The next morning, I dragged myself to class feeling utterly worn out and famished. Sleep had been elusive, my mind consumed by perfecting my proposal. I had been so excited about my ideas, but as I pored over them again and again, flaws emerged like cracks in a fragile facade. I was too tired to fix them properly.The idea of facing Dr. Lawson after class made my stomach churn with nerves. What if he didn't like my proposal? The thought of having to redo everything under Dr. Thompson's critical eye made me shudder. Dr. Lawson was the one I wanted to impress, the one who could truly understand and support my research.My stomach growled loudly, a painful reminder of my neglected hunger. I hadn't eaten since who knows when. With my first class not until ten, I had managed to snatch a few hours of sleep before waking up to the presence of Atlas and Eva in the house. I stayed hidden in my room, unable to bear the sight of their affectionate moments. Each glimpse felt like a knife to the h
I fidgeted with the pen in my hand, unable to contain my curiosity. "How did you meet Aaron Torres's brother?" I inquired, my eyes fixed on Dr. Lawson, who was engrossed in reading my revised proposal.He hummed in response, flipping through the pages as he spoke. "I was part of the team of therapists assigned to help him," he replied, his focus still on the document.Intrigued, I squinted my eyes. "And? What else did you learn about him?" I pressed eagerly.Dr. Lawson lifted his gaze and chuckled softly. "Are you truly that interested to know?" he teased, his eyes meeting mine.Without hesitation, I nodded enthusiastically, a wide smile spreading across my face. My excitement was palpable, evident in the sparkle of my widened eyes.Dr. Lawson's smile softened as he placed the proposal on his desk. "I can't disclose more information about him," he stated, causing my shoulders to slump in disappointment. I had been so excited, only to have my hopes dashed. I twisted my mouth in frustra
As Atlas mentioned, Eva did leave on Friday, and her absence somehow made me feel free. Since she moved in, I haven't left my room without a reason. I used to enjoy strolling through the garden behind the house, but since she arrived, I've mostly stayed locked in my room. Today, Atlas came home early because he had to drop her off at the airport. He asked if I wanted to join them, but I politely declined. I wasn't going to waste my time dropping her off when I could savor every second of my newfound freedom. Besides, I would have been intruding on their moment. It's bad enough that I live with them. I'm sure Eva didn't want me to go either. She didn't ask me to join them—only Atlas did.I know I’m painting her as the villain in my story, even though she hasn’t done anything to deserve it. She has been nothing but civil to me. It’s me who ignores her. I can’t stand her because she has what I’ve always wanted: Atlas. Knowing that I never stood a chance hurts, and maybe that’s why I harb
I don’t know why I decided to share such an intimate part of my life with Atlas. We have never been close enough to talk about our personal lives and relationships. I never believed Atlas saw me as someone he could confide in, but tonight, for the first time, he opened up about something happening in his life. I felt compelled to share my part as well, but this was not something I should have disclosed. I hadn’t even told Jess, mostly because Patrick is her brother. I had planned to keep this information to myself, and I should have kept it that way. As soon as the words escaped my mouth, I panicked.“Umm, I mean... I... uh,” I stammered, closing my eyes tightly in embarrassment. I exhaled and shook my head, opening my eyes with a chuckle of shame. “You know what? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you that. I didn’t mean to share that piece of news with anyone, and I just... I don’t know. I guess I have trouble keeping my thoughts to myself,” I continued, nervously ranting. I opened my
I watched as he knelt in front of me, carefully cleaning and dressing the wound on my knee. His touch was tender, and his focus unwavering. "This might sting a bit," he warned before applying the antiseptic. As soon as the cotton ball touched the small cut, I hissed and jerked my knee. Atlas’s hand came to my thigh, holding it firmly in place. His cold, wet palm gently squeezed my thigh. "Hold still," he softly instructed.I gulped, watching him kneeling in front of me, completely soaked. His white shirt clung to his body, revealing the contours of his chest and arms. His attention was so keen on my injury, his face so close to my knee that I could feel his warm breath on my skin, sending shivers up and down my legs. When he pressed the cotton ball on the wound again, I hissed once more but didn't jerk my leg this time as he was holding it steady.“It’s okay,” he muttered gently, cleaning the wound with care. It wasn’t a big injury, just a small cut. One swipe and it was clean. After
“This is exactly what I didn’t want,” Jess muttered, her face twisted in annoyance as she and I watched a couple of guys from our class cannonball into the pool. Water splashed everywhere, drenching the people sitting around the edge. Some laughed, some shrieked, and others protested loudly. Jess and I stood in the corner, watching the chaos unfold in her meticulously maintained backyard. Jess, being a bit of a neat freak, was visibly distressed by the mess they were making. I couldn't help but laugh, taking a sip of my lemonade.We stood under the patio umbrella, trying to escape the relentless sun. Jess was wearing a dark blue spaghetti-strap crop top and shorts, with a net shrug draped over her shoulders. I had shed my white sundress and now stood in a yellow bikini top and denim shorts, feeling the heat on my bare skin. Both of us were barefoot, our hair tied up in messy high buns, and we wore sunglasses to shield our eyes from the bright light. Jess took another sip of her lemona
I was still very wasted when Atlas came to get me. Despite my drunken haze, seeing him there surprised me, but at that moment, I was too intoxicated to care much. “Bye, Jess,” I laughingly waved my hand as she snored on the grass. Patrick exhaled heavily, his eyes lingering on his sister. He knew he had a night of cleanup ahead of him.Chuckling to myself, I walked over to Patrick and embraced him in a tight hug. “Bye, Patrick,” I muttered into his ear, feeling a surge of gratitude. “Thank you for today. You’re amazing,” I told him, reluctantly pulling away but keeping my arms around his neck. As he held me by my waist, smiling warmly, I looked up at him. He was perfect—handsome, considerate, and kind. Everything a girl could want in a guy. Yet, why couldn’t we just fall in love with each other? Why did I have to complicate things with feelings for Atlas, the forbidden fruit?Patrick smiled back at me. “No worries, I’m always here for you,” he replied, glancing over my shoulder at Atl
Atlas didn’t come back for several minutes. He stayed outside, lighting a cigarette and smoking without once turning to look at me or speaking. I sat frozen in place, the weight of my embarrassment crushing me. When he finally returned, he got in the car and slammed the door shut, starting the engine with a tense determination. We both pretended nothing had happened, but the silence between us was heavy and suffocating.The tension was palpable, and neither of us dared to break it. Atlas drove fast, and I clutched my seat in the passenger's side, hoping we'd make it home in one piece. When the car screeched to a halt in front of the house, I finally dared to look at him. His face was a mask of anger, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. He looked like a ticking bomb, ready to explode. At that moment, I was genuinely afraid of him.I wanted to apologize, but I feared that even opening my mouth would set him off. So, I kept quiet. Without waiting for me, Atlas threw open his door, slamme