When I get home, I already feel the weight of the day settling into my shoulders. Between the weird energy at school and seeing Sadie and Tamrin, I just want to disappear into my room and be alone for a while. But as I step into the house and drop my bag by the door, my phone buzzes in my pocket.
It’s Liam.
Come to the backyard.
-Liam
I stare at the message, my heart speeding up for no good reason. It’s Liam, so of course I shouldn’t be surprised by whatever this is. I glance out the kitchen window and see him standing there, hands shoved into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet like he’s waiting for something.
A tiny smile tugs at the corner of my mouth despite myself. What’s he up to now?
I step outside, and as soon as Liam spots me, his face breaks into this massive, excited grin. The kind of smile that lights up his entire face, making him look like a little kid who just got
Text to Celeste,I’ve been sitting here for what feels like forever, trying to find the right words, and honestly, I don’t even know if there are any that can fully explain how I feel right now. I’m hurt, Celeste. Really hurt. I keep thinking about everything that’s happened, and I just can’t shake it. You didn’t tell me about Nathan. Your first boyfriend, and I had to hear it from someone else? How is that fair? How am I supposed to feel?We’ve been through everything together, and now you’re shutting me out when it matters the most. It feels like I’ve been replaced, like you don’t need me anymore. And I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s the truth. You’re my best friend — or at least, I thought I was yours, too. We’re supposed to share these moments, right? We’re supposed to be there for each other, but now it feels like I’m on the outside looking in, and I h
The moment I step into Liam's car, a rush of excitement mixed with anxiety hits me. He flashes that trademark grin of his—the one that always makes my heart race—and before I know it, we’re on the road. The engine purrs beneath us as we pull away from my house, and I feel like I’m diving headfirst into something thrilling yet unnervingly unpredictable.The sun is setting, casting a golden light across the horizon. Outside the window, the world blurs into streaks of amber and pink as Liam speeds down the highway. The radio plays softly, a mix of hip-hop beats that make the moment feel even more surreal.“So?” he asks, glancing at me with a smirk that both reassures and rattles me.“So? ,” I say, though my stomach twists at the thought of being away from familiar places, especially with him.I feel, his eyes focused on the road ahead. “You look like you're ready to jumpout of this moving car” He sa
We step out of the car, and the atmosphere immediately hits me. The scent of gasoline mingles with the buzz of excitement, and the low hum of engines fills the air. A few go-karts sit lined up in the distance, their sleek frames gleaming under the lights.Liam leads me through the crowd, and I can feel the mix of exhilaration and anxiety building again. I catch sounds of laughter, teasing remarks about who’ll win tonight. It’s lively, and there’s so much energy here that’s impossible to ignore, but I can’t hel
I storm into the restaurant, my heart racing and anger boiling beneath. I can’t shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong. Celeste has been different lately, distant and I just know Nathan has something to do with it. It’s all his fault.As I walk through the doors, my eyes scan the room until they land on him, sitting at a small table by the window. He’s lost in his phone, looking so relaxed, so casual, as if nothing in the world could bother him. I can’t take it anymore. My feet move on their own, pushing me toward him, and before I know it, I’m standing right in front of him, fire in my eyes.“Nathan!” I shout, my voice cutting through the soft chatter of the restaurant. He looks up, startled, and his casual demeanor falters.“Yeah?” His confusion is written all over his face, but I’m beyond caring.“You!” I point a finger at him, my voice rising with each word. “I
The adrenaline still courses through my veins as Celeste and I step off the go-kart track. I can’t help but smile at her infectious laughter. The sun is starting to set, casting a golden glow over everything.“I suck at this!” she exclaims, grabbing me by the arms, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I was bumping into everyone! But I had so much fun!”Her joy is contagious. I stand there, speechless, captivated by the way her face lights up. She’s radiant, and for a brief moment, I forget about everything else—the chaos of my life, the pressures of being who I am, the expectations that weigh me down. Right now, it’s just her and me, sharing this moment of pure, unfiltered happiness.“Bumping into everyone was part of the fun,” I reply with a smirk, trying to keep my cool even though my heart races. “I think you might have taken out a few competitors along the way.”Celeste giggles,
As soon as I get home, the silence hits me. The thrill of the day, the laughter, the lightness—it all starts to fade as I step through the front door. The house feels cold, empty, and suddenly way too quiet. I kick off my shoes, still smiling to myself about the go-karting. Liam’s goofy grin and the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world... It was nice. Too nice.I drop onto my bed, pulling out my phone, wanting to relive the fun for just a little longer. I scroll through my messages, but one notification g
The clock on my phone reads 12:23 AM, and I’m still wide awake, staring at the ceiling. The soft glow from my bedside lamp barely cuts through the darkness, but it feels too bright for how I’m feeling right now. Tamrin’s text replays over and over in my mind, each word weighing heavier than the last. I can’t shake the ache in my chest, the guilt twisting deeper with every passing minute.I try closing my eyes again, willing sleep to come, but it’s useless. My mind won’t stop running. The hurt in Tamrin’s message, the sadness in her words—it’s all too much. I toss and turn, trying to find some kind of comfort, but the emptiness in the room swallows me whole.My thoughts drift, and before I can stop myself, Liam’s face appears in my mind. His smile from earlier, the way he looked at me during the date, that sparkle in his eyes when I laughed—it was so easy, so carefree. It felt good. Too good.But n
The cool night air brushes against my skin as Liam and I make our way through the quiet streets toward his house. The world around us is silent, the only sounds coming from the soft crunch of our shoes on the pavement and the occasional rustling of leaves. I keep my eyes forward, focusing on the moonlight casting shadows on the ground, trying to avoid the question I know is coming.We walk side by side, but I can feel Liam glancing at me, waiting. He’s not the type to let things go, and I can sense that he's thinking about what brought me out of my house tonight, why I texted him.“You haven’t said much,” he finally says, breaking the silence between us. His voice is gentle but curious, like he’s testing the waters.“I just needed some air,” I reply quickly, hoping that will be enough for him to drop it.He lets it hang for a moment, as if he’s deciding whether or not to push. “Yeah, but that’s n
I messed up.I could see it the second Tamrin’s lips pressed into a thin line, her arms folding across her chest in that way girls do when they’re deciding if they’re really mad or just annoyed. I had gotten cocky—too many questions about Celeste, too fast. Tamrin might stop talking, and I can’t have that.I force a slow smile, keeping my expression soft. “You’re mad.”Tamrin doesn’t say anything. Just stabs at the last bi
The night started off perfectly. Trevor showed up with a dozen roses—deep red, the kind that makes you feel like you’re the most special girl in the world. He even brought my favorite iced coffee, the way I like it—extra caramel, extra cream.I was glowing. Floating. Five dates in, and Trevor had been everything I could’ve asked for. Sweet, thoughtful, affectionate. It was almost enough to make me forget the disaster of our first date. Almost.We’re sitting
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