LOGINNina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
The moon hung low in the night sky, its silvery glow filtering through the billowing curtains of our room. Its luminance should have brought tranquility, a stark contrast to the turmoil within my heart. But it didn’t. I was curled up on the edge of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest, lost in a
Nina The brightly lit mall, covered in colorful banners and flashy storefronts, was a stark change from the gentle green and blue hues of Mountainview. It wasn’t a regular occurrence for us to come to the mall, but when we did, it was always fun. I always loved browsing the sale racks, trying on
Enzo The night air was crisp but not too cold—just the way I liked it. There was something about the solitude of the open road and the rumble of my motorcycle beneath me that put everything into perspective. Nina had been going through a lot, and although I would have loved to be by her side eve
Enzo The air in the gym was thick with the stench of sweat. The fluorescent lights beamed down from the ceiling, casting a whitish hue over the various machines and free weights that occupied the room. The soundtrack for that day was the usual mix of grunts and sparse conversations, the clatter of







