Novels by Yasmin

LARAI gripped my car keys a little too tightly as I stared at Hades. The tension between us was so thick it felt like it was pressing down on my chest."Come on, I’ll drive you home," I said, nodding toward my car parked a few spaces away. "We can talk."Hades shook his head instantly, not even considering the offer. "I’ll walk."I exhaled sharply, my patience wearing thin. "Seriously? Why are you acting like this?" I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "You have no reason to shut me out, Hades. My dad and I—" I stopped myself, frustration boiling over. "We helped you. We helped your mom. And now, when something’s obviously wrong, you’re pushing me away?"His jaw clenched, his shoulders stiff as if he were bracing for a fight. But instead of snapping back, he just looked away, like he didn’t even want to be having this conversation."It’s not about shutting you out," he muttered after a moment. "I just—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "I just need to deal with it on my own."I

HADESI followed Mr. Zane into his office, the door closing behind me with a quiet thud. The room felt suffocating, the smell of old books and faint traces of coffee filling the air. Mr. Zane gestured for me to take a seat, his expression unreadable.“Take a seat, Mr. Giovanni,” he said, his tone calm but with an underlying sharpness that made me feel like I was being scrutinized under a microscope.I sat down, the chair creaking beneath me, and tried to keep my cool. I had no idea what this was about. The tension in the room was thick, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.Mr. Zane leaned forward, folding his hands together on the desk. He studied me for a moment, as if measuring his words carefully. “You’ve been walking around with bruises on your face, Mr. Giovanni. I assume you’re aware of that.”I stiffened. Of course, I knew about the bruises. I didn’t exactly have the luxury of avoiding them, not with the life I was living. But I wasn’t about to explain that

I felt so relieved when Mr. Zane told those policemen off. The tension in the air seemed to dissolve in an instant, like a heavy weight lifted from my chest. My heart slowed, and I dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, Hades would be okay. But that relief was short-lived when Mr. Zane turned to Hades and said those words."Follow me to my office."My stomach sank. I could feel my pulse quicken, the weight of the situation crashing down on me again. Why did Mr. Zane want him in his office? Was it something more than just a talk? My gaze flicked from Hades to the policemen, then back to Mr. Zane, whose face remained unreadable.Hades, for his part, didn’t resist. His expression was neutral, but there was something about the way he walked toward the principal’s office that made my insides twist. It was like he had already accepted whatever came next, like he knew this was another thing he had to deal with. But I couldn’t shake the fear that something bad was going to happen.I stood froz

HADESI had just finished texting Lara, her last message making me feel lighter than I had in days.Lara: “Of course. Meet at the courtyard?”Me: “Yeah. Can’t wait.”Lara: “Me either :)”Sliding my phone into my pocket, I headed to class, feeling like maybe things were finally falling into place. Life wasn’t perfect, but having her around made the weight I carried easier to bear. Between Lara, Marcus, and knowing my mom was finally in a safe place, I felt like I could handle anything.Until I heard the voice behind me.“Excuse me.”I turned to see two cops approaching, their expressions serious but calm. My stomach dropped.“Hades Giovanni?” the taller one asked.My entire body went rigid. “Yeah, that’s me.”“We need you to come with us.”My mind immediately raced through every possible scenario. My dad. It had to be him. Either he’d done something, or he’d found a way to drag me into one of his messes again.I swallowed hard, trying not to let the unease show on my face. “Why?”The s

LARAI was walking down the hallway, a slight bounce in my step. The past few weeks had been nothing short of amazing. Hades and I were finally in a good place, and I felt like nothing could ruin my mood. That is, until Hector decided to step in my way.He leaned against the lockers, blocking my path, with that smug grin plastered across his face. “Well, if it isn’t the school’s charity worker,” he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Tell me, Lara, what’s it like slumming it with Hades? Are you trying to save him or something? Because, newsflash, you can’t.”I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes at him. “Excuse me?” I said, my voice sharp. “What I do and who I care about is none of your business, Hector.”“Oh, but it is,” he said, crossing his arms. “You’re dragging our school’s reputation through the mud by parading around with someone like him. It’s pathetic, really. You’re way out of his league.”My fists clenched at my sides, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of

HADES The door closed behind them, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the apartment was quiet. Not the suffocating silence of home, filled with tension and unspoken anger, but the kind of quiet that felt… peaceful. I turned to my mom. She was standing in the middle of the living room, her small frame looking even smaller amidst the new furniture. She ran her fingers over the edge of the couch like she couldn’t believe it was real. “Mom,” I said gently, stepping closer. She looked up at me, her eyes glassy but filled with something I hadn’t seen in years—hope. “Hades, this is… this is too much. They’ve done so much. That girl…” Her voice broke, and she shook her head. “That girl and her father—what kind of people just give so much without expecting anything in return?” I didn’t have an answer. “Good people,” I said simply. “People we’re not used to.” Her lips trembled as she sank onto the couch. “Do you think it’s okay for us to stay here? Do we deserve this?