The final bell rang, and I gathered my books slowly, watching as students rushed toward the exits. My first day at college had been a disaster from start to finish - bullies, unwanted attention from Gabriel, and Paxton's condescending dismissal of my interest in racing.

Maybe tomorrow will be better, I thought, though I wasn't holding my breath.

As I walked toward the main entrance, I caught fragments of conversation from a group of students huddled near the lockers. The words ...