“But those pictures—”“The rules are the rules,” Judge Fuller said firmly. “The majority vote was ‘no’. And you cannot accuse judges of foul play simply because you are upset with the outcome. It’s unbecoming of a future professional.”Mr. Black nodded, his face grim but his eyes sparkling with glee
Audrey“Audrey! Wait!”Edwin’s voice echoed down the bond, but I didn’t—couldn’t—stop. I needed air, needed to breathe.My feet carried me forward, tears blurring my vision as I pushed past startled students and faculty. Finally, I came to a door leading outside, and the cool morning air hit me like
I felt my resolve crumble. I missed him, too. “Okay,” I relented. “We can go to your place.”Relief washed over Edwin’s face as he took my hand, leading me away from the building. The drive to his apartment was quiet, the silence broken only by my occasional sniffles.As we walked through the door,
AudreyThe scent of takeout food filled the air, mingling with the sounds of a movie playing in the background. I was hardly paying any attention to what was playing on the TV—too busy trying not to think about the ruby ring I had found in Edwin’s drawer.The ring that was clearly meant for me.My m
For a moment, we just sat there, breathing each other in. The world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of us in our own little bubble.But then, Edwin pulled back slightly, his expression turning serious. “Audrey, about what happened with your thesis…”I felt a pang in my chest at the reminde
AudreyThe security office at Brooks Designs was dimly lit this late at night, the city block outside quiet and empty. It was almost surreal being back here; I hadn’t come here since last summer, when I was interning here.As Edwin and I stepped inside, the security guard behind the front desk jerke
“Here we go,” he said softly as the video began to play.There I was, a version of myself from last year, working diligently on my ‘Life Cycle’ gown. I watched as I carefully attached the luna moth to the bodice, my face set with concentration. It was strange, seeing myself like this, almost like lo
AudreyI fell back against the filing cabinet with a loud clang, Edwin’s body pressing against mine as his hands roamed frantically over my exposed skin. The cool metal against my back startled me, but I found myself quickly heated by my mate’s touch.Our lips crashed together then, causing the fili
“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