I stare at Liam after he dropped that bomb. He has the nerve to close his eyes and settle into a comfortable position on the blanket, I’m left with the weight of his words. The sun filters through the leaves of the tree above us, casting patterns on the ground. I try to refocus on my history textbook, but the words blur together as I replay Liam’s confession in my mind.
Did he really just say that he likes me and wants to be with me? The mere thought of it sends my heart racing again."This is not the way home," I say, looking at Liam, who is driving away from our neighborhood."I know," he says simply and keeps on driving."You said we were going home," I state, and he nods. "Then why are we pulling into a coffee shop parking lot?" I ask when the car comes to a stop."Because we're going to get some food first," he says, opening the door. He gets out, walks to my side of the car, and then opens the door."I don't want to have coffee with you," I say, taking my book bag and getting out of the car. He swiftly takes the bag from me and then starts walking away.I stand there for a moment, watching him stride towards the entrance of the coffee shop with my bag slung over his shoulder. There's a stubborn set to his jaw, a look I’ve come to recognize over the years. Sighing, I follow him, my feet dragging as I go.Inside, the air is cool, and the rich aroma of coffee beans fills the space. It's cozy, with warm lighting and plush chairs that invite you to stay a while. L
"What?" he says, bringing the question back to me. I raise my brows at him in question, and he smiles this devastatingly beautiful smile at me. I place my coffee down because my heart skips so hard I can feel my hand start to shake."Why are you staring at me like that?" I ask, and his face gets serious."I'm taking in your beauty," he says, and I immediately roll my eyes at him."Don't roll your eyes at me" He says looking me in my eyes"Seriously, Liam?" I scoff, trying to mask the fluttering sensation in my chest. "You're ridiculous.""I'm serious," he insists, leaning forward, his eyes locking onto mine. "You're breathtaking." hE says his voice low. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, unsure of how to respond. His words, as sweet as they are, make me feel exposed like he's seeing straight through the walls I've built around myself. Why is he saying these things? I'm not ugly but I'm not breathtaking. "Stop it," I mutter, taking a sip of my drink to avoid his gaze."Stop what?" he
I step into the dimly lit warehouse, the familiar scent of dust and gasoline hitting my nose. The place is quiet, save for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Jar is already there, his broad frame leaning against a stack of crates, arms crossed and eyes sharp. He’s always early, always ready.“Liam,” Jar greets with a nod. His voice is low, steady. Reliable, just like him.“Jar,” I reply, walking over to him. I set down the duffel bag I’m carrying and unzip it, revealing neatly packaged bundles. “Everything set for tonight?”He nods again. “Runners are ready. Just waiting on the product.”I pull out a few bundles, handing them to Jar. He inspects them briefly before tucking them away in his own bag. “You sure they can handle this load?” I ask, looking him in the eye.“They’re solid,” Jar reassures me. “We’ve vetted them thoroughly. No weak links.”I nod, trusting his judgment. Jar’s been with me long enough to know what’s at stake. “Good. Let’s get this moving.”One by o
I burst through the front door, my breath coming in quick gasps. The house is dark as usual and I head straight upstairs. I slam my bedroom door behind me. The familiar surroundings of my room provide a small comfort, but my mind is still reeling from today's events.I collapse onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. "What just happened?" I whisper to myself. My heart is still pounding, and I can feel the flush embarrassment on my cheeks.Liam had took me out—well, it wasn’t really a date, was it? We just went to a coffee shop. But the way he looked at me, the things he said... it felt like a date. My thoughts are mixed in confusion, and I struggle to make sense of it all. Liam is with Presley, right? He shouldn't be saying those things to me.I sit up and hug my knees to my chest. I try to shake off the memory of his intense gaze, the way his voice dropped when he called me breathtaking. No one has ever looked at me like that before, let alone someone like Liam.I reach for my phone
The next morning, I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my eyes red from a sleepless night. I splash cold water on my face, hoping to wash away the confusion and guilt that had kept me awake. But the questions and emotions linger, just as intense as before.As I walk to school, I rehearse my lines. I can’t tell Tamrin the truth—I can’t tell anyone. The risk is too high, the potential fallout too severe. By the time I reach the front steps of the school, I have my story straight."Hey, Celeste!" Tamrin’s voice was bright and cheerful, a stark contrast to my somber mood. "How was your night? Did you get any studying done?"I force a smile. "Yeah, I managed to get some work done. All boring shit" I say and cringe at my words. That sounds like I 'm saying too much.Tamrin raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "I can tellYou look like you’ve been up all night. ."I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Yeah I was, I guess. You know how it is with school and all." I say ly
The next day, the sun is shining brightly as we step onto the soft, warm sand of the beach. The sound of waves crashing against the shore and the laughter of others fill the air. For a moment, I let myself relax, hoping the sea breeze wash away my worries.Tamrin is already setting up our spot, laying down towels and unpacking a cooler filled with snacks and drinks. Sadie is busy applying sunscreen, her excitement palpable."Come on, Celeste! The water looks amazing!" Sadie calls out, her eyes cheery.I force a smile and follow them to the shoreline. The cool water hits at my feet, and I take a deep breath, trying to let go of the confusion inside me. For a few minutes, I manage to enjoy the feeling of the waves and the warmth of the sun on my skin.We spend the morning swimming, laughing, and trying to build the perfect sandcastle. It's a welcome distraction, and for a while, I almost forget about the tangled mess of emotions I've been carrying.As we take a break, lounging on our to
After our day I choose to walk home, it's quiet, the streets mostly empty as the day transitions into evening. The warmth of the sun still lingers in the air, and I find myself lost in thought.As I pass by the familiar houses and shops, I can't help but think about the past few days. Liam's face keeps flashing in my mind, and I wonder what he's doing right now. Is he thinking about me? Or is he commiting a crime? Mostly does he feel the same confusion and guilt?I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. The joy of our beach day was a temporary, but I know I need to address my feelings head-on. Ignoring them won't make them go away.When I finally reach home, I take a deep breath before opening the door. The house is quiet, with only the faint hum of the refrigerator filling the silence. I hope it's because my mom is out running errands, and not sleeping again. I smile when I realize I have the place to myself for a while.I head to my roo
The next morning, the sun is already peeking through the curtains when I wake up. I stretch, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Last night’s progress on my assignments gives me more motivation to keep going, and I’m determined to finish.After a quick breakfast, I settle at the kitchen table, books and notes spread out in front of me. The house is quiet except for the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall. Mom’s already left for work, leaving me with a peaceful space to focus.I'm deep into my assignment when the doorbell rings, breaking my concentration. I sigh, pushing my chair back and heading to the door, wondering who it could be this early in the day. As I open it, my heart skips a beat.Standing there, package in hand, is Liam.“Liam?” I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind races, struggling to process his sudden appearance at my doorstep.“That's me ,” he says, his tone casual &l
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
I’m practically skipping up the steps to Presley’s house, the excitement bubbling in my chest. It’s not like the date with Trevor was amazing—in fact, it was the opposite—but it doesn’t matter. For once, I have something to talk about, something that feels like it belongs to me.I knock on her door, and when she opens it, she’s wearing her usual bored expression. Presley always looks like she has somewhere better to be.“Hey,” I say, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “You won’t believe what happened last night.”She raises an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe as I flop onto her couch.“Let me guess,” she says, voice dripping with sarcasm. “You found a stray dog and decided to adopt it.”I roll my eyes. “No, Presley. I went on a date.”That gets her attention. She straightens up, her eyes narrowing just slightly. It’s subtle, but I catch it, and it fuels me in a way I didn’t expect.“Oh?” she says, crossing her ar