Laura “Oh my God, this is so beautiful…!” I exclaimed excitedly as I entered the mansion's balcony. As soon as I returned home, Jason was waiting for me at the door of the house and covered my eyes with a blindfold, smiling mysteriously and guided me to that space to show me a surprise. He had pro
Laura “God in heaven, who must this person be sent directly by the devil to messed up our moment like that?” Jason cursed, sighing heavily, when my cell phone rang. I laughed a little. I also didn't like being interrupted while my husband and I were having our moment. “Sorry, babe. But it must b
Laura I couldn't deny that Annie was very suspicious today. The conversation we had in the morning, then Abby's complaints, and now the fact that she wasn't even answering her grandma's calls just made everything even more suspicious. My daughter wasn't the type of teenager who was always giving he
Anne “Oh my God, I don't believe that I really slept here,” I commented, thinking I was crazy when I looked in front of the mirror. It was the next morning, and I was still in Peter's sister's luxurious apartment. I was looking at myself in the mirror in disbelief at the crazy things I had done y
Anne Peter and I were sitting side by side on the couch in Amber Morton's living room, while she sat in an armchair across from us, staring at us. She was, on average, 10 years older than Peter, had shiny, light hair that was well cared for, eyes a few shades lighter than Peter's, and an angelic fa
Anne “How old did you say you were again?” Amber asked as she and I stood in her closet. Just as she had promised, she was now looking for something for me to wear. I sighed resignedly. “I’m 17,” I replied. “And if you're going to start being a boring adult and judge me for not sleeping at home,
Laura When Amber Morton called me the next morning, the twins, my husband and I were at the table eating breakfast. I hadn't really had a good night's sleep, a little worry was always gnawing at the back of my head. I wasn't sure where Annie would be, so I was feeling like such a bad Mom to just l
Laura “Stephen, please,” I asked the boy who was scrolling at the cell phone screen in the middle of breakfast, my voice half gentle and half authoritative. "No electronic devices at the table." The fight over the chips had already been resolved, thank God. Now the two of them were at the table, e
Annie When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the feeling of lying in my bed. I was back home, safe, and just knowing that made me want to cry with happiness. I hugged my pillow and inhaled that smell of my comfort that felt so good to me; I just couldn't believe that I had actually decided t
“I really wish I didn't care, just like you don't care,” I said. “Are my grades at school terrible? Fuck them; I don't care. Who cares about social life or social issues? I want everyone to explode. I'm going to continue here in my room playing my shooting and death games until I feel accomplished.
Jake Gardner “Please tell me. Is he really out of danger?” My wife asked on the other end of the line. “Yes, he is,” I replied. “The bullet hit his shoulder. He’s going to be fine.” I heard her sighing on the other end of the line. "Thank God. I'm going to call Amber to let her know; she's so wo
Annie It was my parents there trying to get closer to me. My heart almost came out of my mouth, and I almost melted with relief and also anguish. “Dad… Mom,” I stammered, my eyes filling with tears. But Peter was quick; he put his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his chest, and placed the bar
Laura Jason was driving the car while talking to me about something random. “Terry is coming home this Christmas,” he was saying. “He has done an incredible job at the Pretoria branch, but he misses his family.” It had been a few months since Terence had moved to South Africa for work; he was one
Warning: sensitive content Annie “Are you ready?” Peter asked me as he and I were about to storm the Mexican diner down the street. He and I had spent hours talking about it, and no matter how much I told him not to do that and go back home, he said he would only come back after I granted him that
Laura I woke up with a start when I woke up, suddenly remembering where I was and what I was doing. “Wake up, Jason…” I called him, while running my hand over my face. He was sleeping next to me and woke up too. “Hmm, what's wrong? Did something happen?” He asked, looking at me with a sleepy fa
Annie “I thought you were the only one who understood me. So now you can’t blame me for being attracted to the monster that I am.” Peter's words weighed on me. When I found out about his secret, it was as if the world around me woke up in its most naked and raw colors; it was as if I now realized
Annie “I can't believe it; it's not true. Peter would tell me something like that if it were true,” I said in denial, my voice breaking. The surrounding town took its course as I stood there at the payphone with the phone to my ear. Peter's psychologist had just told me something that was shaking a