Conrad Declanโs POV โWhy is no one taking this play seriously? Opening night is in four days!โ Tiffany, the president of drama club, yelled as she tossed her script across the room.She was fuming, angry that Jenna and Liam didnโt show up for rehearsals. Where the hell are they?As Tiffany paced back and fort the drama club room, everyone else stepped back. She was never to be pissed off when she was already angry.โI knew we should have made Anika the leading lady!โ she yelled again and I could see Anika smiling at the other end of the room. She was obviously enjoying the whole thing.I quietly stepped out of drama club room to call Jenna. It wasnโt going through. I clenched my fists tightly as I made my way back to the class to check one last time. There, I met Lisa, seated on Jennaโs desk. Youโre probably wondering how I know her. Lisaโs the school Deanโs daughter so everybody knew her. I had seen her once or twice with Jenna, so I figured she might know her whereabouts.
Jenna Brooksโs POV I took one look at Conradโs furrowed eyebrows before I pushed my way through the growing crowd. I could hear some of them murmuring my name as I walked by.When I got to the ladies restroom, I let out the breath I wasnโt aware I had been holding. I leaned on the wall and slowly sank to my knees. I promised myself I wouldnโt cry. I sniffed loudly and looked up at tthe ceiling so the tears wouldnโt room down my cheeks. I did it every now and then until I calmed down. *****************โIโm really sorry, Liam. Please respond to my texts.โ I typed, and my fingers hovered around the send button before tapping on it.I set my phone down and slowly laid on my bed like a lifeless person. That was the nineth text I had sent to Liam and he hadnโt responded to any. I knew he was angry and I desperately wanted to apologize to him and go back to being friends again.I sprung up when my phone beeped. I had anticipated it to be a text from Liam but it wasnโt. It was a
Jenna Brooksโs POVA few days laterโฆ It was finally here, opening night. The long awaited night. The night had finally arrived, and the stage was set for the school play. The enchanting ambiance of the theater buzzed with anticipation as the familiar story of Cinderella was about to unfold. I sat in the small dressing room, gazing at my reflection in the mirror. I had barely made it pass these few days because Liam wasnโt by my side and Conrad was giving me a cold shoulder. I know I said I was done but it wasnโt as easy as I thought because I had to see Conrad everyday. In the morning, during breakfast, at school, and during dinner. There was no way I could avoid him and it seemed as though he had been taunting me because he always seemed to be wherever I was. It remained just a few days for his girlfriend to return and then, he would forget I even existed.And even with that, I had chosen to go through with the performance nonetheless. I wasnโt going to give him room to th
Jenna Brooksโs POV He leaned in, tilted my chin toward him with his finger and kissed me on the lips. As I opened my lips, he pushed his tongue to meet mime, losing his breath as he did. He cupped my cheek to keep me in the kiss as long as possible. The kiss wasnโt supposed to be this long. I pulled away quickly and out eyes locked. The way he looked at me was different. It was pure lust. The crowd erupted into a thunderous clap as Conrad took my hand and we both faced the crowd and bowed. The other casts also joined.Finally, it was all over!โOh my God, Jenna. The kiss at the end was lit!โ Tiffany, the president of drama club grasped my hand after we got backstage. I had never seen her smile so brightly at me. โThanks, Tiff.โ I replied.โDid you guys like, practice the kiss scene?โ She asked with furrowed eyebrows and I forced a smile.โNo, we didnโt.โโOh my God, you guys actually kissed! Whatโs your ship name now? Conna? Jenrad?โ Jeanette came to me as soon as Tiffany le
Jenna Brooksโs POV If I weren't so busy studying for my end-of-semester exams, I would have been overwhelmed with depression from Conrad and Toralei's constant public displays of affection. At home, I would lock myself in my room and either watch cheesy videos online or study. Then Toralei would tell me she had been studying in Conrad's room, but I knew they were doing more than just studying.At school, Liam and I would study together in the library because he knew I was avoiding Conrad and Toralei. I couldn't deny that I was jealous, but I also knew there was nothing I could do about it. I had to bury those feelings deep inside until they were nothing more than a slight indigestion.It was exam period, and the first semester was coming to an end. Most of the couples in school were excited for winter break because they had plans with their significant others, while I couldn't wait to visit Mum and Dad and escape from all the drama.Liam and I had just finished our study s
Jenna Brooksโs POV โThis is ridiculous. We don't have to do this," I said, backing away. "I think we should leave now, Liam." I stood up, grabbed Liam's arm, and pulled him up. "Sure, Jenna. I'm sure we can play some other time," Toralei said. "Thanks for understanding." Liam and I walked out of the house and onto the lawn. He led me to his car, a white Ferrari. He pressed the button on the automatic locks and opened the door for me. I sighed and sat down. He walked around the car and slid in next to me. Without saying anything, he pulled out of the driveway and turned on the radio. "You can drive?" I asked. "Was that a rhetorical question?" "Not really." He smiled at me. "Well, yes, Jenna. I can drive," he replied. He stared at me for a moment. "Look at you all dressed up. Are you that excited to hang out with me?" I smirked. "No. Well, what about you? Did you fall into a bucket of perfume?" "Isn't it good enough? It smells nice and cheerful." "I'll agree with that." It
Jenna Brooksโs POVโYes, you can kissโฆโLiam cut me off by crashing his lips to mine. As his lips touched mine, a flood of warmth filled my chest. And then I was kissing him back, open-mouthed, soft-lipped kissing-me-back, and at first I was nervous, but then he put his hand on the back of my head, and he stroked my hair in a reassuring way, and I was not so nervous anymore. It was a good thing I was sitting down, because I was already weak in the knees.The door opened, startling us, and a beautiful lady walked in. She had short brown hair and hazel eyes, and she was wearing a blue sapphire gown with ivory draping. It was definitely her, the woman I had seen in the photo downstairs."Oh my God, Mom?" Liam exclaimed.She was Liam's mom? She looked so young!She walked fully into the room, scanning the area before her eyes finally landed on me. I froze."Oh, you're so pretty," she said with a smile as she approached me. "What's your name?"I slowly stood up. "Jenna.""Well, you'r
Jenna Brooksโs POV. Liam and Auntie Laurel got along well when they finally met on a Saturday. Auntie Laurel had been insisting on meeting Liam for the past few days, and she was happy when I told her I was seeing someone. So, I decided to introduce them.Liam made a good impression on Auntie Laurel. He shook her hand, made eye contact, and didn't smell like smoke. Unlike most teenagers, Liam didn't smoke. Auntie Laurel seemed satisfied, and I couldn't help but feel that it was because Liam was good-looking. It was as if she could now be reassured that I wasn't unpopular at school.Jamie really liked Liam. He said Liam was a great athlete at school and did a good job running the student council. Jeanette even joked that she would date Liam if he were a girl because he was so good-looking. Conrad, on the other hand, didn't seem to care when Auntie Laurel told him about Liam. Toralei wasn't around either; she was in Paris for the weekend for her parents' art museum opening. But
Jenna Brooksโs POV As hugged Conrad tightly but he wasnโt hugging me back, I wasnโt sure why. I let my hands slip down to his waist and looked up at him but he wasnโt looking at me. It was like he donโt want to see me.I slowly let go of him and took a step back, searching his eyes. He didnโt say anything, instead, he held up his phone. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the screen. It was definitely Liam and I at the theater. How did this get to Conradโs phone? Who sent this to him? How long had he seen it? What did he think of me now? I had a lot of questions running in my mind. Questions I was just too afraid to ask because I was scared if what the answer might be."Someone sent this to me, Jenna. How could you lie to me? How could you be with Liam?" Conrad asked , his fists clenched as he took a step away from me.My face twisted in guilt. "Conrad, I..." I began, my voice barely above a whisper. โIโm so sorry. I should have told you about it. It meant nothing, it was f
Jenna Brooksโs POV"Sure, I'll be there in thirty minutes," I hesitated before finally clicking the send button on my phone.I placed my phone on my dresser and took one last look in the mirror. I was dressed in a tank top, jeans, and black high tops. My hair was thrown up in a messy bun.I grabbed my jacket and tucked my phone into my bag before leaving the room. Liam and I were going to see a play today, and he was already on his way to the theater.I had asked him not to pick me up from home because I didn't want him to see me. I had already lied to Conrad, telling him I was going to the library to avoid any potential issues.As I walked down the hallway, I paused in front of Conrad's room and opened the door, scanning the room with my eyes as I stood in the doorway."Conrad?" I called out softly, but there was no response. I entered the room completely and closed the door behind me.As I approached his bed, I suddenly felt hands wrap around my waist from behind. I recognized tha
Jenna Brooksโs POV"I... I don't know," I stuttered, and Liam smiled.I watched as he picked up his phone and stared at the screen for a moment before raising his head to look at me."The play is this weekend. If we go watch it, we can study the staging, characters, analyze the theme, set design, and performance history all in one go. That's like fixing ninety-five percent of the project in one day without burying your face in a book for days."It was a great idea, but I still had my doubts. Conrad was already worried about me being paired with Liam. He would flip if he knew we were going to watch a play together, which was more like watching a movie together."You're worried about Conrad?" Liam asked, setting his phone down on the desk with a smirk on his lips. "Don't you think you're overthinking? It's just a play. For a project. Emphasis on 'project.' It's not personal.""Alright," I replied, and I could see Liam's face light up.The play was the best option. It would save us time
Jenna Brooksโs PerspectiveI didn't like the way Liam glared at me when Mr. Bassett called both of our names, nor did I appreciate Conrad's annoyed reaction as he walked out of the class. It was unusual for him to be so angry out of nowhere. I wasn't sure if he was mad because I got paired with Liam or if it was something unrelated.As Mr. Bassett left the class, Liam slowly approached my desk and leaned in, placing his hand on it. He didn't say anything, as if he was waiting for me to speak."Hey," he finally whispered."Hi," I replied softly."My grades have slipped a bit, and I really need this project to improve them. Will you work with me?" He leaned in closer and smiled suddenly. "So, what do you say? Let's work together?"I stared at him for a moment before regaining my composure. This was too easy. I had expected him to make a big deal out of it, but he was ready to work together. Was there something I needed to be worried about?"Sure, let's make this work," I replied, and h
Conrad Declan's POV"I have no idea what to get my girlfriend for Valentine's Day," I said to Carter as I sat in a chair next to his bed.We were in the school nurse's office because Carter had indigestion and needed to lie down for an hour."Dude, you're only worried about Valentine's Day? What kind of friend are you?" he managed to say, trying to nudge me with his elbow but I dodged."Come on, you'll be up in no time. This is my first Valentine's Day with Jenna and I want it to be special," I said, tapping my foot anxiously.Being with Jenna was amazing. I loved her and wanted everything to be perfect on Valentine's Day. I wanted her to feel special because she was special to me."Relax, bro. I have an idea.""Really?""Yeah, but first, get me my phone," Carter said with a smirk."Where is it?""In my locker, I forgot to grab it."Sighing, I stood up. "I'm only doing this for Jenna."Carter smiled. "I know you're crazy about her. Now, go get it."Rolling my eyes, I left the nurse'
Jenna Brooksโs POVLiam was one of the few guys I knew that didnโt smoke but seeing him with a cigarette and thick smoke coming out of his mouth, broke me.When did he start smoking? Didnโt he know about the repercussions? He had never smoked, why did he suddenly pick up the habit now?A smirk curled up on his lips as soon as he saw me, โIf it isnโt Conradโs little girlfriend,โ he said in a sarcastic tone and leaned against the wall.His words didnโt hurt me as much as the sudden change in him. He was the opposite of what he used to be and it saddened me. I didnโt want to see him like this, I didnโt want him like this.โWhat happened to you?โ I asked as softly as I could as I took a step closer to him. He frowned, โWhat do you mean?โโYou know what I mean, Liam. This isnโt you.โ I said again. He took out the cigarette from his lips and tossed it aside.โI havenโt changed, itโs still me.โโNo, Liam. It isnโt. Everything about you is different now. Your hair is different, your dressing
Jenna Brooksโs POVThe same Liam who told me he would never dye his hair now had golden hair, the same Liam who told me he hated tattoos now had a cobra tattoo on the back of his palm, and the same Liam who hated ripped jeans was wearing one. What happened to him?Finally, I was able to find a breath and filled my lungs with air. โLiamโฆโ I trailed off.He smirked at me before taking his seat, unfortunately, the one in front of me.Conrad soon walked in and he was equally surprised to see Liam. He walked up to his chair and said, โItโs good to have you back, man,โ and then they fist-bumped.How? They werenโt even that close but he could fist bump him and not me? Conrad sat next me me and asked if I was okay. I nodded. Class soon commenced and I shut the thought of Liam out of my mind.***โWhat do you think?โ Conrad asked me as he put the necklace around my neck. It was silver with clear rhinestones. I loved it.The class had just ended and we had recess before after school study sess
Jenna Brooksโs POVConrad and I had been together for more than a week now and everything had been perfect so far. We had both dropped out of the prom king and queen race and now, our relationship was drama-free.Everybody knew about us, when I said everybody, I meant everybody. Auntie Laurel had been so happy when we told her about us, Jamie jokingly said I deserved better and Jeanette said she already saw it coming although she still hadnโt forgiven me for giving up prom queen after everything she had put into it.Everybody at school also knew about Conrad and I. Stig was disappointed when I told him about the whole change of plans but he forgave me after I found him another prom date. Toraleiโs reaction was the most shocking one. When I told her Conrad and I were now together and we both were dropping out of the race, she only said โCoolโ and then she walked away.But I knew there had to be something up her sleeves. I made both of us lose the chance of becoming prom queen, I would
Conrad Declanโs POVI leaned against the car as I waited for Jenna to step out. As I saw her walking out of the house, I felt like Iโd walked into a dream. My heart clenched, she looked beautiful in her sleeveless white gown.โHey,โ she said slowly, giving me a shy smile. I melted at the nervous look on her face but still, she had never looked this beautiful.โYou look amazing,โ I said and she smiled coyly and looked away. I pushed the button on the automatic locks and opened the car door for her. She sighed and sat down. I walked around the car and slid in next to her. Without saying anything, I pulled out of the driveway and turned on the radio. โHow about we watch a movie?โ I asked, glancing at Jenna before glancing back at the road.โSure,โ she said dryly and I frowned.โYou donโt sound enthusiastic,โ โNo, we can do whatever you want,โ she said. There was silence for a moment before she spoke again, โAnd, thank you.โI concentrated on the road, as I said, โFor what?โโI would p