. I choose the first three drawers of the dressing table to put away all my clothes in and I have a shit ton. I'm kind of a diva that way. The clothes that don't make it inside I keep in the suitcase that I shove under the bed.

As I've done that I hear a crash from somewhere, like  something heavy fell over. It's followed by a yell and more clattering. Heavy thuds, possibly something being thrown. I frown and make my way back to the front door where Grace is peeking outside the hallway.

"What's happening?" I ask her.

"Not sure," She ducks her head back in. "But there's a dude down the hall who called campus security."

"Does this kind of stuff happen often?"

"I have no idea. If so, then that's one hell of a welcome for us."

I point in the direction of the room. "I noticed there's a walk in closet in the hall. Do you mind if I put my exercise supplies in there? I do yoga and weights at home."

"Sure, I don't have much I need space for. But you do know we have a campus gym."

"I figured. I just don't like going to public spaces like that. Most of the time I get recorded or have pictures taken of me without consent so I have to find ways to avoid that."

Grace frowns. "That must suck."

I shrug. "That's life when your dad is famous. So the walk-in?"

"Go for it."

"Thanks. I just need a couple minutes and then you can start putting away your things."

She nods and goes back to decorating the front door. I head for the walk-in and start setting up my supplies. It's a small space but it'll have to do. Besides, I don't want to be the roommate that hogs all the room and comes across as overbearing. I want to make a good impression if this university is going to be home for the next four years.

Just as I've finished setting up I hear more yelling and screaming and release a sound of exasperation. What kind of goons am I neighbours with? I head back to the living room and find Grace nervously chewing her nails.

"What the hell?" I ask her and take a peek outside for myself. I notice a security guard walking down the hall, leaving the building. I duck my head back in. "Is it over?"

"I hope so. That didn't sound very pretty."

"You'd think people would be more considerate," I mutter under my breath. "Maybe I should send Zack to take a look."

"Your hot friend?"

I laugh, highly amused when I notice the way Grace flushes. "I grew up with him. He's like my brother. Why? You interested?"

"No way!" She shakes her head like I suggested we commit murder. "I'm too awkward to be anywhere near his type."

"Says who?" I defend. "You'll never know unless you take a shot."

"I'd rather die. No offence."

I laugh again and Grace grins back at me. But her smile immediately slips away when her eyes go over my shoulder. They widen a touch and I tilt my head, curious about what's making her look like she's shitting bricks.

Then the strangest thing happens. The hair at the back of my neck stands up and I know I'm being stared at. But it's not just anyone's stare. I know this feeling way too well. It's like ice water being injected into my spine and I turn around, already knowing who I'll see. My shoulders kick back as soon as my eyes lock with the most insane shade of green and blue.

It's Lucas.

It takes every ounce of my strength to keep a straight face but I manage. I keep my gaze on his eyes even though part of me wants to study the rest of him and see how he's changed. One thing has obviously remained the same — the absolute hatred in his irises. I can feel mine burning right back.

"That's, uh..." Grace takes a step closer to me like she's scared. Her voice drops to a whisper but I know Lucas can hear her because his head tilts slightly in our direction. He's way too intense right now. Always has been. "That's Lucas Cage."

She has no idea who she's talking to. I wish he was a stranger to me but sadly, I know him all too well.

"I'm aware," I reply without taking my eyes off his. A muscle pulses along his jaw when he hears my voice. "I also don't give a shit."

And it's brief but I catch the flicker in his eyes. A millisecond where the coldness melts away at my rude words but just as quickly it's back and Grace gasps. She's barely recovered from that when Lucas's face contorts to one of pure disgust as he stares me down.

"Fuck you," His deep voice is full of hatred and I've barely processed his words before he goes back inside his door and slams the dorm shut.

"What was that?" Grace squeaks. Poor girl looks horrified.

"Nothing," I close the door to our dorm too and lock it for good measure. "It doesn't matter. It never did."

________________________

A/N

This story is going to be so good. I can feel it in my bones. I'm ready for ALL the angst and sparks and steaminess! Whew.

Also, who loved seeing a glimpse of Cameron and Avery??? God I miss them so much! It's so satisfying and different to see them as parents!

Lastly, I'm going to quickly clarify right now: there will be no love triangle LOL. I absolutely hate them so no, Zack will not get between Olivia and Lucas and no, Zack and Olivia don't see each other that way. They're strictly platonic.

Please VOTE, comment and share if you liked this chapter!

Happy Reading :)