Gavin nodded enthusiastically. “Count me in. I could use a new tie.”…An hour later, we were pushing open the door to a tiny, cluttered shop tucked away on a side street downtown—honestly, I was surprised I had never noticed it before. The bell above the door jingled cheerfully as we entered, and t
Audrey“That’s all for this week. Have a nice weekend, and enjoy the Equinox.”Edwin shut off the PowerPoint presentation with a curt nod, and the lecture hall began to bustle with activity as students excitedly gathered their things. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my bag and rose from my chair, ma
In awe of the grandeur of the ballroom, Tina and I made our way to a nearby refreshment table to start. A server offered us flutes of champagne, which we accepted gratefully.“To a night of mystery,” Tina said with a smirk, raising her glass.I clinked my glass against hers. “And to the best date a
EdwinI adjusted my mask for what felt like the hundredth time that night, trying to ignore the discomfort of the rough edge against my skin. The brown colored contacts I had put in to disguise my natural gray eye color were making my eyes burn, and my freshly shaven face was itching incessantly. I
He shook his head. “Really? That’s fascinating. I wonder what he would think of all this if he could see it now.”I found myself pondering the same question. How times had changed since the academy’s founding. As far as I knew, Audrey was the only human student at Grayspring, and humans were altoget
Audrey & Third PersonAudrey’s POVI found Tina huddled over the bathroom sink, her shoulders shaking with sobs.“Tina? Are you okay?”“I just… I can’t keep lying anymore,” she murmured, quickly swiping her tears away from her cheeks.“What is it, Tina? What’s going on?” I took a step forwardTina l
I grinned and flipped my hair over my shoulder. “I mean, I can’t blame you,” I teased. “Just look at me.”Tina gasped and smacked my arm playfully, then shook her head. “You really are the best friend I could ask for. I was so scared to tell you.”“You never have to be scared to tell me anything,” I
Audrey“Hmm,” the maintenance worker said curiously as he stepped out of the bathroom. “I don’t see any issues.”Tina and I exchanged a look of confusion. “But there was white gas coming out of the vent,” I said, my eyes still burning slightly from the ordeal. “It practically choked us.”The mainten
“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