I wave to my mum as she leaves out of the driveway. I can't believe she is leaving me alone with Jake and Tyler. And now I have to make food. Why are they even here? They should be at Ally’s, bothering her, not at my house. I just want to be left in peace.I walk past Tyler and Oliver sitting at the island, heading for the kettle. I am known for my spaghetti and bolognese back at my residence at the university. Every Saturday was Spaghetti Saturday and I had to make spaghetti for my dorm. It’s the only thing I know how to make properly. I throw the boiled water in a small pot that I found and then the spaghetti follows. I turn the stove on and place the pot on the gas stove. I throw more water into the kettle. “Does anyone want coffee or tea?” I call out.“I’ll take coffee,” Oliver says. Tyler hums in agreement. I grab the mugs, waiting for Jake’s response.When I look back at him, he is already on his way to me. He gestures for me to move away and takes two more mugs from the
"And it felt like electricity when we touched," Ally says with a spark in her eyes. I bite back an exasperated sigh. I nod along as she continues her ramble about her "meet-cute" with Tyler. We’ve been walking to school and she’s been going on and on about it the entire time. I open my locker, hoping she’ll finally give it a rest, but she’s relentless."I felt like- like this warm feeling in my stomach and my fingers tingled. I can't describe it.” I roll my eyes and throw my sports bag in the locker."You just did.” I chuckle at my joke and Ally crosses her arms."You know what I mean." I hum in agreement. Yes, I know all too well. I had to endure an entire chapter of her wondering if it was love at first sight or just her imagination, convincing herself that Tyler wasn’t mean—just in a hurry. Yeah, sure.I slam the locker close while she continues talking about Tyler. I can't take it anymore. Please, make it stop."You ready?" I interrupt her and she nods. We exit the school building
I finally manage to step toward Ally, but Jake blocks my path, stepping in front of me. I sidestep, determined to push past him, but he mirrors my movement, his body a solid wall. Confusion furrows my brow. What is he doing?I spot an opening and take a quick step forward, but before I can even move two paces, his warm hands grip my arms to yank me back. I stumble, my back slamming into the lockers as he forces me in front of my open locker. He should not start with shit like this.“I asked, what are you doing?” I ask over my shoulder and take my bag out of my locker."Tyler told me to hold you back. He wants to talk to Ally alone," he says, his tone cold and flat. He does not even look at me. I peel my eyes away from Tyler towering over Ally and grab my bag from my locker."I can't believe it. He is an arsehole. I don't want him near Ally." Jake doesn’t respond, but I catch the tight clenching of his fists. I slam my locker shut with a frustrated scoff, but the sound echoes louder tha
The doorbell rings and I hurry down the stair while pulling my hair back into a pony. That must be Ally. I called her and managed to persuade her into coming to the party.The DJ approaches me with an enormous speaker and I step to the side. The house is filled with these enormous speakers. If the cops show up tonight, I will not hesitate to throw Oliver under the bus. When I reach the door, I swing it open. My face falls when I see that it is not Ally. Bloody Tyler, so full of himself. Why is he always everywhere? "Where is Oliver?" Tyler asks without any form of greeting. I roll my eyes and they land on Jake, standing behind Tyler. I have to admit that Jake looks quite . . . He looks hot. That black leather jacket is doing Jake's figure justice. "Hello. I'm fine, thanks for asking," I say while stepping to the side to let them in. “I don’t know where Oliver is. He must be here somewhere.” I give the door a soft nudge and Jake catches the door, closing it behind him. Oliver appear
I glance back at the house where the music blasts through the open door and windows. I can't believe that Max is such a pervert. The party has not even been going on for more than two hours. What is he on? Just because we are dating, does not mean that he can just do what he wants. Consent babes, consent."Team" by Iggy Azalea plays and I hum while tapping my foot on the driveway to the beat. I remember how all the girls thought they were the shit when this song came out. And not just the girls, the lads too. They would play this song whenever they got the chance. It was one of those songs that made you feel insanely cool. I mean, I'm feeling chuffed right now as it plays. I take the last sip of the gin and stand up. If I want to make the best of tonight, I should get back in there. I'll just try to avoid Max. Plus, it is so crowded in there it won't be a problem. I slowly dance my way back to the house and force my way through the door. I didn't think that so many people would show
"Why the fuck would you do that?" I ask with frustration, the music still booming in the background. This was not in the original story. I pace back and forth in front of Max.Max and Kate stayed together for the whole story, or at least until where I read. I stop right in front of Max with my arms crossed across my chest. He leans back in the leather seat."You didn't want to do anything," Max mutters, struggling to talk properly. I laugh in disbelief and walk closer to him. I'm towering over him, my nails digging into my arms. I can't believe the nerve of this twat. "You drugged my friend, forcing her to the bedroom because-" I stop to take a deep breath. I cannot even begin to process his thought process. "Because I didn't want to "satisfy your needs". So you force yourself on an innocent girl, Allison, because what? No one will believe her? She is an easy target? You are a fucking horrible person. I hope you burn in hell." I unfold my arms and give a step back. I don't want to be
A sharp noise rings in my ears and I shoot up. What time is it? I feel around on the bed for my phone and see that it is my mother calling. Why would she call at half past four?She might be testing to see whether I answer or not. If I answer, it will look suspicious and she can use it as proof that we were partying. But it could also be an emergency. Her number appears as a missed call and I open my messages.We are coming home earlier. We will be there around 10:00. Hope you behaved yourselves.Shit, we still have to clean up. I kick my shoes off and throw my hair into a loose bun. I can recall that Kate and Oliver were caught by their parents because they didn't clean the mess they made. I do not want to spend the rest of my time here grounded.I tiptoe past my room toward Oliver’s room and knock on his door. There is complete silence.I knock again, but the lights are off and the door is locked. I am going to kill him. With a defeated sigh I make my way down the stairs.Cups and
I try to open the front door of Ally's house, but something is blocking it from opening all the way. With a struggle, I manage to squeeze through the small opening with Ally in my arms. Jake offered to carry Ally to her room, but I know she would not feel comfortable with that. I glance over my shoulder to the car where Jake is waiting for me.I close the door and see what was blocking the door. Ally's mother is passed out on the floor in front of the door. Looks like she also had a fun evening.I walk with Ally to her room and I place her on the small bed. She groans again and rolls over, almost falling off her bed. I catch her and put her in the middle of the bed. I pull a blanket over her before slowly heading back.As I step out of her room, I notice for the first time the condition of this house. Wine bottles and beer cans are spread out on the floor. The couch is occupied with even more bottles. How does Ally live in such a mess? In my attempt to walk through the bottles, I rem
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.
I don’t move. I forget to breathe.Jake takes a small step closer.My pulse jumps. My fingers twitch at my sides, but I stay rooted in place. His golden eyes flicker with something unreadable in them and he pauses. Just for a second. Like he is hesitating. Like he is considering something.And then he makes up his mind.The space between us disappears and his lips brush against mine. Soft, tentative, almost careful. My breath catches. He’s warm, the scent of him wrapping around me. I don’t even think before kissing him back. My hands lift so that my fingers graze the sharp cut of his jaw and I melt into him.The moment swallows me whole. My mind flickers back to every time we’ve done this before. Kissing him on the couch at his cabin, that first stolen kiss that changed everything. The way I kissed him after the game back at my house, adrenaline and excitement still thrumming through me. The time we kissed on the football field, alone. I remember the smell of grass. And Jake. And the
I walk through the crowded hallways, my bag slung over one shoulder. I am still floating from this morning. My skin is buzzing with warmth, a lingering trace of Jake’s arms around me. It’s ridiculous how much I missed him, how much lighter everything feels now that things are okay again. I find myself replaying the moment in my head over and over. The way his arms tightened around me, the way his lips brushed against mine so softly. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up feeling so content.Cora practically materializes at my side, looping her arm through mine in one fluid motion.“So,” she says, her lips stretching into a knowing grin. “I need to find a dress for prom.”I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. “And this is my problem because…?”She stops dead in her tracks, gasping dramatically like I’ve just insulted her entire family lineage. A couple of freshmen glance at her in alarm before scurrying past. “Katherine Lauder, do not tell me you’re not going.”“I wasn’t even thinking
I wake up slowly to warmth, my body curled against Jake’s. My head is nestled in the crook of his neck. His steady breathing soothes me and his arms are still wrapped around me. He holds me as if even in sleep, he refuses to let go. I don’t move. I don’t even think about moving. I stay there, sinking into his steady presence. I focus on the way his scent fills my senses and how his chest rises and falls under my palm.Memories flicker through my drowsy mind. I remember the last time this happened. The couch and the soft hum of the television in the background. I had fallen asleep like this and it was Allison who woke me up. Jake had been holding me then too, just like this. Like he never wanted to let go.The memory makes me tighten my hold on him, burying my face deeper into his neck. He’s here. He’s really here. Safe, warm, real. The relief is overwhelming. Now there is nothing pulling me away. There is no reason to leave this perfect warmth. Carefully, barely even breathing, I li
I trace small patterns on Jake’s arm, my head resting on his shoulder. His hold around my middle is firm, reassuring, his body pressed against mine like an unshakable force in the chaos of my emotions.The tears have not stopped. They keep coming, each one dragging more guilt to the surface. Jake’s arms tighten around me as if he can somehow keep me together when I feel like I might shatter.I focus on the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I try to anchor myself in the warmth of his presence. As I cry, my heart aches for him too. He has suffered because of me, endured so much because of the choices I made. Each sob makes me want to apologize over and over, to take it all back, but I know I never can. The damage is already done. And yet, here he is, holding me, staying with me, despite everything.Something shifts in that moment. For the first time in months, I don’t feel completely alone. Jake’s presence helps me breathe through the pain, grounding me in the moment.Time stretc
My eyes flutter open as I wake up, a soft groan escaping my lips. My body stretches out against the sheets, actually rested. It has been quite a while since I felt this rested. The light seeps through the curtains and covers the room in a muted glow.I blink at the clock beside my bed. The numbers blur together before they finally click. Oh shit.A jolt of panic shoots through me as I sit up too fast, my heart pounding. I’m late. Way too late.Adrenaline kicks in and I scramble out of bed. I yank on a loose hoodie without bothering to check the mirror. My shift at the diner. I was supposed to be there hours ago.I hurry down the stairs, my feet stumbling over themselves while I try to shake off the grogginess. When I reach the kitchen, I freeze in the doorway.Jake is sitting at the table, a plate of breakfast in front of him. My mum is chatting away, smiling like she has not seen him in years. Well, she has not seen him in months. My stomach twists, a strange mix of guilt and grati