Bella put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Aria. We’ll figure something out.” “But—” Just then, a smooth voice interrupted. “Is there a problem here?” We turned to see a tall man approaching, his dark suit impeccably tailored. His mask was sleek and black, covering half of his face but revea
“You really broke up with your boyfriend on Valentine's day? Why? I mean, was he seeing another woman?” “Technically, I was the other woman.” I tilted back the shot of tequila down my throat, the liquid shooting through me like lightning. “What?!” Bella’s outburst drew the attention of a few onl
Did I just... make out with a famous VIP?!The handsome VIP looks at me with a questioning glare, and I quickly try to offer some kind of justification.“I-I’m so sorry!” I stutter out, taking several steps back. “I… I just…” I flounder for a moment. How the hell would I be able to explain myself? N
“Ah, right! Um…” I nervously laugh, a habit I’ve never been able to fully get rid of. This is the worst thing that could’ve possibly happened to me this morning! He barely looks at me, his attention firmly focused on his dog.“Lucas.” At just his words, the dog underneath my hand shifts, ears going
I quickly began to try to get ready for the interview, mind racing a thousand miles a minute. I take the fastest shower of my life in order to wash off any lingering dog hairs.I’d applied to them almost three months ago, and received radio silence in response. It was a bit of a long shot of an appl
“My apologies, Sir.” The interviewer grabs a few papers, looking eager to leave. “I didn’t know it was you who requested such an interview. I’d never question the Alpha’s decision.”Alpha? I almost ask, but I figure it’s some weird ‘employee-at-a-pet-company’ hierarchy gimmick. These people are stra
The next morning, as I get ready for my new job, I can’t help but feel like things might finally be turning around for me. I agonize over my outfit choice for a long while, eventually settling on a white blouse and business skirt.I’d turned on the news forecast to see what the weather would be like
“Um, I’ve never used one, but my uncle is a hunter.” The woman both gasp, and the man seems shocked. They reacted to the word ‘hunter’ like it was some kind of curse word!“Right. Um.” The sloppy-tie guy takes a step back, “I gotta go work on that proposal, then.”“Yeah, me too.” Melissa says, and t
Bella put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Aria. We’ll figure something out.” “But—” Just then, a smooth voice interrupted. “Is there a problem here?” We turned to see a tall man approaching, his dark suit impeccably tailored. His mask was sleek and black, covering half of his face but revea
Aria We’d been at this for hours now, primping and prodding in preparation for the masquerade tonight. Bella was like my drill sergeant, commanding me to don this color eyeshadow, smear this lipstick shade across my lips, spray just the right amount of perfume. It felt like we were teens again, ba
“Sarah,” I greeted coolly. “What brings you here?” She eyed the bags in our hands, noticing the mask peeking out of mine. “Shopping for the masquerade, I see? How… quaint.” Bella arched an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with that?” Sarah let out a mocking laugh and checked her nails. “Oh, nothing.
Aria “Come on, Aria! This one is perfect for you!” Bella exclaimed, holding up a floor-length emerald gown that shimmered under the thrift shop’s dim lighting. I laughed, shaking my head. “Bella, that dress would make me look like a sequined asparagus.” She burst into giggles. “Yeah, but you’d
Bella raised an eyebrow. “Are you?” “No!” I exclaimed. “Well, maybe. I don't know. Darren and I talked about it, and he admitted that he might have been a bit... lenient with me.” “Hmm,” she mused, swirling her wine. “Well, at least he acknowledged it.” “Yeah, but it’s more complicated than th
Aria I hesitated for a moment but then nodded, following Darren as he led me to a fallen log near the edge of the clearing. He sat down and gestured for me to join him. I sat, but kept a small distance between us. “Listen,” Darren began, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other ni
Tracy frowned, genuine concern etched into her face. “Oh no, that wasn’t my intention at all. I just thought she was checking in on you, maybe worried about your workload.” I sighed, once again feeling at a loss for words. Tracy seemed genuinely apologetic, even if it was unprofessional of her to
Aria I stared at the employee points board, blinking a few times to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. Lily’s name was gone—completely erased from the board as if she had never been there at all. My heart skipped a beat, a knot forming in my stomach. Lily always saved up her points like her life
The plaza was bustling, rows of tables with posters and brochures advertising various fields, from tech to business to environmental work. I weaved through the booths as I sipped my coffee, half-curious and half-cautious. Eventually, I found myself at a booth for animal sciences: wildlife rehabili