The next day at lunch
I'm lying on my back staring up at the long willow branches, trying to stop my brain from drifting to what happened between Liam and I yesterday.The flashbacks are too strong for me to ignore. He made me cum more than once. With each orgasm, it felt like I was losing my mind. If I let my mind wander long enough I can feel him kissing me. "And your friend is so rude." Presley says her voice getting louder than it was a few seconds earlier. "Travis was nice enough to offer her a ride home yesterday and she acted so ungrateful." She says to Tamrin who is looking at me like I have three heads. I frown at her and she smiles mischievously. I'd hate to know what she's thinking right now. She loses her mind whenever my name is mentioned in the same sentence as a boy's name. The thought of me dating was too exciting for her. I wonder how mind-blown she would be if she knew what I did with Liam yestThe library is my sanctuary when I need to get serious about studying, especially when I have assignments that refuse to make ense. The air is still, filled only with the faint rustling of pages and the soft hum of the overhead lights. My usual spot near the back, away from the busier areas, is perfect for getting lost in my thoughts.I’m on my third attempt at solving a particularly stubborn Physics problem when a familiar presence slides into the chair across from me. I look up, slightly startled, to see Tamrin grinning at me like she’s just caught me doing something suspicious.“Hey,” she says, her voice breaking the silence. It’s a playful tone, the kind that always makes me feel like she knows something I don’t.“Hey,” I reply, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my eyes. I’m relieved to have a break from the numbers. “What are you doing here? Thought the library wasn’t your thing.&rdq
The evening air is cool, with just enough of a breeze to make it comfortable. Tamrin’s practically bouncing beside me, talking a mile a minute about anything and everything. I try to keep up, but my thoughts keep wandering back to what she said earlier. Presley is joining us.I could scream, I don't want to go through another conversation about her and Liam.The sky is deepening into shades of purple and blue. The screen is already set up, and a few people are scattered around, claiming
The night is cool and the breeze is just enough to keep things comfortable. But I'm not. My mind’s racing. Presley’s arm is around mine, her head leaning against my shoulder but I would rather it was someone else. She’s comfortable, almost too comfortable, and I’m trying to play along.I hate this and I know Celeste is never forgiving me for this, In my defence I didn't know she would be here.On the other hand Presley is happy, probably thinking this
Liam looks at me. More like staring at me. I can see the look in his eyes. Whatever he's thinking is not good.I look away hoping he doesn't act out whatever he is thinking. When I look back in his direction, he's talking in Presley's ear and he looks like he's about to stand up."I think I'm gonna go," I hear myself say to Sadie and she looks at me shocked."You're leaving?"She says shocked. I nod and start gathering my stuff. I have to get out of here before he does something really stupid and embarrass us both.I see Liam get up from his spot out of the corner of my eye and y heart starts beating really...really fast.I scream. SIT THE FUCK DOWMN! In my head but he doesn't do it.I can feel my heart racing as I gather my things, trying not to make a scene. Sadie’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind, but I can’t explain what’s going on in my head right now. I just need to get out of here be
When we reach my street, I can’t help but quicken my pace, eager to put this night behind me. The familiar sight of my house brings a sense of relief, like I’m finally close to escaping this tension that’s been building all evening.“Thank you for walking me home,” I say, my voice firm, hoping he’ll take the hint and leave me alone.But before I can getaway, I feel his hand wrap around my arm, and a shiver runs down my spine. My breath catches in my throat as I turn to look at him.We shouldn't be doing this.“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady as he gently pulls me toward him. My heart starts to race as I realize he’s not letting go.He doesn’t say anything at first, just starts walking in the direction of his house, and before I can stop myself, my legs begin to move, following him even though I don’t want to. My mind is screaming at me to resist, to turn around and
"Where are you going?" Liam asks when I start to climb the bed. I feel his hand grab my ankle and I almost moan at the feel of his touch. I stop moving and try to pull my ankle away but he doesn't let go. His grip on me is firm but he's not hurting me."I'm trying to go home." I say when I feel him hold on even tighter."Why are you so scared to spend a few minutes with me." He asks and I turn around and sit back down."Because, this is wrong. I shouldn't be here. You have a girlfriend, you're dangerous and you are too old to be spending a few minutes with me." I say and he groans in frustration."Celeste we've been through this." He says genuinely annoyed with me. "I don't have a girlfriend." He says and I roll my eyes at him. "Are you rolling your eyes at me?" He says grabbing my chin gently."It's an automatic respond your lies." I say looking at anything but his eyes."I'm not dangerous and I will never hurt y
"Do you want something to drink? Eat?" He asks after a long pause I shake my head no and he nods. "I need s a drink." He says gettin up from his chair. He walks to the end of the room and he opens a door I didn't even notice was there. I stare at the open door wondering why I don't just leave.He won't even notice until he comes back.A few moments later he walks back in with a beer in one hand a packet of chips in another. He hands me the chips and then he sits next to me."You comfortable?" He asks smiling at me."No" I say and he places his beer botle on the floor and he starts to take off my shoes. "I would ask you to stop but I know I would be sasting my energy." I say and he dhrugs He slips one shoe off and then kisses the top on my foot. I sigh in a mixture of pleasure and sheer panic. I don't understand why he's doing all these sweet and downright sexy things to me. I close my eyes for a second trying to calm myself. And then he does
"Do you ever listen to the things that come out of your mouth?" I say looking at him like the crazy and unfiltered..... he is. I don't know why he does this."Why do you say these things to me? Do you ever think how they will affect me?" I ask and he shrugs. I groan and grab his neck and pretend to ring it. I trully hate him right now. "One thing you should know about me is that I say what I think and feel." He says smiling at me like it's funny. I don't find him carming at all especially when he's trying to charm me. "I don't want to hear your thoughts, so I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything to me." I say and he ripz his fingers over his mouth. He closes his eyes and leans into my chest. I feel his breath on my boobs and I almost choke on my spit. "I don'tr think that's the answer either." I say and it's his turn to groan aoutloud. He sits back his chair. My hands drop onto the bed and I realize I was still holding his neck. Itr felt so natural that I didn't notice I wa
The night is thick with shadows, and I stay hidden in plain sight, leaning casually against a streetlamp with a cigarette in hand. I’ve been watching her for over a month now. Celeste. She’s Liam’s weakness, though I doubt she even realizes it. She’s always surrounded by people, especially that annoying shadow of his—Nathan. Liam’s brother never leaves her side, like some overprotective lapdog. It’s irritating, but not unexpected. Liam plays his cards close, and Nathan is just another pawn in his meticulous game.Still, every pawn has its limits.Celeste is standing at the curb now, laughing at something Nathan said. The sound is soft, light, so painfully out of place in a world like ours. She has no idea the storm she’s standing in the middle of. She’s oblivious, a delicate flower in the middle of a battlefield. And I’ll admit—there’s something almost amusing about it.But it’s not am
The office feels too small, like the walls are closing in on me. I can’t sit still. Every step I take feels like I’m walking a tightrope, my mind racing with possibilities, each one darker than the last. Travis sits on the worn leather couch in the corner, his expression unreadable. He’s calm, the way he always is, but I know him well enough to see the tension in his jaw.“Liam,” he says, his voice measured. “You need to breathe. This isn’t helping.”I ignore him, my boots thudding against the floor as I pace. “How does this happen, Travis? A clean pickup. No cops. No outside eyes. And yet my product is gone, my guy’s in the hospital, and there’s a message waiting for me like it’s a damn game.”Travis leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re not going to figure it out by pacing holes into the floor. Sit down. Let’s think this through.”I st
The warehouse feels suffocating. The air is thick with tension, and every sound—footsteps, whispers, the scrape of crates being moved—grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. My fists are clenched so tightly my knuckles ache. Every cell in my body is screaming for release, for violence, for something to break.I sit at the edge of the makeshift desk, staring at nothing, replaying Eric’s words over and over in my head. They’re coming for more. They’re going to take everything from you. My empire is being chipped away, and all I can think about is how much I want to make whoever did this pay.A shuffle of hesitant footsteps behind me pulls me from my thoughts. I don’t turn around. “What?” I snap, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the room.The kid—barely old enough to shave, one of the newer runners—steps forward. He’s holding a clipboard, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. &ldq
The warehouse is buzzing when I arrive, but it’s not the usual controlled chaos. It’s tense, electric. I can feel it in the air before I even step out of the car. Men are pacing, muttering, looking over their shoulders like shadows might suddenly turn into threats. The second I walk in, the room quiets, their eyes darting toward me like they’re waiting for an explosion.I don’t blame them. I’m furious.I move through the crowd, heading straight for the back office where I know Eric, one of my most reliable runners, is waiting. He shouldn’t even be here. From what I’ve been told, he barely made it out of the ambush alive. He should be in a hospital bed, getting stitches and painkillers. Instead, he’s slumped in a chair with his arm in a makeshift sling, his face pale and slick with sweat.“Eric,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. “Tell me everything.”He winces as he shifts in the chair, his hand trembling as he runs it through his hair. “It—it was supposed to be a simple pick-u
The Ferris wheel's gentle hum fades behind us as we step off, and for a moment, everything feels calm, like the world’s giving us a break. Celeste’s laughter hangs in the air, Tamrin and Nathan’s chatter filling the space around us as we walk toward the food court. It’s a perfect night—just the four of us, blending into the crowd, no one looking twice at us, no one questioning who we are. For once, it feels like I can breathe.Then my phone buzzes, jolting me back to reality. I glance at the screen and feel my heart drop. The name flashing there is one I’ve dreaded seeing tonight. For a second, I think about ignoring it, letting it fade, but I know that’s not an option.“Be right back,” I say, stepping away from the table. I catch Nathan’s eyes as I move off to the side, and he gives me a slight nod. He knows better than to ask, but I can see the concern in his eyes.As I answer, the voice on the other
I stand at the cotton candy stand with Presley, the smell of spun sugar in the air, debating whether to get pink or blue. Presley leans into her choice, laughing, and I almost forget how tangled everything feels these days. I turn around to scan the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar face—anything to take my mind off everything with Tamrin and Celeste. Then I see them, a cluster of faces in the distance, laughing and close. My stomach drops.Tamrin is standing with Celeste, Nathan, and Liam. And they’re not just standing around, either—they look like they’re together, sharing that easy, familiar vibe you only have when you're close. My gasp is barely audible, but Presley catches it. She turns to look where I’m staring, her eyes narrowing as she sees the group for herself.“What the…? Tamrin?” Presley says, clearly stunned, her face hardening as she takes it all in. It’s like watching something surreal unfold. I can b
I catch sight of Tamrin the second Nathan calls her over, her face cautious, her eyes bouncing between Celeste and me. I force a polite smile as she approaches, but inside, I’m grinding my teeth. Her showing up means we’re back to pretending—like everything between Celeste and me is just casual, like she’s not the only person on my mind right now. I know Celeste feels it too; the forced smile she gives Tamrin is too practiced, too stiff. The whole scene feels like a well-rehearsed lie, and I hate it.Without saying a word, I start walking toward the Ferris wheel, letting my steps make my frustration known. It’s high up there, away from prying eyes and hushed whispers, a place where maybe, for a few moments, we don’t have to act. I dig into my pocket, pull out a few crumpled bills, and pay the attendant for a cab big enough for all of us. I glance back, calling them over.They gather around, and as we settle into the cabin, it’s
The carnival’s music and laughter fill the air, but my focus is entirely on the two figures in the distance—Celeste and Liam, standing by one of the game booths, his arm just brushing hers as they both laugh. My heart pounds as I watch them, each laugh of theirs twisting something in me. Sadie’s words flood back: Maybe we judged her too harshly… Maybe we’re wrong about all of this. It feels like a thorn in my side, nagging at me as I linger on the edge of the crowd.They’re close, too close. The way Liam’s looking at her, even from here, I can feel the intensity. I can’t stop the thought from creeping in—what if they really are together? I can’t shake it, and it’s eating me alive. Suddenly, I realize I need to talk to her, to find some kind of answer in her face, some way to know the truth without jumping to conclusions. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll apologize. I push my way through the crowd, my feet carrying
The sun’s just about to dip below the horizon, casting this deep orange light over everything as we step onto the carnival grounds. It’s cool, that kind of perfect evening breeze coming off the ocean. The sound of waves rolling up the shore blends with the laughter and music around us. I glance over at Celeste and see her smiling, her hair catching the last bit of daylight, and for a moment, I feel… content. Peaceful, even.Nathan is already pulling ahead, grinning like a kid on holiday, dragging us toward the game booths. There’s a lightness to the whole scene that feels rare these days. It’s almost surreal.“Come on, Liam,” Celeste teases, looking over her shoulder at me. “Let’s see if you’re any good at carnival games or if it’s all talk.”I laugh and pull her gently toward the shooting game booth, waving a couple of tickets to the guy behind the counter. “Think you’re up for a real challenge?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I hand her a plastic rifle.C