Annie After Peter was searched like a criminal by the police officer, we were released. “Thank your girlfriend and her willingness to visit Pennsylvania, young man,” the officer was saying. “Otherwise, I would send you back to where you left!” The man had a menacing look to him as he spoke, and aft
Annie Peter and I spent some more time on the road until we both felt hungry, and the car ran out of fuel to continue, so we stopped at a pub to eat and replenish our energy. I was wrinkling my nose at the smell of onions on my burger while Peter was stealing my fries. “Ugh! I hate spiced onions,”
Annie It was as if the world around us had disappeared. Peter and I were having one of those perfect days, where everything seemed possible, where there were no worries, just fun. 2000s pop music played softly through the store's speakers, and it felt like the soundtrack to our story was starting t
Lindsay When my doorbell rang, and I went to answer it, I frowned when Gideon Bathory was there at my door. "You? What do you want here?” I asked, being more surprised than intrigued. Since I divorced him, he never came directly to me, he always sent someone to pick up his son and then returned him
Lindsay “I'm talking about you, Lindsay,” he said. “I want you back.” I chuckled skeptically. "What are you doing now? Why are you saying this? Do you really want me to believe that?” I asked being skeptical of his words. I mean, our marriage had taken years and all that time I was doing everythi
Annie The park was shining, illuminated by a thousand colored lights. I looked around, marveling at the place. I had never been to an amusement park at night, and the vibrant atmosphere made me feel like I was in a movie. Peter looked just as excited as I did, with his eyes shining and a wide smile
Annie "My name doesn't matter," he replied, with a calmness that made me suspicious. “Your Dad told me to come get you. It’s time to go home.” My heart was pounding in my rib cage. How the hell had my Dad found me? Peter and I had been so cautious until now, we hadn't left behind any clues that wo
Annie Peter and I ended up having to go to an inn because it was late at night and my father's men were scattered throughout the city. We needed to stay hidden and wait for those men to leave so they could give us a drink so we could continue our journey. The room was average with rough decor and
As we walked, I thought about what Abby had said. It wasn't Caleb who mattered; it was the betrayal of a friendship I thought would last forever. The pain of losing that trust was still fresh, and perhaps that was why I didn't want to think about Caleb at all. But at the same time, there was a part
Annie POV I watched my parents' car drive away with a sense of sadness; part of me wanted to go with them and give up on everything, but I was also excited to start a new life at Oxwell. The sound of the engine fading into the distance seemed to carry away a piece of my childhood, leaving me with a
Jason POV We were in the Oxwell campus parking lot, giving our final hugs before heading back home. Annie was practically engulfed in our embrace, hugging us tightly and saying she would miss us, even though she knew she could come home every weekend. Her hug was a mix of farewell and beginning, so
Jason POV "Look here, boys, this is the central courtyard where your mom and I spent many afternoons studying for exams," I said, my voice echoing with nostalgic pride as I showed Stephen and Daniel around the Oxwell campus. "And that building over there, that's where I had my first economics class
Annie POV When I saw Abby walking into the dorm, I recoiled, all the happiness of that day cooling instantly. So Abby would be the girl to take the third room? My mother and Abby's mother went to have a private conversation, leaving us girls alone. Abby and I stared at each other impassively, with
Laura POV After helping Annie arrange her new room, we went together to help Summer as well. The flat was starting to feel like a home, full of personality and expectations. We finished up and sat in the living room while I waited for Jason and the twins to return. Summer, with her natural enthusi
Laura POV The next morning, the sun was shining brightly as Jason and I prepared the car to take Annie and Summer to the campus of Oxwell University. The air was thick with a mix of excitement and nostalgia. It was an immense pleasure for both of us to accompany our first daughter on the same path
Annie POV After dinner, Summer and I returned to my room. Night was falling, and a fresh sense of expectation seemed to settle in with the darkness. The lamp next to my bed gave the room a soft, almost magical glow. "Let's do a skincare session before we go to bed?" Summer suggested, already getti
Annie POV We were called for dinner, and as we went downstairs, I found my parents in the dining room with the twins. "Sit here next to me, Summer," Daniel invited with a little smirk, patting the chair beside him. "No, sit next to me; it's better, beautiful," Stephen also invited her, making poo