OLIVIAAiden approaches me, his every step bringing him closer until he is standing right in front of me. My heart pounds in my chest, and I grip the book even more tightly in my trembling hands.He leans against my desk, crossing his arms and legs in a casual pose, looking every bit the model on the front of a fashion magazine."What are you doing?" He asks in a low voice, smooth and calm.I shake my head, mute. "Nothing," I manage to say.Why am I not angry yet? I can't summon the anger I know I should feel. I should be livid that he kept me waiting, but instead I feel frozen and tongue-tied. I can't let him see the book I am reading. He might mock me. And yet, I can't help the way my stomach flutters when he looks at my breasts. His gaze is like a caress, making me feel like my boobs are treasures he has finally found."I don't think so," He mutters, his eyes not leaving me for a second.His eyes wander around the room, sweeping over my desk, the curtains, and the neatly-made bed.
I summon all my strength to push myself away from Aiden, and pull myself to my feet. I smooth out my gown as I try to regain my composure.I look toward the door, half-expecting to see Sarah on the other side, but she does not appear. I hear the sound of the door across the hall creaking open. Sarah heads to her own room without stepping foot into mine.I let out a sigh of relief. I nearly dodged a bullet there.Lesson learned: no more messing around with Aiden, or any guy for that matter, when Sarah is in the house. That is way too close for comfort.I am never trying that again. I can't risk jeopardizing my already messed up relationship with Sarah, not over a guy - especially not Aiden, her best friend. The thought of what might have happened if she had caught us like that makes my skin crawl. I don't even want to think about it.One wrong move, and I would have lost the trust I have been working so hard to earn from her. I am not willing to risk it.I turn my attention to the bed
OLIVIAThere are some people you should avoid with all that is in you. You should avoid them at all costs. You must make sure they don't cross your path, and you don't cross theirs.Now, this blonde is one of those people. One of the people you should stay away from. Because I don't see any reason why someone should hate me for no reason. I have heard people say they have haters. Even my sister, Sarah, has people who hate her. But I thought it should be for just popular people. I don't understand why this dumb blonde should be hating on me, and trying to get on my nerves. I don't even do anything to her. Aiden canceled his date, but I had nothing to do with his decision. He did it because he wanted to.I don't understand why this blonde woman is trying to shift the blame onto me. What did I do to deserve this? "Hey, who are you?" Ashley blurts out, pulling me out of my thoughts.The blonde tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a knowing smirk on her face. What is she playing
OLIVIA"Where do you even hear about these parties?" I ask. "Do you have a source that keeps you up to date on the dates and locations?"Ashley pauses her search through my shelves for makeup items, turning to look at me. "I have my ways," She replies, with a smirk on her face. I can feel my brows knitting together, more confused than ever. Her answer only makes me even more curious, but I am not sure if I really want to know the answer. I don't even want to go to the party, if I am being honest. But it seems like Ashley has made up her mind to get me ready.“There it is!" Ashley cries out, raising a tube of eyeliner above her head. "It took me forever to find this! Fuck me, I can't believe I forgot to bring my makeup bag," She adds, shaking her head.I give a half shrug. "To be honest, I don't even remember owning an eyeliner. I have no clue where it came from, but I am pretty sure I didn't buy it myself," I utter. "Of course not. You are way too boring to bother with makeup," Ash
OLIVIASilence hangs in the air. The only sound is the music from the main room of the party. Gold teeth guy chuckles, but it quickly turns into a full blown laugh. “You are just blowing hot air. Empty threats, bro,” He says between laughs. I look at Aiden. He has a blank look on his face. His face and his level tone still makes my skin crawl. I want to think he is just kidding around, but something tells me he's being serious. He has no weapon on him. How could he possibly hurt anyone? What's he talking about?“You don't know what I am capable of,” Aiden says, in a low voice that's barely above a whisper.“Trust me, I'll kiss this bitch and there's nothing you can do about it,” Gold teeth guy taunts, his face twisted into a cruel smile.“You touch her, and you'll be six feet under,” Aiden retorts, one of his hands disappearing into his pocket. His face is still calm. He looks almost bored. How can he say those words while having a blank look on his face? How can he look so hot wh
OLIVIAAiden's grip on my thighs grows stronger, and he pushes me more firmly against the wall.The words I said seem to have a sensual effect on him, turning him on. I can feel his hardness pressing against me, sending shivers down my spine. I'm surprised by the thrill it sends through me. I like it. He deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth in a way that makes my heart race. It is as if he wants to consume every part of me. And, I love every little bit of what he's doing to my body. I don't want him to stop. I feel my hands moving on their own, reaching for his t-shirt and tugging at the hem.I don't know where the sudden boldness that fills me comes from.I want to see him without the barrier of clothes between us. I want to run my fingers all over his body. He pulls away from the kiss. Our eyes meet, a stormy darkness that draws me in. Desire. All I can see in his deep brown eyes is pure desire, a spark of need and want that threatens to consume me.I look away, an
OLIVIAMy phone buzzes loudly from the bedside table, jolting me from my sleep. I reach out and grab my phone. I squint at the screen, trying to read the message. A wave of relief washes over me when I see it is just a text from Mirabel.The message read, "You need to rest and take care of yourself. You can take the day off. Just relax and look after your health."I bite my bottom lip, feeling a pang of guilt wash over me. I had lied to Mirabel , telling her that I was too ill to come into work.In a way, this is true. I'm really ill, but mentally. I'm mentally unwell. I just want to stay in bed all day, wrapped up in my covers.I know it is too early for me to be missing work, but I can't help myself. It feels wrong to take advantage of Mirabel's kindness, but I can't muster the energy to face the customers and coworkers. I am not just in the right frame of mind for it.I toss my phone onto the nightstand. I try to relax, resting my head on the pillow. I shut my eyes tight, willing m
OLIVIAAiden's breath caresses my ear, making me feel weak in the knees. Even after what he has done to me, he still has this effect on me. Butterflies flutter in my stomach, just as they had the first time I set my eyes on him. I struggle to find my voice.“I don't want to hear anything from you," I pause, stepping back. It takes every ounce of strength I have to create even that small distance between us.“I am mad at you,” I add. Aiden shoves his hands into his hoodie pockets, his gaze fixed on me. His eyes are a deep brown, and they seem to see right through me. I hate how he always looks so calm and composed, no matter what. But, even more frustrating is the fact that I still find him so attractive.I am supposed to be mad at him. So, why do I still notice the way his hair falls across his forehead, or the way his lips look soft and pink. What's wrong with me? Am I even okay? “I know you are probably furious with me, and I can't blame you for that," He utters. "You have
AIDEN Three months later… “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you, Aiden!" I wish I could block my ears so I wouldn't have to hear them singing this birthday song. I think it's really cringe. I don't even know what to do, how to act while they sing. I just stand there, my eyes locked on my girl. She's the only one whose singing doesn't make me cringe. Olivia has a big smile on her face, like she is more excited than I am and I'm the one clocking a new age. She even organized this whole thing, insisting I should celebrate with friends. And somehow, she got me to agree. So, here we are, having a mini party at my place with Bryan, Sarah, and Ashley. I turn 21 today. I'm in a better place; I feel loved. That's a good reason to celebrate. Olivia walks over to me and hands me a knife. "You can cut the cake now," She says. I nod and smile at her. Just as I position the knife and about to cut the cake, a voice interrupts me. "Don't cut the cake like it's your opp," Bryan jokes
OLIVIA Why the hell am I freaking out? It's just a date—a date with my boyfriend. This isn't the first, second, or third time I am going out with him. So, why am I feeling flutters all over my stomach? What's wrong with me? It's funny, even though he told me we are just going to see a movie, I can't help the butterflies in my stomach. It's always been like this. Whenever I see him, a part of me feels like a little girl getting her favorite treat. Is it normal that I still feel this way about him, even though our relationship is more than a month old? I can't get enough of him. I don't think I ever will. I know what I need now—a damn grip on myself. I haven't even picked out what to wear yet. If Aiden shows up and I am not ready, he'll tease me about how I always make us late. I really don’t want that. I walk to my closet. It’s just a movie date, right? Something simple will do. I consider jeans but then think better of it. I want to wear something cute. A mini dress it is. I grab
OLIVIAI blink my eyes open, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.The first thing I feel is the warmth beneath me, the gentle rise and fall of Aiden's chest. His breathing is the only sound I want to hear. I raise my head, letting my gaze linger on his face. He's still asleep, calm as ever. There's something about seeing him like this that makes my heart flutter. His messy hair falls across his forehead, and I reach up to brush it aside, my fingers lightly tracing his skin. He stirs a little but doesn't wake, only tightening his grip around me.A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. I think about us. What I love most is that, no matter what happens, we always find our way back to each other. We choose each other, again and again. If that is not love, I don’t know what is.I press a kiss to his chest, then shift just enough to reach his lips, kissing him there too. Is this what forever feels like? With him, wrapped in his arms, it certainly feels that way.Enough of
AIDENI slide into my car, the loud bass from the party music fading as the door closes behind me. I slam my fist on the steering wheel, regret boiling inside me. I’ve never regretted anything in my life, but this might be the first. I wish I’d never come to this party, let alone convinced her to join me.Where the hell is Olivia? Who did she follow? Why did I leave her alone like that? My mind spins, and the more I think about it, the more I blame myself. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so stupid, she wouldn’t have left.I don’t want to be here at this party anymore. But, I can’t just drive home, not knowing where my girlfriend is or who she is with. I pull out my phone—this is my only hope. If I can reach her and know she’s safe, at least half my worries will be eased.I dial her number. I heave a sigh of relief as the ringing echoes through the car. At least the call is going through this time, but she doesn’t answer.A line forms between my brows. Why isn’t she picking up?
AIDENI lean against the wall, watching Marcel pace back and forth in front of me. We're in a dimly lit room, the smell of smoke thick in the air. I take a long drag from my cigarette, feeling the familiar burn in my lungs. "When did you get back from Italy?" I ask."Two days ago," He answers.I had been with my friends at the main venue of the party when I spotted Marcel. I remember thinking it was the right time to tell him about my decision to leave the drug scene. Marcel has been quiet since I broke the news, I wonder what's on his mind."Aiden," He calls out, pulling me from my train of thoughts. "Are you really sure about this? You're just going to walk away from everything?"I exhale slowly, watching the smoke curl up toward the ceiling. "Yes, I'm sure," I say.I know this news shocked him. I never imagined I'd reach the point where I'd decide to quit drug dealing, the life I've known for so long. But, it's time. I've chosen to leave the darkness behind, and there's no turning
OLIVIASarah squeezes her eyes shut, then slowly opens them again."I know I haven't been a good sister to you. I've never treated you the way an older sister should," She admits.My eyes widen. Where is this coming from? Is she just messing with me again?"Why are you saying all this?" I ask. "This isn't like you. You never care how you treat me, whether I like it or not."Sarah takes a deep breath. "You're making me feel worse than I already do. I know I've been awful. Deep down, I knew it was wrong, but I just couldn't stop myself."She continues. "When our parents divorced, I completely lost myself. I didn't know how to handle the pain, let alone be there for you. So I started hanging out with my friends, and I abandoned you. I know that too.""I was lost too," I say, my lips trembling. "We could have supported each other, but even before the divorce, you were never there for me. It was always you and your friends. You never cared about me."Sarah rakes her fingers through her hai
~ TWO WEEKS LATER ~OLIVIACrazy. That is the only word that comes to mind as I stand in the middle of the crowded room, the noise and chaos around me growing louder. My eyes sweep the room. Smoke fills the air from countless cigarettes. The music is blaring. Bottles are littered across the floor. People are grinding on each other, drunk and reckless. If they're not smoking or making out, they're definitely drunk. Some are doing all three at once.I've been to a few parties before, but none as wild as this. This is insanity. What should I call this? Aiden's world? And where the hell is Aiden? He’s still not back from the car.Aiden and I arrived at the party just a few minutes ago, and he had to go get his phone, which he forgot in the car, while I chose to stay here and wait for him. I regret that decision now. I should’ve just followed him back to the car. Aiden invited me to this party. He said it had been a long time since he attended one, and he wanted me to go with him. You
AIDENThe warm breeze washes over me, sending shivers across the skin as I reach the lake. The lake is our favorite place - always calm in the afternoon, with a secluded spot we've claimed as our own. We’ve been here countless times before Sarah decided to call it our special place. It’s become a routine for us to visit two or three times a week. But now, I am not sure how much longer that will continue. I have a girlfriend and she’s Sarah’s sister. How much more complicated can things get?I spot Sarah, her back turned toward me. The plan is to sort things out with her. No matter what, I shouldn’t argue with her too much or let her get on my nerves. I walk closer and sit beside her. Sarah exhales smoke from the cigarette she is holding, then passes it to me. I take a drag, inhaling deeply before blowing out the smoke.“So, you’re going to marry my sister now, huh?” Sarah blurts out, still not facing me.I raise my eyebrows. “I would love to,” I mumble.Sarah spins around to face me
OLIVIAI step out of my car and head toward Aiden's doorstep. I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. After waiting a moment without a response, I move to press it again. But before I can do that, the door swings open, and my brown-eyed boy stands before me.“Hazel,” Aiden says, opening the door wider to let me in.“Hey,” I murmur.“You’re beautiful,” Aiden whispers, pulling me into a hug, his hand gently stroking my hair.“Beautiful?” I blurt out. “Don’t try to flatter me just to make me feel better, I’m sure I look like a mess right now.”“You look stressed, but as beautiful as ever. You never look like a mess, and you never will.”“Aiden - ”“You don’t see yourself the way I see you,” He murmurs, his breath tickling my ear.I close my eyes and rest my head on his chest. If I weren’t so stressed, I’d love to kiss him like my whole world depends on it. He’s so sweet.We hear someone clear his throat, and we quickly pull away from each other, turning to see Bryan standing there."