Amy’s POVThe broken doorknob still bothered me. How did it snap off with just a simple pull? I kept replaying the moment in my head, and it nagged at me all the way to the restaurant.I stayed quiet the whole drive, too distracted to make small talk with David. Not that he noticed much, or maybe he did, but he just wanted to leave me alone to my own world, smiling to himself as if nothing could ever go wrong.When we arrived, I could already feel the familiar sense of discomfort creeping in. This place, the restaurant, the staff, the way people whispered as we walked in, everything reminded me of the status we carried. The Brassfields and the Wesleys were household names in Berkeley City.Everyone knew we were wealthy, practically royalty around here. It wasn’t a new rumor, but somehow, as I got older, the weight of it all became suffocating. The attention, the expectations, it made my skin crawl.I could feel the eyes on me. They probably thought I was the luckiest girl in the world
Amy’s povI approached Mel’s doorstep, and something felt off. The door was slightly ajar, swinging open without resistance as I reached for the handle. It was unusual since Mel has always been careful since she lost her mum, she never left doors open like this. I stepped inside, calling out her name."Mel? Mel, are you home?" My voice echoed through the quiet rooms, but there was no response.The silence made me so worried instantly, so I walked further into the house, heading straight for her room. I knocked lightly before entering, but it was empty, the bed still neatly made. Where could she be? I searched every room I was familiar with, the living room, even the small study area off to the side, but there was no sign of her. My pulse quickened, and I made my way upstairs to check the store, hoping I’d find her there. It was empty too, just like the rest of the house. Panic began to creep in as I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. The phone rang somewhere close by. I foll
Austin’s povI stopped a taxi and told the driver to take me to the nearest bar. Everyone knows it’s a kind of place where people go to lose themselves for a while. I fished through my wallet and found only a few crumpled bills left. Barely enough to cover the ride, let alone the drinks I needed. Most of my savings had already been eaten up by college expenses, and I wasn’t about to go crawling back to the family company without a degree. I’d promised my parents I wouldn’t let them down, and I planned to keep that promise, even if I wasn’t sure how anymore.When the taxi stopped, I paid what little I had and walked into the bar with a casual confidence I didn’t feel. It was automatic, part of the armor I wore every day. The moment I stepped in, heads turned, eyes lingering just a little longer than normal. I could feel the gazes, especially from the girls scattered around the bar, and I leaned into it. That was the thing about places like this, everyone was looking for something to di
Austin’s pov I didn’t know when the tears started, but once they came, I couldn’t stop them. I slammed my fist against the wall, the dull thud barely cutting through the flood of frustration that surged through me. Why did everything have to fall apart like this? Why was life so cruel? My voice cracked as I screamed, but no one was there to hear me. It didn’t matter. No one ever had the answers I was looking for, anyway.Then, just as suddenly as the pain had hit me, it was gone. I wasn’t in my room anymore. I was sitting on a massive chair, one that fit me perfectly, like it had been made for me. A wide, grand seat that felt both comforting and overwhelming. I glanced down and saw something in my hand. A staff? But what was it for? Why was it here? Everything felt... off.I stood up, wanting answers, but everyone around me just kept bowing and greeting me like I was some kind of royalty. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. What was I supposed to say? And why were they
Amy’s pov Mel and I crawled out of bed, still laughing from the pillow fight that had carried on late into the night. I looked around the room, and it was a total mess. Pillows, blankets, clothes, everything was scattered across the floor. We exchanged a glance and burst out laughing again. It was like we were kids all over again, no worries, no stress, just us being our chaotic selves. Mel stretched and made her way to the bathroom, leaving me alone in the room. I reached for my phone and saw a bunch of missed calls. I didn’t even bother to open it. I already knew it was my mom calling, probably wondering where I was or why I hadn’t checked in. But I wasn’t in the mood to deal with that right now.“Mel, hurry up! I need to get home soon!” I called out.From the bathroom, Mel’s voice came back. “Stay a few more hours! Half of your wardrobe is here anyway.” I rolled my eyes, knowing she was right. I had practically moved in over the past few weeks. When Mel stepped out of the bathro
Amy’s pov When we got home, Mel and I slipped inside quietly. The house had that familiar, almost predictable feel to it. I knew exactly where my parents would be. Dad would be in his room, hunched over his computer like always, probably reviewing some business report or project. And Mom? She was likely on a call with her friends, planning another one of her extravagant parties, the kind that made headlines for all the wrong reasons. They were both predictable in their own ways, and I preferred it that way, it gave me a sense of control over an otherwise chaotic life.But today was different. I was bringing Mel to see Dad for the first time in weeks. Mel had always been welcome in our home, but things had changed after her mom and my mom had a falling out. They never told us what it was about, but it was enough to create a rift. And when Mel’s mom passed away, that tension grew, making things even more complicated. But Mel wasn’t one to dwell on the past. She was ready to face thi
Austin’s povI stood outside my uncle's door, knocking lightly. The house was quiet, like it always was these days. I needed to ask him for some money, not that I wanted to, but I was running low and had no other options. After a moment, his voice came from inside, slurred but clear enough. "Yeah, what is it?""Do you have any cash on you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.He didn’t even open the door. "Go to the room," he grumbled, pointing down the hall. "There's a bag on the bed."I walked over, found the bag, and opened it. It wasn’t surprising, just a pile of bills. He must’ve gone to the bank earlier. My uncle wasn’t the most responsible person, but he always had a stash of money somewhere. I took a hundred thousand dollars, enough to last me a while, and left the room without a word.With the money in hand, I grabbed a list I’d scribbled down earlier and headed out. I needed to pick up some groceries, and the sooner I did it, the sooner I could get back. I flagged down
Austin’s povI sighed and agreed to help Jackson with the laundry, even though I wasn’t in the mood for it. As we sorted through the piles of clothes, my thoughts drifted back to Amy, and I couldn’t help but bring up David, her boyfriend. “You know,” I said, tossing a shirt into the washing machine, “David gives me the creeps. He’s like some stalker, always hanging around Amy, watching her like a hawk.”Jackson gave me a long, hard stare, like he was waiting for me to realize something. After a few seconds, I looked up and met his eyes. “What?”Jackson smirked, but there was something serious behind it. “You do realize the guy you’re talking about is one of the wealthiest sons in this town, right? He’s not just some random dude.”I shrugged, unbothered. “I don’t care about his money. How’s that supposed to affect me?” I scoffed, tossing another shirt into the machine. *If it weren’t for keeping my identity under wraps, I’d have no problem asking Amy out,* I thought to myself. I knew
Amy’s POVAs soon as Mel stormed off, I felt an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over me. My heart twisted painfully in my chest as I watched her disappear into the distance. I couldn’t believe I had just told her to move out. What had I done? Mel was my best friend, and I had practically driven her away.“I need to go after her,” I muttered, starting to take a step forward, but Austin’s hand gently caught my arm, stopping me.“Let her go, Amy,” he said softly. His voice was calm, but there was a seriousness in his eyes. “She’s angry right now. If you try to talk to her, it’ll only make things worse. Let her cool off first.”I hesitated, looking between him and the spot where Mel had just been. He was right, Mel was furious, and nothing I said now would make her listen. Still, the guilt ate at me.&nbs
Amy’s POVI sprinted after Mel, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I finally caught up with her just outside the school building. The air between us crackled with tension, and I could feel the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on me. I had to know the truth, and I couldn’t let her walk away without answering the one question that had been burning inside me for so long.“Mel, stop!” I called out, grabbing her arm to get her attention. She stopped but didn’t turn to face me. I could see her shoulders rising and falling rapidly, her anger barely contained. “Why do you hate Austin so much?”She stiffened at the question, but she didn’t respond. Her silence only fueled my frustration. I needed answers. I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine, especially not after what she had seen.&ldq
Amy’s POVI rushed down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t want to avoid Austin, not really, but I couldn’t shake the promise I had made to Mel. She had been so serious when she asked me to stay away from him, and I didn’t want to disappoint her, not after everything she had been through. Still, pushing Austin away felt wrong, like I was tearing myself apart trying to please both of them.I slowed down, leaning against a locker as the confusion swirled inside me. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to choose.Before I could collect my thoughts, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, and there he was, Austin. He was walking toward me, his expression serious but determined. I could feel my heart rate spike just seeing him, and all the emotions I had been trying to bury came rushing to the surface.“Amy,” he call
Austin’s POVSeeing Mel back at school the next day was a relief. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her after what happened, and it felt good to see her walking around, looking healthy and in one piece. When we passed each other in the hall, she gave me a quick nod and even managed a small smile. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to ease some of the tension I’d been carrying.But Amy? She wouldn’t even look at me.I tried catching her eye several times throughout the morning, but she either pretended not to see me or made a point of turning away. By the time lunch rolled around, it was pretty clear she was avoiding me. I felt a knot of disappointment forming in my stomach. What could’ve gone wrong? Things had been fine between us before the incident with David, and even at the hospital, she’d been upset but still hugged me. No
Amy’s POV The moment I walked into the hospital room and saw Mel sitting there, bandaged and bruised, my heart broke. The bandages wrapped tightly around her arms and chest couldn’t hide the deep, ugly scratches underneath. Tears immediately welled up in my eyes as I stared at her, trying to process how this had happened. I had known she was hurt, but seeing the damage in person made everything so much more real.Without warning, the tears spilled over, and I couldn’t hold them back any longer. “Mel, what the hell were you thinking?” I yelled, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. “Why would you run off like that?”Mel looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. She stayed quiet, her expression tense, like she was bracing herself for the outburst she knew was coming.“I was worried sick about you!” I continued, stepping closer to her bedside. “And now look at you! You could’ve been killed, Mel! What were you thinking?”My voice wavered, and I could feel myself losing control
Austin’s POVI was walking through the woods, my mind racing from everything that had happened at the club. David’s attack had left me shaken, but more than that, I was worried about Amy. She had passed out, and I couldn’t shake the image of her lying there on the ground. I needed to clear my head, figure out what to do next, so I wandered out into the trees to try and collect my thoughts.My eyes caught something or someone I didn’t quite recognize at first. I took a step forward and I just had to admit, I didn’t recognize who it was. I saw a figure slumped against the base of a tree, covered in blood and dirt, their clothes torn. But as I got closer, my heart skipped a beat. It was Mel.She was lying on the ground, her skin pale, blood dripping from deep scratches across her arms and chest. My mind went blank for a moment, panic clawing at me as I rushed to her side. “Mel!” I dropped to my knees, gently shaking her, trying to get her to respond. Her eyes fluttered open for a second
Mel's POVI sat on the edge of Amy’s bed, watching her closely, my arms folded across my chest. Her face was pale, and her eyes had a faraway look, like she wasn’t quite here with me. She had just woken up after passing out, and the only word she had muttered was Seraphina, a name I’d never heard before.“Who’s Seraphina?” I asked, my voice soft but laced with curiosity. I leaned forward slightly, hoping she had some sort of explanation.Amy blinked, her gaze shifting toward me, but her expression was as confused as mine. “I don’t know,” she admitted, shaking her head. “I heard the name in a dream. There was someone standing in the shadows, but I couldn’t see who they were. They said ‘Seraphina,’ but I have no idea who that is.”A chill ran down my spine as Amy spoke, but I forced myself to stay calm. Dreams could be strange, especially after a traumatic experience like the one she’d had. Still, something about the name bothered me, though I couldn’t put my finger on why. For a momen
Amy’s POV I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. One moment, Austin and I were on the verge of something, something important, and the next moment, David appeared out of nowhere, his fist slamming into Austin’s face. The sound of the hit echoed in my ears, cutting through the pounding music and the chaos of the club. I froze, my body going numb with shock.“David! Stop!” I shouted, rushing toward them, but David didn’t even look at me. His focus was solely on Austin, his fists already drawing back for another blow.“David, I said stop!” I tried again, but my words fell on deaf ears. He was lost in his rage, and I could see it in his eyes, he wasn’t thinking, wasn’t processing anything except whatever primal anger was driving him forward.Austin, for his part, didn’t fight back. He didn’t raise a hand, didn’t even defend himself. He just stood there, taking the hits like he was waiting for it to be over. That confused me more than anything. This wasn’t the Austin I knew. Why wasn’t he
Austin’s POV I couldn’t help but feel a sense of triumph after Amy stood her ground with David. The way she brushed him off and refused to let him dictate her actions, it gave me a rush. It wasn’t just about her siding with me; it was about the fact that she still cared enough to push back. I felt special, like I had some kind of hold on her that David didn’t.The next day, I decided to push my luck. I caught up with her after school, casually suggesting we go out that night, just the two of us. There was this new club downtown, and I figured it would be a good distraction from everything going on. “Umm, Amy,” I called as I approached her locker. She turned, her face lighting up when she saw me. That reaction alone boosted my confidence. “Are you doing anything tonight?”She shook her head, looking curious. “Not really, why?”“I was thinking... there’s this new club opening up. You wanna go? Just you and me.”Her eyes widened for a second, but then she smiled. “Sure, why not?”I had