“Shut her up before someone else sees,” David barked.A cloth was pressed over my mouth and nose before I could scream again. I held my breath, trying to fight it, but eventually, I had to inhale. The world began to spin, and darkness crept in at the edges of my vision.The last thing I saw before l
NoahThe single text from Hannah stared up at them from their screens: “WATERFALL!”“Waterfall…?” Zoe muttered, scratching her head as she looked at her own screen. “Has Hannah finally lost it?”Drake pursed his lips. “Maybe she’s playing a prank…”Noah wanted to side with the others and believe tha
“Well… At the bar earlier, there was this guy,” Emma explained. “He was hitting on Hannah, wanted to buy her a drink. He mentioned something about a hiking trail nearby with a waterfall at the end.”Noah’s ears perked up at this. “A guy was hitting on Hannah? She didn’t go anywhere with him, did she
Hannah“Hello, Hannah. I see you’re already dressed for a swim.”I didn’t even have a chance to be scared about that statement; I could only stare at Jake in disbelief, my mind reeling from his sudden appearance. This wasn’t the Jake that I knew. Yes, he was a cheater and a liar, but a kidnapper? An
I grimaced at the thought, but said nothing.Jake’s eyes flashed dangerously as he continued. “I was so close, too. Just a month until the wedding. And it would have worked perfectly if you hadn’t stuck your nose where it didn’t belong. You and your little schemes to figure me out. And now Amber has
NoahNoah’s knuckles were white as a sheet on the steering wheel as the car sped along the winding mountain roads. His keen eyes scanned the darkness frantically, looking for any sign of the trailhead that Zoe had mentioned, but saw nothing other than dense trees and outcrops of jagged rocks lining
“Okay, Hannah,” Noah said, trying to keep his voice calm so as not to raise any suspicions as he pushed the car faster again. “I hear you. But five million dollars is a lot of money. I need some time to arrange the transfer. In the meantime, can you tell me more about what happened? Are you hurt?”A
HannahThe stars twinkled over our heads as Noah and I lay on the roof of mine and my sister’s rental house. The air was warm with a slight breeze, just cool enough to be comfortable inside of Noah’s oversized hoodie. At fifteen, I felt both young and old, caught between childhood and adulthood. No
“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect. Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.” Amber was already at my side, helping m
Hannah The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in. It was the day of our wedding. In le
Hannah Mornings had gotten louder since Melody learned to walk. And she wasn’t just walking—she was trying to run, arms flapping and her chubby legs barely holding her up as she went. This morning, she seemed to be hell bent on dashing down the hallway as Noah tried to brush his teeth and I hunted
I laughed, hoping it sounded more natural than I felt. “Hey, I can spoil you once in a while if I want. Just because it’s a Thursday doesn’t mean I can’t surprise you.” We chatted about our day as we ate, filling each other in on all the usual things. But every so often, his eyes would flicker to
Hannah My hands shook a little as I straightened the delicate flower crown over Melody’s soft hair, adjusting it so the petals framed her tiny face just right. She blinked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, slapping her hands contentedly on the top of her high chair. I smiled as I ran my f
Hannah By the time we stepped out of the ring, it felt as if my entire body was on fire. Every muscle seemed to be taut, every heartbeat one thump away from shifting. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run circles around the building or maybe tear up the walls like a caged animal. What was wrong wit
Hannah For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, I sidestepped Drake’s punch with ease, narrowly dodging his hook. Training with him had become an obsession of mine lately. He’d pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected, helping me learn how to use my speed and endurance instead of relying on
Noah pushed himself harder, letting out a playful howl as he gained on her, the hunt pulsing through his veins like a drug. She glanced back, her ears twitching, and he saw her eyes flash with excitement before she put on an extra burst of speed. It became a game of cat and mouse, each of them pus
Noah For the millionth time that morning, Noah’s gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window. The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape. Just seeing the expans