I sit in the passenger seat of Jake’s truck, the engine rumbling softly beneath us. His hands grip the steering wheel with white knuckles and I can see the tension in his jaw. Since we left the house, he’s barely spoken, but I can feel his worry radiating off him."Jake," I murmur, reaching over to touch his arm. "I’ll be fine. Really."He glances over at me, his brows furrowed. I can sense him holding back. He’s scared. I know it. He’s always been the protector, the one who takes care of everyone. I don’t want him to feel he must protect me right now."I know," he says quietly, though the doubt laces his voice. "I just don’t like this." His hands leave the steering wheel and rest on his lap. My hand reaches over and I take his hand into mine.I lean over and place a soft kiss on the cheek, trying to reassure him. “You’ll be right here with me,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I’ll keep the phone on. You can listen in.”For a moment, his eyes soften, but I can see he still isn’t convinced.
Jake pulls into the driveway, the car’s engine winding down to a quiet stop. I glance over at Jake, who gives me a small nod before getting out of the car. I take a deep breath as I feel the weight of the evening finally settle on me.I head inside, slipping off my shoes by the door. The house is quiet, but it’s the kind of peaceful that feels right after a long day. There is a smell of something my mum must’ve been cooking earlier and I smile at the thought of her. I make my way upstairs, my steps soft on the wooden floorboards.Outside her room, I stop and knock lightly. There’s no answer, but I know she’s in there. I push the door open slowly and peek inside.Mum’s lying in bed with her eyes closed, but I can tell she’s not asleep. She is just worn out from everything. The volleyball game, the lunch out... it’s all added up.I walk over to the bed and sit down beside her, reaching for the blankets to adjust them. I tuck her in carefully. She opens her eyes, looking at me with a tir
A sharp sound rings through my ears. I groan in protest and my arm shoots to the nightstand. My eyes remain closed as my hand roams over the surface, trying to find my phone.I finally open my eyes to scan the surface of the nightstand and grab my phone, turning the alarm off.Why would I set an alarm for 06:00?A text appears on the screen, but I ignore it since it is from an unknown number.I throw the phone on the bed before I let out a heavy sigh.As I get up, my eyes dart from the floor back to the bed.Where am I?This is not my bed. And this is definitely not my room.The phone vibrates with another message from the same unknown number. I look around the room and blink a few times, just to make sure that I wasn't still dreaming.The last thing I remember is falling asleep on my bed in the dorm.Is this a joke?The phone vibrates for the third time. I snatch the phone from the bed and open the messages.Welcome EmilySince you hated my book so much and critiqued it, I'll allow yo
"And I binged Lucifer while I ate a whole pizza by myself," Allison says, her smile practically glowing with pride. I nod my head as I try my best not to make a face. "Wow. Crazy. You crazy girl" plays in my head and a chuckle escapes. "Hey, Allison—""Why do you keep calling me Allison? It's Ally. You're freaking me out." She frowns at me like I'm an idiot. Without waiting for me, she continues to walk on and I roll my eyes. I can remember the conversation that Kate and Ally had on their way to school, so I'm just going to stick with that."Ally," I say, deliberately emphasizing her name,"did you hear about all the new kids that are starting today?" She halts, pivoting toward to me while she shakes her head.“Yeah, apparently fourteen kids. Six are seniors, so they’ll be in our homeroom,” I continue, catching up to her with a wink.Ally huffs and shakes her head again. “You know I don’t care about gossip. It’s so childish.”My teeth clamp down on the inside of my cheek to stop the
When lunch arrives, I am exhausted. I forgot how much energy school took. And we have not even started with the work yet. The teachers are going through their rules and some went through the curriculum for the year. I have been staring at my phone's screen for most of the periods, waiting for another text. Now that I think about it, I wonder if I can text back.I find Ally sitting outside on the grass with no food. Right, she has an eating disorder. I think she blames Kate for it later in a fight.I, on the other hand, have loaded my tray with all kinds of food. I'm starving and it is free. I sit down next to her. A silence settles over us as I eat something that I have never seen in my life, but it looks good and it tastes delightful."Some of the new kids aren't here yet," she says as she plays with a strand of her hair."I thought you weren't one for gossip," I retort back, and she just rolls her eyes. She lays back on the grass."These new guys are weird. It is like they're all fam
When I got home from school, I went for a jog. I had to do something to clear my head and piece everything together. Plus, Kate is in good shape and I want to keep it that way. I managed to figure out a few things during the jog. I am impressed with my brain for recalling as much information as it did while I was zoned out for most of the book.I know Kate’s boyfriend’s name is Max and that Kate has an older brother, Oliver. He is one year older than Kate, but he failed his senior year. Now he has to repeat it in the same year as Kate. I overheard his mother giving him a lecture of a lifetime. He seems to be quite on the social side of life from what I heard.After I took a shower, I sit on the bed and scroll through all the photos on Kate’s phone. She has many selfies and pictures with friends and family. My own phone has almost no selfies. I am not one for selfies, but I like to take photos with my friends. I notice Kate has no photos with Ally which is strange. They have been frien
"No, I still can't believe that you got almost all of the new kids in your homeroom. I only have two in my homeroom," I complain while I follow Ally to her locker.Now that's what I call "plot armor". At least, she has the alpha and his friend, so I don't have to face them yet. I remembered that the name of the alpha is Tyler, but I don't know what his friend's name is."I don't care about that. To be honest, I don't even notice that they are there." She opens her locker and puts some books in the locker.I glare at her, but she can't see me. This girl is on some other type of drug. And why does she even have books? We only start on Monday.Leaning against the lockers, I sigh. “Hurry up. I want to get to the cafeteria before all the good food’s gone.”The day has been surprisingly uneventful. I didn’t even catch a glimpse of the alpha, Tyler, or his brooding sidekick. Not that I’m complaining."Are you coming with me to the cafeteria?" I ask when she places her bag on the floor behind
The seat that was once open, is now occupied. And you'll never guess who it is. At least it is not Tyler, otherwise, I would have thrown myself from this building. It is his buddy, but I can't remember his name."Great. Now I have to share my table. Why couldn't I have just this one thing?" I ask under my breath. I sigh loudly on my way to the table.I pull out the chair next to him and collapse into it with a groan. The teacher enters the class, greeting us as she walks to her desk. "Okay, guys. I have loads of work to do, so keep yourselves busy." She sits behind the desk and starts to work through the pile of papers on the desk. The few students in the class burst into conversation and I pull my phone out of my pocket. I’ve been wondering if I can send messages to the author. I unlock my phone and open my messages, scrolling to the old ones. From the corner of my eye, I spot three students wandering toward my table. They drag over chairs, clustering around the guy’s side. (I real
Jake pulls into the driveway, the car’s engine winding down to a quiet stop. I glance over at Jake, who gives me a small nod before getting out of the car. I take a deep breath as I feel the weight of the evening finally settle on me.I head inside, slipping off my shoes by the door. The house is quiet, but it’s the kind of peaceful that feels right after a long day. There is a smell of something my mum must’ve been cooking earlier and I smile at the thought of her. I make my way upstairs, my steps soft on the wooden floorboards.Outside her room, I stop and knock lightly. There’s no answer, but I know she’s in there. I push the door open slowly and peek inside.Mum’s lying in bed with her eyes closed, but I can tell she’s not asleep. She is just worn out from everything. The volleyball game, the lunch out... it’s all added up.I walk over to the bed and sit down beside her, reaching for the blankets to adjust them. I tuck her in carefully. She opens her eyes, looking at me with a tir
I sit in the passenger seat of Jake’s truck, the engine rumbling softly beneath us. His hands grip the steering wheel with white knuckles and I can see the tension in his jaw. Since we left the house, he’s barely spoken, but I can feel his worry radiating off him."Jake," I murmur, reaching over to touch his arm. "I’ll be fine. Really."He glances over at me, his brows furrowed. I can sense him holding back. He’s scared. I know it. He’s always been the protector, the one who takes care of everyone. I don’t want him to feel he must protect me right now."I know," he says quietly, though the doubt laces his voice. "I just don’t like this." His hands leave the steering wheel and rest on his lap. My hand reaches over and I take his hand into mine.I lean over and place a soft kiss on the cheek, trying to reassure him. “You’ll be right here with me,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I’ll keep the phone on. You can listen in.”For a moment, his eyes soften, but I can see he still isn’t convinced.
The gym is packed. The energy is electric, the squeak of sneakers on polished floors mixing with the cheers from the stands. My heart pounds. Not from nerves, but from adrenaline. We are two points away from winning and the entire team feels it. Cora stands at the back, ready, her sharp eyes locked on the opposing team’s movements. I’m in the middle, knees bent, fingers twitching, waiting for the perfect moment.The ball comes soaring over the net. Cora is on it in an instant and digs it up perfectly. The setter sends it my way and I don’t even think. I just jump, arm swinging with all the power I have. The smack of the ball meeting my palm is followed by a sharp thud as it hits the court. Point for us.One more.The gym erupts, voices shouting my name, Cora’s name, our team’s name. I glance at the stands and see Jake standing with his arms crossed. His eyes are soft and full of pride. Grayson is beside him, yelling something I can’t make out, while my mum and Cora’s mum clap enthu
I’m barely out of my PE class, still catching my breath from the last round of laps, when a strong hand suddenly grabs my wrist and yanks me into the locker room. I barely have time to react before another hand clamps gently but firmly over my mouth.My heart kicks up in alarm, but then I catch the scent of that same lemon and something uniquely him. The same as his jacket.I relax instantly.He’s here.He presses me against the cool metal lockers, his golden eyes locked onto mine, dark with something intense. "Didn’t want you screaming," he murmurs, his lips quirking up into a half-smile.I raise an eyebrow as I wait for him to move his hand. When he finally does, I smirk. "You scared the hell out of me, you tosser."He grins but doesn’t apologize. Instead, he leans in. His mouth captures mine in a hungry kiss. His body presses against me and I can feel him. All of him.I gasp against his lips before pulling back, breathless. "Jake," I whisper, hands sliding over his chest. "Why ar
The scent of coffee and toast drifts up the stairs, pulling me out of sleep. I stretch lazily before rolling out of bed, shivering slightly at the morning chill. I reach over and feel the empty bed. Jake is probably already up.I check my phone screen and see that it is just before six. Ugh, I need to get up for school. I get up with a sigh and head to the shower. The shower is quick and nice, almost lulling me back to sleep. I quickly throw together a outfit and grab Jake’s leather jacket.A small smile tugs at my lips as I shrug it on. It drowns me in warmth and it still somehow smells like him. A lemon and peppermint smell. Something uniquely Jake. Perfect.When I finally make my way downstairs, I hear voices coming from the kitchen. My mum’s soft laughter and Jake’s deep, rumbling response. That alone nearly makes me trip over the last step.Jake is here. Having breakfast. With my mum.I pause in the doorway, watching them. My mum is standing by the counter while she pours anothe
The night air is cool against my bare skin when the balcony door creaks open. I don’t even have time to react before I feel Jake’s arms around me, pulling me flush against his warm, hard body. His scent—pine, smoke, something uniquely him—wraps around me as he buries his face in my neck. He presses a slow, lingering kiss just beneath my ear.I let out a soft laugh, feeling the very evident state of his arousal against me. “You’re absolutely insatiable, you know that?”Jake hums into the kiss. He kisses me deeply and his tongue slides against mine in a way way that makes my toes curl. His hands skim my sides, warm palms pressing into my bare skin as he pulls me closer. My mind flickers to Blaire, but I don’t want to ruin this moment. I hesitate for just a second too long.“What’s wrong?” Jake pulls back, his dark eyes studying me. I swallow, then sigh. “Blaire stopped by the house.”Something changes in him. His body tenses, his fingers tighten on my waist and his pupils dilate. In a
By the time practice is over, my legs ache something fierce, and my arms feel like they might fall clean off. I just know I’ll be paying for this tomorrow. But it’s worth it. The adrenaline, the teamwork, the rush of landing a perfect spike. And, of course, the sheer joy of wiping that smug "You’ll never get that ball" look right off Cora’s face when I absolutely do.I sling my towel around my neck as we walk off the court, still catching my breath. Cora nudges me with her shoulder as she shakes her head.“You’re getting cocky,” she says, though she’s grinning.I let out a breathy laugh, rolling my shoulders. “Nah, I’m just getting better,” I say, shooting her a cheeky wink.Cora huffs, but she’s amused. “You’re insufferable.” She shoves me lightly, and I stumble in mock offense.“Oi!” I exclaim, holding a hand to my chest. “Violence. Unbelievable.”She snorts as we step into the hallway, the distant sounds of practice still carrying from the gym. It’s mostly empty now, save for a few
I wake up and immediately know I’m in trouble.The light streaming through the curtains is too bright, too unforgiving. When I groggily reach for my phone, my stomach drops.“Oh, shit,” I groan, bolting upright.Jake, the smug bastard, is still lying in bed, arms folded behind his head, watching me like I’m the most entertaining thing he’s ever seen.“Something wrong?” he drawls, his voice deep and lazy.“I’m late, you absolute tosser!” I scramble to untangle myself from the sheets, nearly face-planting off the bed in the process.Jake just smirks. “You weren’t complaining about time earlier.”I throw a pillow at him. He catches it midair, still looking far too pleased with himself.I don’t have time to argue. I’m already halfway to the bathroom, muttering a string of expletives under my breath. The shower is the quickest I’ve ever taken. It’s just enough to rinse off before I hop out, towel barely secured around me as I rush to throw on the first outfit I gather. My shirt is wrinkled
The first thing I notice when I wake up is the warmth beside me is gone.My eyes snap open while my heart lurches in my chest. The bed is empty. The sheets are slightly rumpled where Jake had been, but he’s nowhere in sight.Panic flutters through me before I hear the soft sound of water running. A second later, the bathroom door opens, steam curling around the edges and Jake steps out.My breath catches.His damp hair falls messily over his forehead and droplets of water trail down his bare chest. A towel hangs low on his hips. Very low.When he sees me awake, a soft smile spreads across his face."Morning," he murmurs.Before I can respond, he crosses the room in two strides and climbs back into bed. He pulls me into his arms like he never wants to let me go. His skin is warm and fresh from the shower. He smells incredible."You okay?" he asks, his lips ghosting over my temple.I nod, relaxing against him. "I thought you left."His arms tighten around me, his voice turning serious.