It’s Monday morning, and I barely slept. My body is buzzing with so much feeling. Liam and I made love the whole weekend, I snuck into the house a few hours ago and I am exhausted but I have to get to school. I shouldn't have stayed with him for so many hours in he night. I get out of my room dragging myself out of the house, my backpack slung over one shoulder. The sun is barely up, casting long shadows on the ground, and the air is cool, a slight breeze brushing against my skin.
As I make my way to the driveway, I f
When we pull into the school parking lot, I instantly feel a pit form in my stomach. Nathan drives in like it’s any other day, but I already know what’s coming. The moment he parks and steps out of the car, I can feel the eyes on us, like a spotlight I never asked for.Nathan walks around to my side of the car, casually opening the door for me. He’s so relaxed, so unconcerned, and for a split second, I wish I could be like him—completely unfazed. But the second I step out, the whispering starts. It’s subtle at first, a few curious glances, a few people looking and then turning to their friends. But soon, it’s obvious. The whispers turn into full-on staring. I catch the not-so-subtle looks, the way people nudge each other and nod in our direction.I can hear them. I can hear everything.“Isn’t that Celeste? With Nathan?”“What is she doing with him?”“Didn’t she use to hang out with Tamrin and Sadie?”“Look who’s trying to make a sta
Nathan and I sit across from each other in the small café on the corner of campus, away from the prying eyes of everyone at school. It’s one of the few places where I feel like I can breathe. After everything that’s happened—especially this morning in the parking lot—I need some sort of escape, something to take my mind off the whispers and the stares.Nathan, for all his calm and easygoing nature, has become something of an anchor for me, even though I’ve never really understood why he’s so… different. Different from Liam, different from all of them. And today, I feel like I need answers. I’ve been dodging too much of my own fear and curiosity.He’s picking at his food, a half-smile playing on his lips like he's got all the time in the world. Meanwhile, my thoughts are racing a mile a minute, swirling around everything I know—and don’t know—about his world. Liam’s world. The other world that I’m somehow tangled up in now.I lean forward, propp
Nathan pulls up in front of my house, and I’m just about to thank him when I see Liam leaning against his car across the street. His hands are shoved deep into his pockets, head down, but as soon as we pull in, he looks up, eyes narrowing with a determination that makes my stomach flip. I’m still caught off guard by his presence, despite knowing it’s only a matter of time before he shows up again, demanding something I can’t give.“Looks like you have company,” Nathan mutters, eyeing his brother with a mixture of annoyance and caution. I give him a nod, hoping he doesn’t sense the dread tightening my chest.“Thanks, Nathan,” I say, giving him a small, grateful smile as I reach for the door handle. I don’t want him to see how rattled I am, so I do my best to seem calm as I step out of the car.Liam’s already crossing the street, his stride brisk, purposeful. He doesn’t even greet me, just looks from me to Nathan, and then back again.“Can I talk to you, Celeste?” His voice is low, but
The pub is dim and familiar, with the hum of quiet conversations and clinking glasses around me. It’s not my usual scene on a Monday, but right now, I need a place to disappear for a bit. The cold beer in my hand is barely enough to distract me from the painful thought that’s been eating at me since I pulled away from Celeste’s house. She didn’t just say no. She looked at me like I was something to avoid.I take another long sip, feeling the cold bitterness slide down my throat. I’d half expected her to turn me down, but I thought there’d still be something there, some sign she still cared. Instead, she looked like she wanted to be anywhere but near me, like I was a problem she’d rather not deal with.The bartender nods at me as he passes, and I give him a half-hearted nod back. Normally, I’d be in here with Travis or a couple of other guys from the crew, talking shop or running through the latest intel on Vince. But toni
I catch Vince’s reflection in the glass before he reaches me. He’s strutting in, that smug grin plastered on his face, the kind of grin that says he thinks he’s already won. I don’t move, keeping my eyes fixed on my drink as he saunters over, hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets like he owns the place. The chatter in the pub quiets down to a hush, the way it does when a storm’s rolling in.Vince stops just in front of my table, and I finally look up, meeting his gaze with a cool stare. I don’t bother hiding the distaste in my eyes."Liam," he greets, voice dripping with fake warmth. "Been a while, hasn’t it?"I don’t respond, letting him fill the silence as he always does. Vince enjoys hearing his own voice too much to stop.“Shame you’re so alone here,” he says, looking around. “But maybe I could offer a little conversation. Actually… I wanted to ask you something.&rd
The smell of frying eggs and bacon drifts into my room, pulling me from sleep. I rub my eyes and sit up, squinting as the early morning light filters through my curtains. This isn’t just any breakfast smell, though; it’s an entire feast. I slip out of bed, hesitant, and pad down the hall toward the kitchen, my stomach twisting.When I reach the doorway, I see her—Mom, standing over the stove, humming softly to herself as she flips pancakes. The kitchen counters are covered with dishes, bowls of fruit, eggs scrambled just the way I like them, toast piled high on a plate, and even freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s like a picture out of a family magazine, the kind where everyone is glowing, content, and happy.And yet, every part of me is tense.“Morning, sweetheart!” She looks up, her eyes bright, her smile even brighter. There’s an ease in her movements, a lightness in her face I haven’t seen in ages. Normally, I&
The gym is packed with students, all crammed together on the bleachers. The Principal stands at the front, adjusting his glasses and tapping the mic to get our attention. I’m half-listening, feeling the buzz of anticipation ripple through the room. Exams start in two days, and after that, an eight-week summer break.Nathan nudges me gently with his shoulder. “You ready?” he whispers, his voice low so no one else hears.I glance at him, giving a small shrug. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” But it’s more than exams that are weighing on my mind. Liam. Vince. My mom’s odd behavior this morning. It’s like I’m balancing a thousand things in my head, each one demanding attention.The Principal clears his throat again, and I focus on his voice as he lays out the usual exam rules. Phones are off and away during tests, and there is no talking or wandering around. Cheating means automatic failure, and apparently, they've got extra proctors this year to “ensure academic i
Monday starts like the echo of a bell—sharp and startling, pulling me into the week with relentless force. I’m sitting in the exam hall, watching the minute hand tick forward, each second dragging me deeper into some kind of surreal fog. There’s nothing but the paper in front of me, my pen scratching as I fight to pull memories from lectures, textbooks, and endless pages of notes that now blur in my mind. When the bell finally rings, it’s like surfacing from underwater, gasping as I walk out, numb, dazed.
I messed up.I could see it the second Tamrin’s lips pressed into a thin line, her arms folding across her chest in that way girls do when they’re deciding if they’re really mad or just annoyed. I had gotten cocky—too many questions about Celeste, too fast. Tamrin might stop talking, and I can’t have that.I force a slow smile, keeping my expression soft. “You’re mad.”Tamrin doesn’t say anything. Just stabs at the last bi
The night started off perfectly. Trevor showed up with a dozen roses—deep red, the kind that makes you feel like you’re the most special girl in the world. He even brought my favorite iced coffee, the way I like it—extra caramel, extra cream.I was glowing. Floating. Five dates in, and Trevor had been everything I could’ve asked for. Sweet, thoughtful, affectionate. It was almost enough to make me forget the disaster of our first date. Almost.We’re sitting
Nathan is sitting across from me, his brows knitted together in that way they always are when he’s worried about me. His concern feels like a weight pressing against my chest, adding to the suffocating anxiety that’s been building since I found out about Tamrin and Trevor.I’m trying to act normal, like everything is fine, but I can feel my hands trembling in my lap. I don’t think Nathan buys it. He’s been watching me too closely for the past twenty minutes while I pr
I can’t believe how different tonight feels. From the moment I step out of the car, Trevor is standing there, waiting, looking sharp and giving me this heart-melting smile. He opens the car door for me like some scene out of a romance movie, and for a second, I can’t help but wonder if this is the same guy from our first date.“You look stunning,” he says, his voice soft but sincere, and I can feel my cheeks heat up.The restaurant he’s chosen this time is
The second Sadie says his name—Trevor—I feel my stomach drop, like I’ve been yanked into some icy abyss. My blood feels like it’s turned to sludge, my feet rooted to the floor, frozen in place. I know who she’s talking about. I know. And I also know I can’t let her see even a flicker of recognition on my face.I take a deep, quiet breath, trying to calm the panic threatening to bubble over. Sadie is sitting across from me, her face etched with concern, and she k
I wake up with a heaviness in my chest that I can’t shake. Last night, I couldn’t stop replaying Trevor’s smug face and the way Tamrin laughed off his disgusting comment. Every instinct in me is screaming that this guy isn’t just bad news—he’s dangerous.And then there’s Tamrin. How do I even begin to help someone who doesn’t want to see the truth? It’s not like she’d listen to me. Not now. But someone has to know, someone who might have a
I pace back and forth in my room, phone pressed tightly to my ear. The ringing feels endless, but I keep waiting. Sadie always takes forever to answer, but I need her right now. My heart is buzzing, and I’m practically bursting with excitement. Finally, the ringing stops, and her voice comes through, flat and uninterested."Hello?""Sadie!" I say, trying to keep my voice from sounding too desperate. "I have a date. I need your help. Please, can you come over?"There’s a pause, and I can practically hear her rolling her eyes on the other end. "A date, huh?" she says. "And you want my help?""Yes!" I say, ignoring the edge in her tone. "I need your magic touch. You’re the best at this kind of thing, Sadie. Please."Another long pause. Then she sighs. "Fine. I’ll be there in an hour."By the time she arrives, I’m practically vibrating with energy. The second I see her walk through the door, I let out an excited squ
I lean back in my chair, phone still in hand, letting the faint hum of the television fill the silence. Tamrin’s reply is still fresh on the screen, her cheerful acceptance of another date. It didn’t take much to get her to agree—just a few words crafted with care and a touch of desperation.The key to manipulating people like Tamrin is understanding their hunger. She’s starving for attention, validation, anything to make her feel less invisible. I gave her just enough on our first date to plant the seed. Sure, I acted aloof, even dismissive, but I knew that would keep her chasing. And now? Now she’s hooked.I scroll through our conversation from earlier tonight.Trevor: Hey, Tamrin. I’ve been thinking about our date, and I feel terrible about how I acted. I was nervous, and I handled things badly. You didn’t deserve that.I imagine her face when she read it, the little