After a few more questions and congratulations, we were finally sent backstage. As soon as we were out of sight of the audience, my friends erupted into cheers again. I was swarmed by a sea of arms and smiles, practically lost in the middle of a massive group hug.“Audrey, you spoke so well out ther
AudreyI opened the door to find Tina standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall. Grinning, she pushed away from the wall and strode into the room with her clothes in her hand. She shut the door behind herself and walked over to the vanity to get changed.“So, when are you going to tell us wh
Audrey & EdwinAudrey’s POVI stared at Edwin in disbelief as he adjusted the wine-stained scarf around his neck. “You can’t be serious,” I said, reaching out to tug at the fabric. “It’s completely ruined. Let me make you a new one.”Edwin shook his head, an uncharacteristic smile playing on his lip
AudreyI couldn’t stop grinning for the rest of the night, and even as we left the bar, the excitement of our win was still buzzing through my veins. We had done it. After everything—after all of the hardship, the sabotage, and the drama—we had actually won the competition!“I still can’t believe it
“I... I don’t think that’s a good idea, Tina.”Tina’s smile faltered. “Why not? Wait a minute…” She narrowed her eyes, leaning in to study my face a bit closer. “Audrey, what aren’t you telling me?”I bit my lip, pointedly avoiding her gaze. “It’s nothing, really.”“Bullshit,” Tina said, crossing he
AudreyThe next few days were a blur of classes and assignments… and of missing Tina. I hardly saw her, and when I did, our interactions were brief—if we even had an interaction at all and didn’t just turn and run away from each other.To cope with our argument, I threw myself into my work. It was t
Edwin leaned against his desk, considering me for a moment before he sharply inhaled through his teeth. “Audrey, let me give you some advice. In life, it’s important to be open with your close friends. If someone isn’t trustworthy enough for these sorts of things, then you can’t really consider them
Edwin & AudreyEdwin’s POVIt was a warm, sunny afternoon; the courtyard below my open window was bustling with students who were out enjoying the balmy spring weather, their laughter and conversations floating up into the air.With spring break just a couple of weeks away, everyone—even the faculty
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look