Skylar Hayes didn’t lose. Ever.

At Westbrook University, she was untouchable—top of her class, student council president, and the girl everyone either admired or feared. She had worked too hard to let anything, or anyone, mess that up.

Which is exactly why she hated Jaxon Carter.

It all started one week ago.

Skylar had been running across campus, her planner tucked under one arm and an iced coffee in the other. She was late for a student council meeting—something that never happened. As she turned the corner, distracted by her phone, she collided with something—or rather, someone.

Her coffee flew out of her hand, splattering across a crisp white hoodie.

“Are you blind?,” she muttered, looking down at the mess.

“Are you blind?” a deep, amused voice asked.

Skylar glanced up, irritation bubbling in her chest. Standing in front of her, peeling off the ruined hoodie, was an infuriatingly good-looking guy with tousled dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a smirk that immediately pissed her off.

“You should watch where you’re going, princess,” he said.

Skylar’s eyes narrowed. Princess? “Excuse me?”

Jaxon shrugged, casually tossing his ruined hoodie into his bag like he didn’t have a care in the world. “You’re the one walking like you own the place.”

“Maybe because I do.” She crossed her arms.

His smirk widened. “Funny. I don’t remember seeing your name on the deed.”

Skylar let out an exasperated sigh, biting back a retort. She had more important things to do than argue with some overconfident jerk. So, she turned on her heel and stormed off, deciding she’d never think about him again.

She should have known better.

Because the next day, he walked into her economics class and slid into the seat right beside her.

Jaxon Carter. Transfer student. Business major. Insufferable.

And, apparently, brilliant.

Every time she answered a question, he had a rebuttal. Every time she made a point, he challenged it. Every time she thought she had the upper hand, he smirked like he was two steps ahead.

And the worst part? He wasn’t just smart. He was charming. Professors loved his sharp mind, students found him intriguing, and even her best friend Lily had the nerve to call him “kind of hot.”

Skylar could handle competition. But Jaxon wasn’t just competition—he was a threat.

And then, the announcement came.

Student council elections.

Skylar had been preparing for months. It was supposed to be an easy win. No competition.

Until Jaxon Carter put his name on the ballot.

Skylar stared at the list on the announcement board, her fists clenching as she read his name scrawled neatly beneath hers.

He wasn’t just here to challenge her in class. He was here to take everything she had worked for.

Slowly, she turned—and found him leaning against the wall, watching her with that same infuriating smirk.

“May the best candidate win,” he said smoothly.

Skylar lifted her chin, her jaw tightening.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she shot back. “I always do.”

Their war had officially begun.

—

To be continued…

Skylar Hayes had never lost a battle before. And she wasn’t about to start now.

Jaxon Carter thought he could just walk in and take what was hers? Not a chance.

The student council elections had always been hers for the taking. She had spent the last two years proving she was the perfect leader—dedicated, responsible, and practically running the entire university’s events already. Jaxon was nothing but a reckless, arrogant newcomer who had no idea what he was up against.

So why did he look so damn confident?

The lecture hall buzzed with energy as students filled the seats, eager to hear the election speeches. Skylar sat in the front row, her fingers tapping against the desk, stealing glances at her competition. Jaxon lounged two seats away, completely relaxed, his arm draped over the back of his chair, like he wasn’t about to step into a political battlefield.

When his name was called, he stood up, flashing a charming grin that made half the room sit up straighter.

“Hey, everyone,” he said casually, his deep voice carrying effortlessly. “I know I’m new here, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have ideas. Fresh ideas. I think it’s time for some real change, and I plan to make sure your voices are actually heard. So, if you want someone who’s going to shake things up—vote for me.”

Skylar clenched her teeth as applause erupted around the room. Unbelievable.

He barely said anything, and people were eating it up. Did no one care about actual leadership anymore?

Her turn.

She stood, adjusting her blazer, and offered a cool, practiced smile.

“As most of you already know, I’ve been dedicated to this school for years. I’ve worked hard to make sure everything runs smoothly—from student events to policy changes. Experience matters, and I have it. So, if you want someone who already knows how to lead—someone who delivers results—vote for me.”

Her voice was steady, her words powerful. The applause was strong—but it wasn’t as loud as Jaxon’s.

She refused to let that bother her.

As the meeting wrapped up, Skylar turned to face her opponent. “You really think you can just waltz in here and take this from me?”

Jaxon smirked. “Oh, I know I can.”

She folded her arms. “You have no experience.”

“I have confidence,” he shot back. “And clearly, people like me.”

Skylar rolled her eyes. “Popularity doesn’t make you a good leader.”

He leaned in slightly, his blue eyes flickering with something unreadable. “No. But it sure as hell helps.”

Her breath caught—just for a second—before she forced herself to scoff. “You won’t win.”

“Wanna bet?”

Skylar lifted her chin. “You’re going to regret this.”

Jaxon’s smirk widened. “Oh, princess, I love a challenge.”

That infuriating smirk. That cocky attitude.

Skylar Hayes had never wanted to win so badly in her life.

The war had officially begun. And Skylar wasn’t backing down.

—

To be continued…

Skylar Hayes didn’t just want to win—she needed to.

Losing wasn’t an option. Not to him.

The moment Jaxon Carter put his name on the ballot, he became her number one enemy. And if he thought he could charm his way into the student council presidency, he had another thing coming.

Which is why, less than twenty-four hours after the candidate announcements, she was sitting in the library with her campaign team—Lily, her best friend and head of social media, and Ethan, her campaign strategist.

“We need to make it clear that I’m the only logical choice,” Skylar said, flipping through her perfectly organized notes. “Jaxon’s unpredictable. He’s only been here for a few months. He has no leadership experience.”

Ethan nodded. “True, but that’s also his appeal. People like new. They like change.”

Skylar groaned. “So what? I’m too reliable?”

“Kind of,” Lily said, chewing on the end of her pen. “Jaxon is exciting. He’s confident, mysterious, and—”

Skylar shot her a glare.

Lily coughed. “—overconfident and a total pain in the ass. Obviously.”

Skylar sighed, rubbing her temples. “We need a plan.”

Ethan smirked. “Already ahead of you.” He slid a folder across the table. “We’re going to highlight your achievements, push for more student involvement in decision-making, and—”

But before he could continue, Skylar’s phone buzzed with a notification.

A student poll had just gone live.

She clicked on it, heart pounding. It was an early prediction of the race. The results so far?

Jaxon: 52%

Skylar: 48%

Her blood boiled. He was leading?

“Absolutely not,” she muttered, standing up so fast her chair scraped against the floor.

Lily and Ethan exchanged wary glances. “Skylar, don’t panic. It’s just an early poll.”

“I’m not panicking,” she lied. “I’m taking action.”

And that’s how, twenty minutes later, she found herself standing in the middle of the quad, where Jaxon was casually tossing a football with a group of students, laughing like he wasn’t ruining her life.

She marched up to him, arms crossed. “Enjoying yourself?”

Jaxon caught the ball effortlessly, turning to face her with that damn smirk. “Immensely. Something on your mind, princess?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Noted.” He tossed the ball to a friend and gave her his full attention. “So, what brings you here? Checking out the competition?”

She scoffed. “Hardly. I just saw the poll.”

His grin widened. “Ah. So you came to congratulate me?”

Skylar took a deep breath. Do not strangle him in public. “The race isn’t over, Carter.”

“Oh, I know.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping just enough to make her stomach tighten. “But you’re worried, aren’t you?”

She hated how smug he was. Hated how he looked at her like he knew he was getting under her skin.

“I don’t get worried,” she shot back. “I get even.”

Jaxon chuckled, stepping back. “Now that is something I’d love to see.”

Skylar turned on her heel, walking away before she did something impulsive—like throw his stupid football into the fountain.

This wasn’t just an election anymore.

It was war.

—

To be continued…