When I finally wake up, the room is darker, and my body feels heavy like I’ve been sleeping for days. I sit up slowly, rubbing my eyes, trying to shake off the exhaustion. My head is pounding, and my mouth feels dry. I blink a few times, reaching for my phone on the nightstand.
The screen lights up, and my heart drops when I see the dozens of missed calls and messages from Liam. A knot forms in my stomach. I start scrolling through the texts, feeling my pulse quicken with every word.
Liam: You good?
Liam: Celeste, come on. Say something.
Liam: Seriously, are you okay?
I keep scrolling, my anxiety rising with each one. They go from concerned to annoyed to downright angry.
Liam: Answer your damn phone.
Liam: What the hell, Celeste? You can’t just ignore me like this.
I swallow hard, feeling the panic start to set in. I keep scro
I push open the door to Liam's house, my heart pounding in my chest. The moment I step inside, I feel a wave of familiarity, a rush of memories flooding my mind. I ignore the nagging voice in my head telling me this is a mistake — Tamrin’s voice, actually, from earlier today. She told me not to come, told me it would only make things worse, but I can’t help myself. I have to see him, have to make him understand.I close the door behind me, letting the latch click softly. The house is dimly lit, the curtains are close
I'm staring at my phone, fingers hovering over the screen as I type and delete the message for the third time. Asking Celeste out shouldn't be this complicated, but it feels like I'm overthinking every word. I can face the most dangerous situations with ease, but this... asking her out feels like standing at the edge of a cliff.Finally, I hit send:Wanna grab something to eat with me later?- Liam I wait, staring at the screen, a little knot forming in my chest. It's not even five seconds before I see the typing bubble pop up.No, I can’t.- CelesteI frown, the immediate rejection hitting me harder than it should. My fingers fly over the keyboard as I send the next message.Why not?- Liam There’s a pause, and I can almost imagine her staring at her phone, biting her lip, thinking of how to respond. My phone pings again, her message short.I just can’t.- CelesteI shake my head, already feeling the frustration rise. She’s dodging me, and I don’t like it. If there’s one thing I ha
If she won't go out with me, I'll bring the date to her.I spent the whole day setting up in my backyard, dragging out an old table and cleaning it up, stringing up lights between the trees, and making sure everything was perfect. I even managed to cook something that didn’t look half bad, despite not being the best in the kitchen. Simple pasta and garlic bread. Safe. She liked safe things.This wasn’t about impressing her with some fancy dinner, though. It was about showing her I was serious—serious about her, about us. Maybe Celeste didn’t want to be seen with me in public, but here, behind the gate, it’s just us. No one else. No judgment.Once everything is set, I grab my jacket and head to her house. I know she’s home. She’s probably holed up in her room, studying or avoiding me, whichever one it is today. But not tonight.I jog up to the gate and knock. Nothing.“Celeste!” I call out. No an
When I opened the door and saw Liam standing there, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Maybe another awkward conversation or some sarcastic comment, but not this.Not him crouching down, offering me a piggyback ride like we’re in some kind of rom-com.I don’t know why I got on his back. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe I just didn’t want to argue with him anymore. But the moment I was there, clinging to him, it felt... easier than it should’ve. Like I didn’t have to pretend to hate him f
I poke at the slice of pizza in front of me, not really interested in eating. It’s cold now, but I don’t care. My stomach feels like a heavy knot, twisted tight with guilt.I haven’t heard from Celeste since that disastrous sleepover. Every time I check my phone, there’s nothing. No new message, no call. Just silence. And it’s killing me.“I wish I could just... undo it, you know?” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. I push the pizza away, leaning my elbows on the table. Sadie’s sitting across from me, trying to act like everything’s fine, but I can tell she’s worried too.She shrugs, taking a sip from her soda. “What’s done is done, Tam. She’ll come around. She just needs some space.”I shake my head, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. “I shouldn’t have let it get this bad. I should’ve stopped Presley before—” I cut mys
I’m mid-sentence, trying to convince myself that another slice of pizza will make me feel better, when the door swings open. And there she is—Presley, standing in the doorway like she owns the place.The second I see her, my stomach drops. I wasn’t prepared for this. For her.She smiles, that fake, overly sweet smile she always has, and strides over to our table like she’s been invited. Sadie and I exchange a glance, but neither of us says anything.“Hey, girls!” Presl
The air is cool and still, the only sound the faint rustling of the leaves in the trees. I’m sitting cross-legged on the grass in Liam’s backyard, staring up at the stars. The candles from dinner still flicker nearby, their soft glow making the whole scene feel unreal. I can't believe I'm actually on a date.Liam’s lying on his back beside me, his hands behind his head, eyes fixed on the sky. He hasn’t said much in the past few minutes, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve had enough of awkward silences this weekend, but this one feels different. Comfortable, almost.“You’re quiet,” he finally says, his voice soft, not at all what I expect from him. “What’s on your mind?”I shrug, pulling my knees to my chest, trying to avoid his eyes. “Nothing much,” I lie.But then he turns his head toward me, and even though I’m not looking at him, I can feel the weight of his ga
The morning sun is just starting to peek over the sky as I quietly slip through the front door, the sound of it clicking shut behind me louder than I want it to be. My heart pounds in my chest as I tiptoe across the hallway, hoping—praying—that my mother is not awake yet.I spent the night at Liam’s again. I can hardly believe I did it. I stayed out the whole night again, we lost track of time, and now here I am, sneaking back in like some sort of criminal. My pulse quickens at the thought of my mom finding out. If she knew… I don’t even want to think about it.As I round the corner into the kitchen, I freeze. My mother is sitting at the kitchen table, a half-empty cup of tea in front of her. She’s staring at nothing, her eyes red and puffy. My stomach twists. She’s been crying again.I stand there, frozen, wondering if I should say something or just slip past and pretend I didn’t notice. Maybe she won&rsquo
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