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
Adore You by Harry Styles plays on my phone. I stand in the same spot he left me in, utterly shocked. This man is going to be the end of me. Why would he play a song like that for me? What am I supposed to think about this?These lyrics!You don't have to say you love meI just wanna tell you somethin'Lately, you've been on my mindI stare at the books on the kitchen table and wonder if I have the strength to finish the work I have. Trust Liam to mess my feelings up.My phone vibrates. It’s Tamrin calling. I answer the phone without thinking about it. "How's everything going? Need any help?" I almost laugh at the irony. If only she knew." I don't think you want the problems I have." I say and she chuckles. "I'll manage, though." I add and she doesn't say anything else."You sound off though." She says and she's not wrong"It’s nothing. Just.... stress"
The next morning I wake up groggy and tired. It's not a surprise that I had no sleep at all. I had endless dreams about... Liam.Dreams about him being naked and me being.... Naked.I turn onto my back sighing, This sucks. I shouldn't be having these dreams. I brush my hand over my chest feeling like I am someone else.Why am I thinking of him and me like that?I groan turning onto my side. I close my eyes praying that sleep comes quickly. I need to rest. I've been working too hard and barely sleeping.I slow my breathing down and leg my body go of all the tension gripping me. I start to drift off into sleep slowly. I smile when I feel the familiar feel of sleep takeover my body.My mind shuts down and for a split second I completely shut down.I'm woken violently when I hear a bang from outside my door. I open my eyes and almost cry at the intrusion. I'll never rest!
Two days later I walk through the school entrance and feel someone link their arm with mine. I look at the arm and then I look at the owner of the arm.My heart sinks into my stomach when I see who it is."Presley?"I say and she smiles at me. I look at her terrified because Presley doesn't like me. And the fact that she's smiling at me makes me very weary. What does she want?"Yes." She says and she keeps smiling at me."How are you today?" She asks and I stare at her not sure what to say that, I wish she would cut to the chase."Good!" I sat finally and she starts walking towards the lockers."I have a favour to ask you." She says and I shake my head no. I already know I don't want to give her any favours. I don't have anything to do with her. I want to be let alone. I have enough shit to deal with."I don't think I can't help you with anything." I say trying to take my arm away but she holds on a little tig
I march through the crowded halls, my mind racing with a mix of frustration and anxiety. How could Tamrin make this about me? She knows Presley doesn't like me. I bet she hates the fact that Tamrin hates the fact that she's being strong armed into inviting me. She should have asked me about this first.I finally spot Tamrin by her locker, chatting animatedly with Sadie. As I approach, Sadie waves enthusiastically. "Hey, Celeste!"I manage a weak smile. "Hey, Sadie. Can we talk for a second?"Sadie nods, looking from me to Tamrin. She raises her brows at me in question. Tamrin looks at me, her expression puzzled. "What's up?"I don't waste any time. "Why was Presley harassing me about her party? I say not in the mood to explain any further because she knows exactly what I'm on about."Tamrin's eyes widen. "Oh, I was going to tell you! I just...I thought it might be fun. And Presley isn't that bad once you get to know her." She says
We're in Tamrin's car on our way to Presley's party.I tried so hard to get out of this and failed miserably. Sadie and Tamrin wouldn't take on for an answer so here I am in the backseet hoping the world ends. I could have been getting some work done right now or better yet. I could have been sleeping."Where is this party anyway?" I ask after a silent 20-minute ride."At some house," Sadie says looking back at me."Is it at Presley's house?"I ask looking for more clarity. What does she mean it's at some house? Who's house is it?"No, it's her boyfriend's house. Apparently, he has a mansion on the beach." Tamrin says and I suddenly find it hard to breathe, blink or swallow. We're going to where Liam is? I've been ignoring him and his endless texts for a week now."So, Liam is having a party and we're going?"I ask and the fear in my voice unsettles me."Would you relax. He won't kill us and sell us for parts. Other people from school are going to be there." Sadie says a look of concer
"Hy, kid" A voice says behind me and I gasp in surprise at the sound.I turn and see Liam standing at the door.The truth is I ran away from the party, We walked into to this house and I lost all sense of reality. Between the loud music, cheering and people making in every corner. I was drowning in sensation overload. So I found the first and headed outside.So here I am in Lia's backyard, lounging on his lawn chair. I can't really see anything beyond the green lawn in front of me because its so dark but I can hear the ocean ahead of me I bet the view during the day is incredible.The quiet is calming, compared to the chaos in the house.I meant it when I said I hate parties. I've never had fun with too many people around, let alone drunk people.And the fact that I don't drink makes it worse. I can see, and hear everything in normal volume while other people are drugged out of their minds. And are screamimg at the top of their
"Does Presley know that?" I ask and he stands up looking down at me. He sighs putting his hand in his pockets. "I don't think that's any of your business," He says and I sigh. "Oka," I say getting up too. He takes two steps towards me, forcing me to look up at him. For a moment I'm intimidated by his sheer size. I take in a deep breath trying to get as much oxygen as I can get to remain sane. How is it possible for one man to be this tall and this wide? My face is his belly, while my whole body is not even half the size of his. I should take step back. I say in my head but nothing happens. My legs don't move. He looks down at me. I see his eyes drift from my eyes to my lips. I let out the breath I had been holding and let out another one. His cologne hits my nostrils and I close my eyes. I don't know why but I feel like I need to do it. I feel his breath on the skin on my neck and I gasp softly. Why is he doing this to me? And Why am I not moving away? I feel him place a so
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