*Lily*As Adrian pulled into the garage of his building, doubt and apprehension gnawed at me. I wasn't expecting to bump into him while walking out of the bus station, let alone to be invited to have a conversation with him. I had agreed, not finding it within me to reject his offer to have a polite and innocent conversation, but I wasn't expecting him to bring me here, to his apartment.I had a million reasons to believe that wasn't a good idea. The biggest one being that I had no control of myself whenever he was near me. And coming to his apartment, just the two of us, suddenly felt like a premeditated failure.Uncertainty clutched at me as I pondered not going up. As if sensing my hesitation, Adrian turned to look at me as he turned the car off."Hey," Adrian said, his voice gentle yet firm. "We will just have a conversation. Whenever you want, I'll take you to Elysium. You just let me know."His words were soothing and reassuring. Not that I was expecting him to do anything
*Lily*My words seemed to be exactly what Adrian needed to hear to carry on with what we were doing. He claimed my lips once more, and his hand, masterful and unerring, darted to my ass, pulling me harder against him. I couldn't suppress the moan that escaped my throat as I felt the urgency of his touch.His mouth charted a fiery trail from my mouth, to my jaw, descending tortuously to the tender expanse of my neck and then further still, to my cleavage. With each brush of his lips, I arched my back, yearning to feel the heat of him across every inch of my skin.His fingers found the hem of my shirt, and with a fluidity born of impatience and longing, he peeled it over my head. The cool air of the room kissed my exposed skin, but the chill was nothing compared to the smoldering look he gave me. It was a gaze that devoured me, that seared into my soul and left me feeling vulnerable, yet enlivened.I could feel the weight of his stare on my black lacy bra, heated and intense upon t
*Lily*Adrian's hand lingered on my thigh for a fraction of a second longer than necessary as he dropped by the curb of Elysium later that night."Are you sure you don't want to stay with me tonight?" Adrian asked for the second time, drawing a smile out of me.After composing ourselves, we talked and forged an uneasy pact. If we were to be together again, we had to be more discreet, only meeting outside of the university. And even so, we'd have to be really careful not to go to places where Elysium students could see us.I was really adamant about sneaking out with him within campus and Adrian seemed fine with it, as long as I didn't push him away anymore."I’ve already told you," I explained again, rolling my eyes and pretending to be annoyed. "I need to prepare for classes tomorrow, and if I sleep with you at your place tonight, I'm a hundred percent sure we won't be able to wake up in time for class."Adrian smirked at me, a malicious grin that almost made me regret asking
*Lily*The moment the class was interrupted by a slight knock on the door the next morning, I did not expect that my day would take a completely different turn.I knew something was amiss when a young lady handed Professor Calhoun a note and he nodded, his eyes flicking around the classroom and finding me. The space seemed to constrict around me, the walls pressing in with a weight I couldn't shake off. I could feel everyone watching and tracing the trajectory from the unreadable expression on the professor's face to my trembling hands. Professor Calhoun nodded subtly toward the exit, his eyebrows furrowed. "Miss Everhart," he said, his voice penetrating the hushed murmurs that had erupted in the room, "the Dean requires your presence."Fear gripped me with such intensity, a cold knot forming in the pit of my stomach, that I was motionless for a second, waiting for my brain to digest the news.I had never been to the Dean's office before. Not in Elysium anyway. In my old coll
*Adrian*The world seemed dull and lifeless since I heard Lily had gotten expelled from Elysium. Chris had been the bearer of ill news, saying he heard someone saying they saw Lily walk into an Uber with her luggage. I didn't believe it at first, but when I tried to find her and couldn't, realization hit me like tons of bricks.I called and texted her countless times, but she never answered me, and that's when I knew things were indeed true. The realization settled like lead in my stomach; she was truly gone.Days had gone by ever since, and I couldn't come up with a plan. I didn't know what happened, other than that the Order was behind her expulsion. But that's all I had, and even though I had told Lily that I'd figure out a way to take them out of her tail, I hadn't had the time to think it through before they made their next move.When I realized, she was already out.The door to the editing room creaked open, pulling me away from my tumultuous thoughts. Chris’s voice cut th
*Lily*The world outside had continued its relentless spin, but within the walls of my father's house, time seemed to have slowed to a gentle crawl. Two weeks since the expulsion had reshaped my existence into something unrecognizable. I'd traded classrooms and libraries for the comforting monotony of domestic life, finding solace in the simple rhythm of household chores.I could tell my father wanted to say so much to me, but after I returned home carrying my luggage, my cheeks stained with tears, I knew he was trying to respect my space. He offered me words of comfort, of course, but I could see it in his eyes how upset he was for my situation.He didn't doubt me for a second; he knew I was innocent. In my opinion, he shared my frustration with the injustice I suffered, but we both understood that, as mere pawns in the chessboard of wealthy and influential people, we were powerless to fight the system.That's what probably bothered him the most.Whenever Dad wasn't working, my
*Adrian*After hearing that Louise was behind Lily's expulsion, I felt a hatred take over me in a way that I could barely control, threatening to erupt in an uncontrolled deluge of fury whenever I thought of it. I envisioned myself storming towards her, demanding she revoke the injustice she committed. But every time my mind was consumed by that idea, I clenched my fists, swallowing the acidic bile rising in my throat until I could think clearly. I couldn't do anything hasty. This wasn't anything small, a mere girl confrontation within college life.If this was it, I'd have wasted no time to run after Louise and demand she did something, anything to fix what she had done. But I had no such luck.This felt like climbing a mountain with no summit in sight.Now, more than ever, I understood Lily's fears. How could someone live like that, constantly watching over their shoulders? She had been right to be afraid. I blamed myself for not seeing it sooner, not taking this more serious
*Lily*When the final chime of my shift sang out, I untied my apron with a sense of finality, the fabric heavy with the scent of roasted beans and sweet syrups. As I stepped into the brisk evening air, a shiver chased up my spine from the chill and I wrapped my coat tighter around me to prevent the wind from cutting through.Before I turned the corner, I felt the familiar buzz of my phone in the pocket of my jacket. Rachel's name flashed across the screen, piercing the veil of avoidance I'd carefully crafted around myself. Perhaps I was finally starting to let the grief for losing my dreams behind me, or maybe I just really missed her, but I swiped the answer icon before doubt could reclaim me."Hello?""Li-Lily?" The voice on the other end trembled. "You answered," she breathed, relief coating her tone."Hi, Rachel..." My heart constricted, guilt taking hold of me as I heard how desolated she sounded. "I'm sorry. I just—""No, don't... I understand." Her words hitched, and I p