I step out of the car and thank the driver, my heart pounding in my chest. The walk from the corner of Sadie’s street to her front door feels long. I opted out of the ride from Tamrin, claiming I needed some “fresh air.” The truth is, I needed the time to breathe, to prepare myself for this.I can see the living room lights glowing from the big window in front of Tamrin’s house. Shadows move against the curtains—laughter filters through the walls. I take a deep breath and force my feet to move forward.I can do this. I have to do this.When I reach the front door, I hesitate for a moment. My hand hovers over the doorbell. I hear another burst of laughter from inside. They sound so relaxed, so carefree. I’m about to step into a war zone.Before I can ring the bell, the door swings open. Tamrin’s there, grinning at me with a cup of something in her hand.“There she is!” she exclaims, throwing an arm around me and pulling me inside. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun, and she’s already i
The movie is playing, but I’m not really watching. The images blur together, the dialogue is just a low hum in the background. My mind is racing, replaying every second of last night, every touch, every whisper. I feel like I’m on the edge of something dangerously close to falling apart.Then, suddenly, Presley grabs the remote and pauses the movie. The screen freezes, and the room goes quiet.“Okay, hold up,” Presley says, turning to me with a playful grin, but there’s something sharp in her eyes. “Celeste, you’re still in your regular clothes. Come on, girl, you need to change into your pajamas. This is a sleepover, not a business meeting.”Tamrin laughs, and Sadie giggles along, but there’s a slight tension in the room that wasn’t there before. I feel everyone’s eyes on me, and my cheeks start to burn.“I, uh… didn’t bring matching pajamas,” I mumble, shifting un
The movie ends, and the room falls into a comfortable silence for a moment. I’m trying to relax, to just breathe and get through this night without falling apart. Tamrin is leaning back against the armrest, her eyes half-closed like she’s about to fall asleep. Sadie is scrolling through her phone, humming to herself.But Presley… Presley’s eyes are darting around the room, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. She’s up to something; I know it.Then she claps her hands together, the sou
Sadie and I are sharing a room because Presley insisted that she and Tamrin are going to share. She thinks she’s hurting my feelings by doing this, but I couldn’t care less. Honestly, I’d rather be home anyway. Presley and Tamrin can be best friends and talk about me in private all night if they want..I climb into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin, hoping for some peace. Sadie watches me from the other side of the bed. Her gaze is knowing, sympathetic, and a little amused.“You’re pissed,” she says, a small smile playing on her lips as she sits at the edge of the bed, legs crossed.“I’m not,” I reply quickly, but even I can hear the tightness in my voice. Sadie just shakes her head.“Come on, Celeste,” she says softly. “You can’t let Presley get to you. She says things just to make people mad.”I exhale sharply, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me
The next morning couldn’t have come any quicker.By 7 am, I’m in the living room, packing my bag, ready to get out of here. The house is quiet—everyone else is still asleep. The air feels heavy, and every sound I make seems amplified in the silence. I shove my pajamas into the bag, feeling my hands tremble slightly.“Celeste,” Tamrin’s voice breaks through the silence. I turn around, startled, as she walks into the living room, her hair tousled from sleep. She looks at me with confusion and worry as I zip up my bag, fixing to leave. “Why are you leaving so early?” she asks, coming to stand in front of me, blocking my path to the door.“Because I want to go home,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. I swallow hard, trying to keep it together, but there’s a burning pain rising in my chest, threatening to spill over. I didn’t think what happened last night had affected me this much, but s
Monday morning. The campus is buzzing with activity, but I feel like I’m moving through a haze. I arrived early, desperate for the quiet before everyone else shows up, before the day’s noise and chaos can drown me out. My eyes are heavy, and my head aches—a dull throb that’s been there since yesterday. The weekend was a blur of tears and exhaustion. I cried until I felt hollow, curled up in my bed, avoiding my mother’s concerned looks and my friends’ texts. I couldn’t face them, not after everything.
The day After the sleepoverPresley’s been talking non-stop, her voice cutting through the quiet like nails on a chalkboard. I’m barely paying attention, my patience wearing thin. But then I catch a few words that make my ears perk up.“You should’ve seen Celeste’s face,” she says with a smug smile. “When I told her to change into pajamas that didn’t match with ours, it was priceless. She looked so out of place.”My jaw tightens. “Why would you do that?”Presley blinks, thrown off by my tone. “What do you mean? It was just a bit of fun. You know how she is.”“No, I don’t,” I say, my voice steady but edged with anger. “And I don’t see what’s so fun about humiliating someone who’s supposed to be a friend.”Presley frowns, her confusion turning into annoyance. “Come on, Liam. It’s j