Edwin sighed and glanced at me. I remained silent, and finally his shoulders slumped a little. “Alright, I’ll take her.”As we set off toward the woods, leaving Claudia fanning herself at the garden table, an awkward silence fell between us. Usually, conversation flowed so easily between us, but eve
AudreyMy sneakers pounded on the forest floor and echoed through the quiet afternoon air, but the pounding of my heart was even louder in my ears. I couldn’t hear Edwin behind me, not yet—he was still at the starting line, giving me a head start before he shifted.But then, suddenly, there was sile
My cheeks reddened to an impossible shade almost immediately. I had felt that hardness before, when we were playing badminton—and before that, the day that I had hit my head in his apartment.Only this time, it was different. This time, almost as though he were sensing that I could feel it, he gentl
Audrey & EdwinAudrey’s POVEdwin and I crumpled back to the forest floor in a sweaty heap of tangled limbs and parted lips, panting heavily in the warm afternoon air.Too long. It had been far too long since I had been with him, since I had felt him. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed it, how
“Edwin, darling, I’ve missed you,” she purred, although her eyes never left my face.I felt my blood run cold, my palms itching with the urge to... to do something, anything. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks—Edwin and Fiona had some kind of relationship.And I had just... We had just…“Fi
AudreyI hefted the last box into the back of the moving truck, wiping a sheen of sweat from my brow. The summer heat was already intense, making the task of moving out of the dorms even more grueling. The cardboard was slick under my fingers, and I could feel my shirt sticking to my back.“Whew. Is
It had felt so real, so right. But in the end, I was nothing more than a human plaything, a momentary distraction from his real life.“If you say so,” Tina said, squeezing my shoulder gently. Her touch was comforting, grounding me in the present. “Everything will be okay, Audrey. I promise. And if i
Audrey & Third PersonAudrey’s POVThe party swirled around me, a cacophony of laughter, music, and clinking glasses. It should have been a night of fun and revelry, an exciting way to kick off the summer on a high note.But despite the crowd and the pulsing music, I felt hollow. Empty. Even the alc
“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