Chapter 1 — The Babysitting Surprise

Marlena

It all started with an innocent-enough email. Subject line: *‘Babysitter Needed ASAP!’* I’d been combing through every local job posting for weeks, but the Ridgeview High teen job market was basically a gladiator pit. Every gig—from dog walking to tutoring—was snatched up faster than free pizza at a school meeting. My bank account, currently gasping for breath under single digits, was proof of just how bad things had gotten. So, when the babysitting ad popped up, I didn’t hesitate. I fired off a reply, grabbed my hoodie, and braced myself for an afternoon of sticky fingers and chaos.

At least, that’s what I thought I was bracing for.

The address led me to a house—or more accurately, a monument—that made me double-check I hadn’t accidentally signed up for a reality TV show. The Morgan Estate gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight, its ivory marble façade and towering gates radiating a quiet, smug indifference. The hedges had been shaped into actual swans, as if the lawn itself was judging me. My family’s cozy, slightly saggy home felt like it belonged on a completely different planet.

I adjusted the straps of my backpack, the enamel pins clinking together like nervous teeth. One pin—a tiny rocket ship—caught my eye for a second, distracting me. I straightened it, a small act of control in what already felt like an overwhelming situation.

The doorbell chime was so elaborate it could’ve been mistaken for the opening notes of a Broadway overture. Before I had time to second-guess myself, the door swung open.

And there he was.

Antaios Morgan.

His green eyes flicked over me, narrowing with amusement as they settled on my slightly scuffed Converse. A grin stretched across his face—lopsided, confident, and designed to test every last nerve I had. “Well, well. Marlena Yu. To what do I owe the pleasure of this fine day improving exponentially?”

I blinked, then took a reflexive step back. “No. Nope. This is not happening.”

“Oh, it’s definitely happening.” He leaned casually against the doorframe, his leather bracelet catching a sliver of sunlight as he crossed his arms.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I stared at him, half-expecting someone with a camera crew to jump out and yell, *Gotcha!* “You are not—wait. Are you the one I’m supposed to babysit?”

“Technically, my parents said they needed someone to ‘supervise’ me.” His smirk widened. “But I think ‘babysit’ has a nice, humiliating ring to it, don’t you?”

Humiliating didn’t even begin to cover it. Antaios Morgan wasn’t just anyone. He was a walking, talking headache in human form. Ridgeview’s reigning king of mischief. The guy who once convinced an entire cafeteria to clap sarcastically when I tripped over my untied shoelaces. And now, apparently, my job.

“Where are your parents?” I demanded, the sting of betrayal already rising in my chest.

“Gone until Sunday.” He pushed the door open wider, gesturing for me to come in. “So it’s just you, me, and whatever snacks you’ve got stashed in that backpack of yours.”

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose as my brain scrambled for an escape route. “There’s been a mistake. I’m not babysitting you. Nope. No way. Goodbye.” I started to turn, but his voice stopped me.

“Wait!”

For once, there was no teasing in his tone. It wasn’t exactly desperation, but it was... different. Sincere. “Seriously, Yu. Don’t leave. My parents are paying *very* well, and I wouldn’t want you to miss out. I mean, considering your... financial situation.”

Heat prickled my cheeks. “How do you even know about that?”

Antaios shrugged, his smirk dimming a fraction. “Small town. Word gets around. Don’t look so offended—it’s not like I’m judging. I actually admire your hustle.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to decide if he was messing with me. “If this is some elaborate scheme to humiliate me, Morgan, I’m not falling for it. You want to torment me? Do it at school like a normal person.”

“Yu, relax.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “No schemes. Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a Scout.”

“True. But I make an excellent cup of coffee, which I’m willing to offer as a peace offering. Plus...” He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. His gaze dropped briefly to the floor before flicking back up to meet mine. “It’s not just about the money. My parents don’t trust me to be alone for an entire weekend. And... honestly? They’re probably right.”

That threw me off. No smirk. No teasing glint in his eye. Just a boy leaning against the doorframe of a house too big for one family, looking almost—almost—unguarded.

I sighed, the weight of my empty wallet and my pride battling it out in my head. If I walked away now, it’d be like admitting defeat. Like saying I couldn’t handle this. And I’d handled worse. Right?

“Fine,” I said finally. “But if you pull so much as one prank, I’m gone. Deal?”

“Deal.” Antaios stepped aside, a triumphant grin reappearing as he gestured me into the house.

The Morgan Estate’s interior was as cold and impersonal as I’d expected. Marble floors gleamed under high ceilings, and the furniture looked like it was auditioning for a magazine spread. The air smelled faintly of lemon polish and... something else. Like the absence of life.

I followed Antaios through the cavernous mansion, my sneakers squeaking faintly against the polished floors. “So, what’s the plan?” I asked, my voice echoing faintly. “Are you gonna sit quietly and read while I monitor your every move? Or do you have some elaborate nonsense involving fake spiders and hidden cameras lined up?”

“I’m offended by how low your opinion of me is,” he said, though his grin suggested he was anything but offended. He pulled two mugs from a cabinet that probably cost more than my entire kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Don’t think you can bribe me with caffeine,” I said, even as my gaze lingered longingly on the machine.

“Suit yourself.” He poured a cup anyway and slid it across the counter. I stared at it suspiciously, half-expecting it to explode.

“So,” I said, leaning against the counter. “What exactly am I supposed to do here? Because if you think I’m cleaning up your messes—”

“Relax, Yu.” Antaios perched on a stool, his chin resting on his hand. “Your only job is to make sure I don’t burn the house down.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Define ‘burn the house down.’”

“No raging parties, no backyard wrestling matches, no setting off fireworks indoors. You know, the usual.”

I took a cautious sip of coffee—it was annoyingly good—and watched him over the rim of the mug. “You’re way too calm about this. What’s your angle?”

“No angle,” he said innocently. “I’m just a misunderstood guy looking for companionship in this cold, empty mansion.”

“Uh-huh.” I snorted. “You’re about as misunderstood as a shark circling a public beach.”

Antaios grinned, the lopsided smirk firmly back in place. “And yet, here you are. Babysitting the shark.”

I set my mug down with a sigh, already questioning every life choice that had led me to this moment. This weekend was going to be *way* longer than I’d planned.