The Dean’s Daughter Wants to Feed Me.

Chapter 1: Stephanie

The college auditorium was buzzing with excitement, a thick cloud of anticipation hovering over the sea of caps and gowns. The air was heavy with the scent of fresh-cut roses and the perfume of proud mothers who dabbed at their eyes with tissue. I stood at the edge of the stage, heart pounding in my chest as I waited for my name to be called. Valedictorian. I should have felt proud, accomplished even. Instead, I felt numb.

“Stephanie Bradford,” Dean Thompson announced, his voice echoing through the hall.

There was a polite smattering of applause, a few cheers from the back where my friends sat, and a smile from my dad, the man standing next to Dean Thompson, beaming with pride as he handed me my certificate. I pasted on a smile, the one I’d perfected over years of being the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect everything.

As I shook hands with the dean, I caught a glimpse of someone standing in the shadows near the exit. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and slightly slouched as if he were trying to make himself smaller. But that was impossible. He was a giant, his presence consuming the small space around him. Alex Bennett. The town recluse.

My smile faltered for a fraction of a second. What was he doing here? He never came to these things. Everyone knew that. My eyes met his for the briefest moment before he looked away, shifting uncomfortably as if my gaze was too heavy. Heat bloomed in my chest, a warmth that had nothing to do with the stuffy room or the bright stage lights.

“Congratulations,” my father whispered as I passed.

“Thanks, Dad,” I replied, my voice sounding hollow in my ears.

I moved off the stage, the applause already dying down as the next name was called. My eyes flicked back to where Alex had been standing, but he was gone. Disappeared like a shadow into the night. The warmth in my chest turned into a dull ache. It was ridiculous, really. I didn’t even know him. But something about the way he existed on the periphery of everything, always distant, always alone, fascinated me.

I made my way back to my seat, ignoring the curious glances from my classmates. My friends were waiting, their grins wide, their eyes bright with excitement. They’d be planning parties, no doubt. Celebrations to mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of adulthood. But I wasn’t in the mood. The idea of loud music, crowded rooms, and cheap beer made my skin crawl.

“You okay?” Kelly asked as I sat down beside her.

“Yeah, just tired,” I replied, forcing another smile.

“Come on, Steph, it’s graduation! You should be happy!” She nudged me playfully, but her brow furrowed in concern. “You’ve been weird all day.”

“I’m fine, really,” I assured her, though even I could hear the lie in my voice.

The truth was, I wasn’t fine. I hadn’t been fine for a long time. This town, with its narrow streets and narrower minds, felt like a prison. A place where everyone knew your name, your family, your entire history, and where they expected you to follow the same path as those before you. I’d spent my whole life trying to live up to those expectations, to be what everyone wanted me to be. But now, standing on the cusp of adulthood, I felt… empty.

The ceremony dragged on, the names blending into one another, the applause becoming a dull roar in my ears. I stared at the stage, but my mind was elsewhere, back in the shadows where Alex Bennett had been standing. There was something about him that intrigued me, something I couldn’t quite put into words. He was a mystery in a town where everyone’s lives were an open book, and that made him irresistible.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur, and before I knew it, we were outside, the sun setting in the distance, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange. My friends were already making plans for the night, their voices overlapping as they talked about which party to hit first.

“Steph, you’re coming, right?” Kelly asked, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Yeah, maybe later,” I lied, knowing full well I had no intention of going. “I just need to get home first.”

“Okay, but don’t bail on us! This is our last night together before everyone starts going their separate ways,” she pleaded.

“I won’t, promise,” I said, though the words felt like ashes in my mouth.

As they walked away, chattering excitedly, I turned and headed in the opposite direction. I needed air, space, and time to think. My feet led me away from the school, away from the noise and the people, toward the outskirts of town where the houses were spaced farther apart, where the world felt quieter.

Before I realized where I was going, I found myself standing on the edge of the Bennett property. The old house loomed in the distance, its windows dark, its garden overgrown with weeds. I’d never been this close before. No one in town came out here unless they had to. Alex liked his privacy, and people respected that—mostly because they were afraid of him. The rumours about his past were wild and varied, but none of them ever seemed to stick. All anyone knew for sure was that he kept to himself and didn’t bother anyone.

But now, standing here, I felt a pull toward that house, toward the man inside. The rational part of me knew it was foolish. He was twice my age, a man with a life I knew nothing about, and yet… I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

I took a deep breath, my heart racing as I approached the gate. It was rusted, creaking under my touch as I pushed it open. The path leading to the front door was overgrown, the stones cracked and uneven. As I walked, I felt a thrill of excitement mixed with fear. What would he say if he found me here? What would I say?

When I reached the porch, I hesitated. The door was solid wood, heavy and uninviting. For a moment, I considered turning back, but the thought of returning to the emptiness I felt made my decision for me. I knocked.

The sound echoed in the silence, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then I heard the creak of floorboards, the soft shuffle of footsteps, and the door opened.

Alex stood there, filling the doorway with his presence. His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes scanning me with a mix of curiosity and something else—something that sent a shiver down my spine.

“Stephanie?” He said, his voice low and rough, as if he hadn’t used it in a while. “What are you doing here?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat. I had no good reason for being here, no explanation that wouldn’t sound ridiculous. But as I looked into his eyes, I knew that I didn’t need one. We were both here, and that was enough.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just… needed to get away.”

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze heavy and intense. Then, without a word, he stepped aside, opening the door wider to let me in. I hesitated for only a second before stepping inside, crossing the threshold into the unknown.

The door closed behind me with a soft click, sealing me inside with him.