(Lily's POV)Her voice slammed me like a semi. It ripped through me, coiling around my ribcage hard. My heart detonated, thudding so hard I knew she could hear it. My skin burned, my breath stuttered—everything inside me screamed play it cool.My head played the words again.But fuck.I still had him on me—the blue silk dress against my skin, thighs wrapped tightly together.Sophie's gaze stabbed into mine, hard, attentive and questioning."Knocked? Last night?" I blurted out again, too fast, too shaky. My book clutched in my hands like a goddamn lifeline.My mind spun—moments of Victor on me, his whole self buried deep inside me, his voice in my ear, low and sinful—"Taking you so fucking deep, sweetheart."Fuck, no. Not now.I attempted to give a quick smile, my lips still swollen from his kisses, desperately trying to think of something—anything—to say.I barely processed the words before I started looking for the best reply to it."Oh, uh—yeah. I was out," I stammered, attempting t
The lecture hall emptied very fast—like magic when the TA dropped the golden bombshell: "Class is canceled—see ya next week." Usually Sophie, Daniels, and José walk together, but I was with them, so we all sprinted out into the quad, the afternoon sun beating down on the ivy-covered brick buildings like a postcard."Freedom, baby!" Sophie yelled, twirling around like a clown, her small backpack flying wildly. I laughed, my bag smacking my back as I walked into the wind. My beautiful blue sundress fluttered and smelled new grass and that impossible coffee scent drifting out of the campus coffee shop. Not one single assignments at my heels—to disturb my weekend as usual, no professors jawing—just us, a group of students turned loose."Lily's with us today!" "Daniels chimed in, glanded at me, but his eyes adjusted and now quite firmly fixed on Sophie, all riled up like she was his own sunshine. I smiled, nodded, and we set off cutting across the quad. It was mid-uni chaos—guys throwing a
(Emily's POV)The alarm ripped through the silence at 5:45 a.m., cutting through and not minding my peaceful rest. My body jerked awake immediately, my hand thrashing across the nightstand until I struck my phone, my thumb slamming the screen to end the ear-splitting sound.Silence.Too thick. Too empty.The kind of quiet that makes it seem like the wall is so close, tighter into my sides, so that I could feel it with every breath.I lay there peacefully on the bed, unmade, sheets in a heap around my calves, my legs refusing to move.The air reeked of used perfume, faint sweat, the aftertaste of last night’s dinner—greasy noodles eaten straight out of the box, the chopsticks abandoned where they'd dropped on the counter.I opened my eyes to the ceiling, sleep-misty. There was a narrow crack across one corner, the edge serrated like a cracked bone. I followed its trace with my gaze, counting off the infinitesimal fractures, convincing myself I wasn't the same on the inside.My phone ma
(Emily's POV) The hospital's fluorescent glare burned into my brain as I leaned against my office desk, the clock striking past 6:00 p.m., the day finally waning. My blouse clung to my back, damp from hours of pacing down halls, scrambling charts, and avoiding the chaos that makes up the background. The day had been relentless—a clash between two nurses' schedules had threatened to blow up into a full-fledged shouting contest, and I'd spent forty minutes mediating before I could even get near my real work. The budget meeting had also been a disaster, with Dr. Harris discussing cuts to the budget while his brain was everywhere except the numbers in front of him. And the patients—the reason I did this job, the only thing that made the whole of these worth it. A five-year-old girl who had come in with pneumonia, her little body swaddled in her mother's arms while her father harassed the staff, demanding to know why everything was taking so long. I knew how he feels. I wanted to wav
Emily's POVI stood up from my bed. The apartment humming with a quiet I couldn't unwind into, the clock ticking after 10:00 p.m. as I stood propped against the kitchen counter, my glass of juice clammy in my hand, the tartness still souring my tongue.Sophia had come out of the room she was and laid on the couch. She sprawled across itas if she'd laid claim to it, her can of soda perched on the coffee table, her dark hair fanned across the cushions. Her boots had been kicked off by the door, her bag unzippered beside them—her first night staying over, and already the room felt smaller, her presence a spark to the sterile borders of this space.The city buzzed quietly outside, a low hum through the windows, and I saw her scrolling her phone, her black top riding up as she reached out, a sliver of skin catching the light from the lamp."You're too wired for someone who's been on her feet all day," I said, putting my glass down, the sound of it loud in the quiet. I walked over to the li
(Emily's POV)The couch groaned under Sophia, her steady, deep breaths. The clock flashed 9:00 a.m. as Sunday morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, reflecting off the sticky residue of her soda can on the coffee table. My juice glass remained sitting fresh on the counter, sour on my tongue, the residual buzz of last night still vibrating beneath my skin.I leaned against the wall, watching her move, her dark hair a tangled mess over the pillows. She groaned, rolling over onto her back, her black top riding up as she arched. Her eyes opened with a slow heaviness."Shit, what time is it?" she slurred, voice thick.I smiled, approaching her, juice in hand. "Late enough. You slept hard."She smiled, lazy and sharp, smearing her face. "I worked for it yesterday. Work was hell." A deep breath. "And then you had the nerve to take me out afterwards."I laughed, short and easy, plopping onto the armrest. "Like you struggled."She grinned. "Fair." Then, exhaling a breath, she swung her
(Emily's POV) The couch creaked under Sophia, her chest rising and falling with deep, even breaths, relaxing as the clock ticked 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Light poured through the blinds, reflecting off the ring her soda can left on the coffee table. My glass of juice had stayed cold on the counter, the acidity still burning on my tongue, a reminder of last night's blur of wine and laughter thrumming under my skin. I slumped against the wall, watching her stir. Her dark hair was a tangle of knots over the cushions, her black top rolled up as she rolled onto her back, eyes cracking open slowly, heavy with sleep. "Shit, what's the time?" she slurred, her words thick with sleep. I smiled, advancing, juice in hand. "Late enough—you slept hard," I told her, and she smiled slowly, stretching her face into a smile as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Worked for it yesterday—the hospital was hell," she complained, exhaling a deep breath, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. "Then y
Emily's POVThe garage of the hospital was only viewable from my rearview as I drove away slowly, Sophia's sedan just in front of mine, as we have to drive the little way to the main road, immediately out the hospital's gate.She whined her window down, gave a little beautiful smile, while waving her hand before hand before drifting into the road. The time is just a little past 5:00 p.m. on a calm Sunday evening. The city was not so lively, just a dull, blur atmosphere, streetlights buzzing to life. Tires screeched on wet pavement as cars kept moving, the weekend's restless thrum still resonating in my chest.My thoughts went back to their usual state, Three months, and Mark J. Kennedy is not where to be found, no calls, his doesn't even go through either, nobody that I know him with that I can reach—all the thoughts, just making my temper unstable. But Sophia's energy stuck with me, her "Next Saturday's wild" hanging in on that morning, Johnson's name is something I'm going to hear
(Emily's POV)I shut the door behind me, and just stood there for some minutes, tired and stressed.The silence here I what I really needed after the noise. The atmosphere was thick, warm, and somehow suffocating. My apartment was too quiet, and too still. No voices, just the soft hum of the fridge and the sound of my own heartbeat.Sophia was still at the loft, dancing with someone, drunk and shining. I didn't even tell her why I was leaving that. I just mumbled something about being tired and stressed, and she was distracted, just smiled and turned back to the person she's with.The ride home was something that felt like it didn't happen. One second, I stopped the taxi and told him where I'm headed. Next, he told me were at my street, and I asked him to drive forward little, paid him from my purse, and alighted at the front of my apartment.The moment I was inside, i felt a little tired, forgetting that my body was tired earlier.But my body wasn't tired, maybe not really.It was ju
(Emily's POV)The loft was already charged with energy when we got there. Music vibrating through the walls before we even opened the door, I didn't even know this was what I should be expecting.The thud of bass followed us upstairs, shaking the building. The air was thick with the smell of perfume, wine, and too many different brands of cologne, just everything mixed togeter.Sophia pulled the door open violently without knocking. The interior was honey-hued and it was fairly dark, just string lights that coiled around the beams of the ceiling.People walking in every direction, glasses held aloft, voices ebbing and flowing. Laughter from the other side of the room where a small bar had been set up, bottles already partially drained.We stepped inside and were assailed by a wall of heat and noise.Sophia smiled at me and turned to leave. "This is already perfect."I nodded, even though I could feel the butterflies curling around my stomach. The dress clung to me more than I thought
(Emily’s POV)The sun slipped in through my blinds, falling in stripes across my bed. I turned over slowly, my head was heavy and my body sore. It felt like I had been hit by everything all at once, work stress, late pizza, the noise, everything.I blinked at the clock beside me. It was 11:03 a.m.“Shit,” I muttered, my voice rough. I never slept this late, not even on weekends.The red dress I made up my mind to wear was still hanging on the chair. It looked like it was looking at me. The party was tonight. Eight o'clock. Johnson. The fun. All of it waiting.I sat up and rubbed my face with my palm, then stood and walked barefoot into the living room.Sophia was passed out on the couch. Her hair was messy, one sock missing. The plush cat from the arcade was resting on her chest. The TV was off. Her laptop was shut, and the pizza boxes were still on the table.I leaned over the couch.“Soph.. Soph” I said. “It’s eleven.”She jumped a little like she wasn't being chased, blinking fast.
Emily's POVIt was 4:30 p.m. when I flung open the hospital doors like someone escaping a wild conflagration. Sophia's keys jingled alongside me, the two of us near-running to the lot, the fatigue of the week tugging at our legs but Friday freedom egging us on. I’d made sure we left early with some silly excuses—"admin catch-up," whatever the heck that meant—and nobody had the energy to argue.Sophia slid into her sleek black Mazda, always a step ahead, her taillights blinking with that smug little smile. I got into my car, the A/C grumbling as it started up, the wheel warm beneath my hands from being parked in the late afternoon sun.Traffic zoomed past me, but my mind wasn't on the road. It was on Johnson. Or, more specifically, Sophia's endless chatter about him.She'd been gushing about him all week like she's the author of a romance novel. "He's got this laugh," she'd said on Monday, bending across the break room table like she was sharing state secrets. "Deep. Contagious. You'll
His lips crashed into mine, and the world spun.He rolled them in one fluid motion, and I was abruptly beneath him—his body looming over me, one strong hand clenching both of mine captive above my head. The bed dipped beneath, cause of the action, but he didn't stop the kiss. It grew even more, hard and hungrier, like he'd been starving for me. Our lips dancing together, wild, sloppy. His tongue pushed past my lips, tasting me, claiming me, and I gave way, kissing him back just as fiercely.I breathed out into his mouth as his free arm found my waist, gripping hard, yanking my body against his. Everything about him was hot and hard and demanding. His chest against my breasts, his hips grinding into mine, that heavy pressure between my thighs driving me wild."Victor," I breathed into his mouth, my voice already shattered.His eyes burned into mine, pupils wide with longing. "You drive me crazy," he growled, then dropped down again, lips brushing over my jaw, down my throat. "Completel
(Lily's POV)I can't even say think of how exactly I made it through Wednesday, and today, it's Thursday.It was very slow one, and every hour dragged like my body was waiting for something—something that I wanted to have start last night, but still haven't. The way Victor had looked at me in his office. The way his voice softened when he spoke about his brother. The way I’d wanted to kiss him but I just couldn't do it.All day, it sat in me. That pull. That ache. That craving.By the time my last class ended, I was practically vibrating with nerves. And want. The type that sits deep in your belly, heavy and sweet. I didn’t even text him. I didn’t need to. I know he'd be at his place, so this time, I do not even want to have the permission to, I just wanted to.I didn’t go home first.I took a cab straight to his apartment.When I got there, the sun was just starting to set, casting soft gold light through the tall windows of his place. I stood at the door for a second, breathing in.
(Lily’s POV)The bed felt too big when I woke up. The sheets were cold, like I haven't slept on them all night. I stretched my hand, half-asleep, expecting to feel Victor’s warm body beside me,but there was nothing. Just the empty space and my pillow. I sighed, turning onto my side. It was Wednesday morning, i’m at my place. But everything still smelled like him. My body still felt like him.My skin was sore in the nicest way, my thighs still a little shaky from the way he held me Monday night, as my brain was replaying everything. I tried to take it all out, I closed my eyes for a second, and it all came rushing back—how his hands gripped me, how he kissed me, how he made me feel like I was the only girl on earth. And then yesterday, Tuesday, when he took me to school, the way his fingers brushed my knee in the car, that quiet smirk he gave me before I got out. It was driving me crazy.I pressed my thighs together under the covers, my breath hitching just from thinking about it.Ever
(Lily's POV)I buckled into the passenger seat of José's car, my bag tucked in beside me as he ignited the car engine. The smell of his cologne, something light and citrus-scented, wafted through the car, adding to the soft hum of air freshener. His knuckles drummed against the steering wheel, a loose smile still in place as he backed out of the parking lot.“You’re awfully quiet,” he said, side-eyeing me as he maneuvered through the light traffic.I scoffed, turning toward him with a smirk. “And you’re awfully nosy.”José gasped, clutching his chest dramatically. “Me? Nosy? I've never been told that.”I rolled my eyes, laughing, as I leaned my head back against the pillow. The day had been long, but here, the gentle hum of the car beneath us, the city racing by in bursts of light and movement—it felt oddly peaceful."So, what's up?" he asked after a moment."What do you mean?""You just look. different. Happier? Preoccupied? Something." He shot me a look that's like he's reading me,
I walked and sat on the seat next to Sophie, allowing my bag to clatter onto the desk with a bang. She glanced at me, still radiating her just-had-an-outburst aura."Sophie," I said, wincing at her. "Why'd you shout that out like that?"She didn't even flinch—not even a bit, smiling nastily. "Tell me you two are not good-looking people and perfectly perfect to be a couple?I scoffed, shaking my head. “Ooh, that’s what we’re doing now, ain’t it? What even with the perfectly perfect”“All I’m just saying is—”“Don’t say it.”“—you and José look great together.”I groaned, tilting my head back. “I hate you.”“You love me.”I didn’t argue, just side-eyed her as she smirked like she just had a victory.While we waited for the lecturer, we had conversations as usual, our voices dipping to a whisper whenever the hall became quiet, then rising once more the instant other individuals started talking. I kept myself occupied flipping through my notes, pretending to read, while Sophie annoyingly