The romance between Allie Hayes and Dean Di Laurentis is expected to take center stage when Off Campus returns for season 2, but fans of Elle Kennedy’s bestselling books know that their story is not just about chemistry, attraction and happy moments.

Behind the playful banter and undeniable connection between the two Briar University students lies one of the most emotional storylines in the entire series. As the upcoming season adapts The Score, the third novel in Kennedy’s Off-Campus collection, viewers are preparing for a chapter that could completely change Dean’s life.

And now, a popular fan theory suggests the show may make one heartbreaking twist even more painful.

Book spoilers ahead for The Score and potential season 2 storylines.

In Elle Kennedy’s original novel, Allie and Dean’s relationship begins as an unlikely match. Allie is focused, ambitious and determined to move forward after ending a long-term relationship, while Dean is known around Briar University as a confident hockey star with a reputation for casual romances.

At first glance, they seem like complete opposites.

But their connection quickly develops into something deeper, with Allie seeing a side of Dean that most people never experience. Beneath his charming personality and carefree attitude, Dean is loyal, emotional and deeply connected to the people he loves.

That bond becomes the center of one of the most painful moments in the story.

Near the end of The Score, Dean’s closest friend Beau suffers a tragic fate when he dies in a car accident while visiting family in Wisconsin. The loss completely changes Dean, who struggles to process the sudden death of someone who had been a major part of his life.

Rather than facing his grief directly, Dean begins spiraling.

He turns to alcohol and drugs, distances himself from the people around him and abandons activities that once mattered to him, including coaching youth hockey. His grief also affects his relationship with Allie, as he misses the opening night of her play, an important moment where she needed his support.

Eventually, Allie reaches a breaking point.

Although she loves Dean, she refuses to watch him destroy himself and chooses to walk away. Their third-act breakup becomes one of the most emotional parts of the story because it is not caused by a lack of love—it happens because Dean has not yet learned how to cope with his pain.

Eventually, the couple finds their way back to each other, but Beau’s death remains a defining moment in Dean’s personal journey.

However, some fans believe the television adaptation could take that tragedy in a different direction.

A theory circulating among Off Campus viewers suggests that Dean might actually be involved in the accident that kills Beau, potentially making him a survivor of the crash rather than someone who only receives the devastating news afterward.

The idea comes from a major difference between the book and what could happen on screen.

In the novel, Dean learns about Beau’s death from his friend Garrett Graham. The tragedy happens away from him, leaving him to process the loss from a distance.

But some fans believe the series may choose to place Dean directly at the scene.

One fan shared the theory on Reddit, suggesting that the show could make Dean take the role of the survivor instead.

“It was always so tragic in the book that Beau’s dad came out of the crash without a scratch on him,” the fan wrote. “I can really see them putting Dean in that place instead.”

The possibility immediately sparked discussion among viewers, with many admitting that the change could add another emotional layer to Dean’s storyline.

“This never even occurred to me, but it makes so much sense!” one fan responded.

Others pointed out that surviving an accident that kills a close friend could create an entirely different type of trauma for Dean.

Instead of simply grieving Beau’s death, Dean would also have to deal with survivor’s guilt—the emotional burden of questioning why he lived while someone else did not.

For a character who already struggles with vulnerability, that added guilt could make his downward spiral even more intense.

Another viewer suggested that placing Dean in the accident could “add even more depth” to his emotional breakdown, especially when compared to the book storyline where he struggles with attending Beau’s funeral and accepting the reality of the loss.

While the theory remains completely unconfirmed, it highlights how much fans are analyzing every possible change the series could make.

The Off Campus adaptation has already shown that it is willing to adjust elements from Elle Kennedy’s books.

Although the show remains faithful to the spirit of the original stories, certain details have been rewritten to better fit television.

For example, in The Deal, Garrett Graham’s behavior after Hannah Wells breaks up with him was changed. In the book, Garrett creates a “hands-off” rule to stop other guys from pursuing Hannah, but the series avoids that controlling element and presents their relationship differently.

The show also changed Tucker’s age, making him the youngest member of the group.

Perhaps the biggest adaptation change so far is the order of the romances.

In Kennedy’s original book series, Allie and Dean’s story takes place third, after Garrett and Hannah’s relationship in The Deal and John Logan and Grace Ivers’ romance in The Mistake.

However, the television version moves Allie and Dean’s romance into season 2, meaning the show’s timeline does not exactly follow the novels.

Those changes have left fans wondering how much of The Score will remain untouched.

Series creator and co-showrunner Louisa Levy has not revealed whether Beau’s storyline will unfold exactly as it does in the book, but she has warned viewers that season 2 will be emotional.

During Prime Video’s Obsessed Fest event, Levy teased that fans should expect “lots of tears” in the upcoming episodes.

That comment has only fueled speculation that Dean’s heartbreak will become one of the season’s biggest storylines.

Of course, the emotional drama will not overshadow the romance that fans are most excited to see.

Allie and Dean’s chemistry is expected to be one of the main attractions of season 2, with the pair bringing a different dynamic compared to the first season’s relationship between Garrett and Hannah.

Their story explores what happens when two people who seem completely different discover that they understand each other better than anyone else.

But for Dean, love alone may not be enough.

If the series follows the book, his biggest challenge will be learning how to face grief without losing himself. If the fan theory turns out to be true, his journey could become even more painful, forcing him to confront not only loss but also guilt over surviving.

Whether or not the accident storyline changes, one thing is clear: Off Campus season 2 will not be just a steamy romance.

Behind Allie and Dean’s flirtation, chemistry and emotional connection is a story about trauma, friendship and finding a way forward after unimaginable loss.

And if the fan theories are right, Dean’s heartbreak could be the moment that defines the entire season.