DAVINA I shouldn't drink. At least, I shouldn't drink anything alcoholic before I was the right age. The thing is, I needed a drink. A lot. The conversation I had with Timmy three days ago in hospital both terrified me and created a certain hope, which is crazy, since he made me promise to stay away from Gutemberg Ramsey under threat, yes, Gutemberg Ramsey, I say his full name because he's not there, in fact, I've repeated his name countless times since I found out, and I don't intend to stop. He could also be a Ghost, considering I'd never seen him before that day in the hospital, and I've never been so scared in someone's presence. Scared and on all fours. I nearly had a heart attack when he opened the bedroom door and I fell to my knees on the floor in the most humiliating position. Urgh. Unbelievable. I rest my eyes on the three blinking dots on the cell phone Sissy has been typing on since I told her about my sister's ex leading a double life. I wasn't sure I was going to t
DAVINA I'm so immersed in the conversation with Sissy that I only notice the confusion around me when it's too late. My mom yells at my dad, defending Pryia and blaming him, again, the chaotic news is that he responds with the same intensity. I almost reach for my headphones before she sends him away from the house screaming.In an instant, I jump out of bed and hurry into the living room to avoid a bigger disaster.I'm also reaching my limit with them, it's like my parents have been replaced by beings from another planet. Before Priya left, I don't remember witnessing fights between them, in fact, they barely communicated beyond what was necessary. I think their marriage wasn't going well and my sister's sudden departure was the trigger."What are you doing?" All the neighbors will hear it!"Stay out of it, Davina. My father grumbled, looking disoriented. As I approached him, I realized why. He was drunk, something that was becoming more and more frequent."Your father lost all
GUTEMBERGI ran my finger down the page of the book one last time, memorizing the final sentence and reflecting on it for a second before saying goodbye to the story.If anyone asks me, I don't like books. A lie I've invented and reinvented several times to erase the memory of an altruistic and loving mother who no longer exists. For the gossip sites, I'm the stripped-down and adventurous heir. For the members and brothers of the faction I'm part of, I'm the shadow, the blade, the Ghost. Most of them don't know where I came from or what my real role is, but they all look for me.But in my room, I'm a lover of contemporary novels. It all started with biographies, then adventure and mystery books, then somehow I stumbled across novels.I rest my head on the pillow and retrieve my cell phone from between the sheets. As soon as it lights up, Midnight's name appears. He wants me to go back to the Hill and deal with his new pet, Aaron Taylor. I say a huge no, because I'm not a bloody babysi
DAVINAThe square was deserted. Not even the sound of a breeze dared to break the silence. The yellowish lights of the streetlamps cast long, restless shadows, distorting the outline of the benches and sparse trees. My heart beat like a muffled storm. I looked at him with hatred. Ghost. That nickname came to mind as naturally as the contempt I felt. If Gutemberg had disappeared with my sister, then now I would disappear with his peace.I crouched down, clutching the shard of glass I'd found on the ground earlier. Just one blow to the rearview mirror... that's all, I kept repeating in my head. The thought of destroying something of his ignited a dark rage that I tried to control.But before I could act, I heard the familiar sound of a car door opening. It descended slowly, as if waiting for something. His silhouette stood out against the streetlamp, tall and calm. He always seemed to be in control, always one step ahead, as if I were the rebellious girl he could ignore. This irritated m
DAVINAThe room was dark, and it took a while for my eyes to identify where I was. It was only in the dim light coming from the open window, through which lightning occasionally illuminated the space, that I identified Timmy's room. The simple decoration, without much identity, with only a banner on the wall of some strange horror movie, was different from his children's room, which was decorated by walls with hearts and children's drawings, since he shared the space with his younger sister. I looked at the clock on the bedside table, realizing that I had only slept for forty minutes.The shirt he'd given me was wrapped around my waist, and I was also wearing one of his underpants, a purchase I'd made myself from one of his drawers. I pulled the soft fabric of his shirt up to my nose and the smell of him invaded me. It was a comforting sensation, but also a dangerous one. I looked at myself in the bedroom mirror for a moment, my still damp hair falling around my shoulder
DAVINA'' What are you watching? ''I asked, sitting down next to him. He gave me a sideways glance and pushed the bowl of popcorn onto my lap. I grabbed a handful and shoveled it into my mouth.'' Quiet, this is the best part.''I rolled my eyes, identifying the grotesque movie by the scene.The movie had barely started, and I could already feel the tension in the air. Halloween, a classic that Timmy loved, was playing on the TV in front of me. I pretended to be completely calm, but the truth was that horror movies always made me nervous, especially the ones he loved. The high''pitched sounds, the tense soundtrack... my stomach churned.Sitting next to him on the sofa, I pulled the blanket over me, trying to hide my discomfort. He was so focused that he barely blinked.'' You really love this thing, don't you?" I muttered, giving a smile to lighten the mood.He gave a crooked smile without taking his eyes off
TIMMYLeaving her behind made me angry. I should have stayed, made up an excuse that would convince Midnight and cause the rest of the guys to empathize, and stayed. But no, I had to take the call and abandon her warm, soft body. Davina is stubborn, hard-headed and full of ideas of revenge. And me, well... I'm a coward for trying to protect her from afar. But I know that this dirty side of life will only destroy her, and I can't allow that.Now, here I am, in the old plastic shed, waiting to hear Aaron's plan. Part of me wants to pick a fight with someone and get sent home, just to finish what I started with her, instead of getting stuck deeper and deeper in this hole with these guys.The smell of rust and mildew surrounds me as my footsteps echo on the crumbling floor. In the dark, I can barely see the shadows of the others, but I recognize the sound of heavy boots. Gutemberg.''Timmy," he calls, his voice low and rough, but I don'
TIMMYLeaving her behind made me angry. I should have stayed, made up an excuse that would convince Midnight and cause the rest of the guys to empathize, and stayed. But no, I had to take the call and abandon her warm, soft body. Davina is stubborn, hard-headed and full of ideas of revenge. And me, well... I'm a coward for trying to protect her from afar. But I know that this dirty side of life will only destroy her, and I can't allow that.Now, here I am, in the old plastic shed, waiting to hear Aaron's plan. Part of me wants to pick a fight with someone and get sent home, just to finish what I started with her, instead of getting stuck deeper and deeper in this hole with these guys.The smell of rust and mildew surrounds me as my footsteps echo on the crumbling floor. In the dark, I can barely see the shadows of the others, but I recognize the sound of heavy boots. Gutemberg.''T
GUTEMBERGMy apartment was too quiet. The only thing that broke the silence was the sound of the city lights coming through the windows, illuminating the white marble and the perfect lines of the kitchen. It was the kind of place that should make someone feel on top of the world. To me, lately, it just seemed empty. My sister wasn't there. Again. Her room was dark when I passed by, and something told me that she had gone to our parents' house. This bothered me more than I wanted to admit. Not that I could blame her, they can be persuasive when they want to be.''Are you going to tell me what the hell that was all about last night, or am I going to have to get the truth out of you? '' Vincent's voice broke through my thoughts.He was leaning against the bench, with that casual air he always carried, but his eyes... His blue eyes were dark, almost gray
DAVINAInside Aaron's car, with the radio playing some pop song I didn't recognize, I tried to ignore the throbbing in my temple. After all, bad days happen, but mine seemed especially committed to not ending.''Thanks for getting me out of that idiot's clutches. It was stupid of me to stay after class to talk to you '' I said, letting out a slow breath, still remembering Tom's pretentious smile.Aaron snorted, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. ''You should situate the guy. He's a teacher, one complaint, and he'll be off your back in no time.''I turned my head, arching an eyebrow. ''I'm not going to ruin anyone's life, Aaron. Besides, a student having an affair with a rich teacher? You know who's going to be the villain in this story.''
DAVINAMy throat tightened, and the world around me seemed to crumble once again.The classroom seemed more suffocating than ever. Every second seemed to drag by, but my mind was elsewhere. I tried to concentrate on the muffled sound of the rain outside, but all I could do was go back to the problems at home. My father, the debts, Timmy. It was a weight that seemed to pull me under. Our family already owed money to Gutemberg, did my father really need to dig deeper and make new problems?''Davina! ''Tom's firm voice cut through my thoughts.I looked up and stared at him, not hiding my annoyance. He looked at me as if I were a personal challenge that he was determined to overcome.''Are you here, or do you prefer to keep wandering around in your own head?''I felt the whole room
DAVINAThe sky was beginning to lighten when I decided to leave. I didn't want to be there when Timmy came back. Facing that half-debauched, half-shy smile as we tried to ignore what had happened... no, I wasn't ready for that. In fact, I was trying not to think about it, but it was no use.Every step I took seemed to echo with memories of the kiss. The taste of him was still in my mouth, and the sensation of his touch... it just wouldn't leave my head. It was a mixture of warmth and chaos that I didn't know how to deal with. The way he held my face, the way his fingers seemed to want to say what words could not.I took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on the sound of my footsteps on the wet sidewalk. The rain had stopped, and the stree
TIMMYLeaving her behind made me angry. I should have stayed, made up an excuse that would convince Midnight and cause the rest of the guys to empathize, and stayed. But no, I had to take the call and abandon her warm, soft body. Davina is stubborn, hard-headed and full of ideas of revenge. And me, well... I'm a coward for trying to protect her from afar. But I know that this dirty side of life will only destroy her, and I can't allow that.Now, here I am, in the old plastic shed, waiting to hear Aaron's plan. Part of me wants to pick a fight with someone and get sent home, just to finish what I started with her, instead of getting stuck deeper and deeper in this hole with these guys.The smell of rust and mildew surrounds me as my footsteps echo on the crumbling floor. In the dark, I can barely see the shadows of the others, but I recognize the sound of heavy boots. Gutemberg.''T
TIMMYLeaving her behind made me angry. I should have stayed, made up an excuse that would convince Midnight and cause the rest of the guys to empathize, and stayed. But no, I had to take the call and abandon her warm, soft body. Davina is stubborn, hard-headed and full of ideas of revenge. And me, well... I'm a coward for trying to protect her from afar. But I know that this dirty side of life will only destroy her, and I can't allow that.Now, here I am, in the old plastic shed, waiting to hear Aaron's plan. Part of me wants to pick a fight with someone and get sent home, just to finish what I started with her, instead of getting stuck deeper and deeper in this hole with these guys.The smell of rust and mildew surrounds me as my footsteps echo on the crumbling floor. In the dark, I can barely see the shadows of the others, but I recognize the sound of heavy boots. Gutemberg.''Timmy," he calls, his voice low and rough, but I don'
DAVINA'' What are you watching? ''I asked, sitting down next to him. He gave me a sideways glance and pushed the bowl of popcorn onto my lap. I grabbed a handful and shoveled it into my mouth.'' Quiet, this is the best part.''I rolled my eyes, identifying the grotesque movie by the scene.The movie had barely started, and I could already feel the tension in the air. Halloween, a classic that Timmy loved, was playing on the TV in front of me. I pretended to be completely calm, but the truth was that horror movies always made me nervous, especially the ones he loved. The high''pitched sounds, the tense soundtrack... my stomach churned.Sitting next to him on the sofa, I pulled the blanket over me, trying to hide my discomfort. He was so focused that he barely blinked.'' You really love this thing, don't you?" I muttered, giving a smile to lighten the mood.He gave a crooked smile without taking his eyes off
DAVINAThe room was dark, and it took a while for my eyes to identify where I was. It was only in the dim light coming from the open window, through which lightning occasionally illuminated the space, that I identified Timmy's room. The simple decoration, without much identity, with only a banner on the wall of some strange horror movie, was different from his children's room, which was decorated by walls with hearts and children's drawings, since he shared the space with his younger sister. I looked at the clock on the bedside table, realizing that I had only slept for forty minutes.The shirt he'd given me was wrapped around my waist, and I was also wearing one of his underpants, a purchase I'd made myself from one of his drawers. I pulled the soft fabric of his shirt up to my nose and the smell of him invaded me. It was a comforting sensation, but also a dangerous one. I looked at myself in the bedroom mirror for a moment, my still damp hair falling around my shoulder
DAVINAThe square was deserted. Not even the sound of a breeze dared to break the silence. The yellowish lights of the streetlamps cast long, restless shadows, distorting the outline of the benches and sparse trees. My heart beat like a muffled storm. I looked at him with hatred. Ghost. That nickname came to mind as naturally as the contempt I felt. If Gutemberg had disappeared with my sister, then now I would disappear with his peace.I crouched down, clutching the shard of glass I'd found on the ground earlier. Just one blow to the rearview mirror... that's all, I kept repeating in my head. The thought of destroying something of his ignited a dark rage that I tried to control.But before I could act, I heard the familiar sound of a car door opening. It descended slowly, as if waiting for something. His silhouette stood out against the streetlamp, tall and calm. He always seemed to be in control, always one step ahead, as if I were the rebellious girl he could ignore. This irritated m