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Chapter 20
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Reckless Hearts Chapter 21
And just like that, a week had passed, and yet everything felt different for Ruby, despite the outward appearance of normalcy. Ever since she made the conscious decision to acknowledge and accept her feelings for Caden, he had become a constant presence in her thoughts. He seemed to weave his way into her dreams, appearing as a visitor in her subconscious mind. Her notepad was now adorned with absent-minded doodles, with the letter 'C' enclosed in a heart, a symbol of her infatuation. Despite her preoccupation with her crush, Ruby remained focused on her academics, recognizing the impending mid-term exams. She wasn't the type of girl to neglect her studies while indulging in romantic daydreams. Instead, she diligently worked day and night, taking detailed notes while others engaged in idle gossip. While her peers watched random football practices, she would often be found in the library, immersing herself in her studies. Although she longed to be there to support her best friend, Luke
Reckless Hearts Chapter 22
“It's nothing. Don't think about that!” she whispered to herself.She sighed over her erratically beating heart and heard his reply, "We started on the wrong foot. And it was my fault. I just didn't think you'd react that way. But I want to start fresh. I think you're smart. You managed to beat me in chem and—"Ruby interrupted him, "We had a competition?""You tell me, did we?" Ruby shook her head nonchalantly. He continued, "I believe smart people should stick together. So," He brought his hand forward. "I'm Caden. Welcome to Willowbrook."Ruby looked at him in confusion, hesitating before she shook his hand, managing a tiny smile. "Ruby Norman. Thank you for not spilling milkshakes on me this time."***"Why would she lie to me?" Ruby questioned, her voice filled with confusion and hurt.Luke sighed. “It’s not a big deal,” he assured her.Her surroundings were a chaotic blur, reflecting the turmoil within her mind. Observing the vibrant energy of her peers, she couldn't help but
Reckless Hearts Chapter 23
Paige entered the nearly empty classroom with a storm of anger. Heads turned to observe her as she marched purposefully towards Caden, who appeared completely clueless about the brewing storm. Olivia, with her usual nonchalant tone, remarked, "Satan's back. Wow," rolling her eyes in response to the dramatic entrance.Caden arched an eyebrow, uncertain of how to respond to Paige's sudden presence and obvious frustration. He awaited her next move, bracing himself for whatever was about to come.“I want to talk to you,” she told him.Caden’s response was dry. “Fine. Talk.”Paige let out a deep sigh of frustration, feeling a mix of offense and disappointment at Caden's lack of immediate attention. After being away for two whole weeks, she had expected him to be more attentive, clinging to her as he usually did. But his indifferent attitude was like a blow to her heart. Did this mean her suspicions derived from the pictures were true? Was he really over her?In a softer tone, Paige made an
Reckless Hearts Chapter 24
"No, I don't," he replied firmly, although deep down, he wasn't entirely sure if he truly believed his own words. "She's shallow and thinks she's smarter than everyone else, with a false sense of superiority. She puts on a facade of being humble and good, but her anger management is terrible. I could never develop any feelings for her, nor could I ever be friends with her."He had the impulse to continue insulting Ruby, but he restrained himself, realizing that the look of disappointment on Paige's face wasn't something he wanted to witness. He cleared his throat, refocusing his attention on his girlfriend."The only person I have ever had feelings for is you, Paige," he confessed. "All the girls I dated before were just attempts to forget about you. But one simply cannot forget Paige Denize!" A faint smile flickered on his face before disappearing just as quickly. "That girl messed with my emotions, and I wanted to get back at her. Now she's definitely distracted."Paige reluctantly
Reckless Hearts Chapter 25
The conflicting voices of an angel and a devil echoed in Ruby's mind as she stood in front of the mirror in the pristine girls' washroom. The angel's voice, gentle and melodious, reassured her, emphasizing that she wasn't shallow. However, the devil's voice, croaky and sly, couldn't resist chiming in with a retort, calling her stupid.Frustrated by the conflicting thoughts swirling in her head, Ruby stomped her feet on the clean white tiles, trying to ground herself. She studied her reflection in the wide mirror, her scowl reflecting her inner turmoil.Her expression softened for a brief moment, but the fury quickly resurfaced. She couldn't help but experience a whirlwind of emotions after witnessing the recent events. On one hand, she questioned why she allowed someone else's opinion of her life to hold any weight. After all, that person hadn't lived a single second of her experiences, while she had lived through every moment.The sinking sensation that had engulfed Ruby started to s
Reckless Hearts Chapter 26
"Oh, nothing. I've actually grown to like that nerdy side of you. Plus, it's always good to have a nerdy friend around, you never know when you might need one!" Florence chuckled, and Ruby playfully smacked her in response. "Okay, okay, let me be honest," Florence continued with a mischievous grin. "I really admire your fashion sense, and I think you're cool." She nonchalantly popped a french fry into her mouth. "But as your friend, I want to offer you some advice," Florence said, leaning in closer. "You're not allowed to give me any advice in return, though!" she added quickly, anticipating Ruby's playful retaliation. As the locks of Florence's hair shielded Ruby from the rays of the setting sun, her hair took on a radiant golden glow. Ruby listened attentively, grateful for her friend's concern. "Paige has Caden wrapped around her little finger. She won't let him go. But trust me, you can do better than him. I'm saying this now because I don't want you to be sad about him later o
Reckless Hearts Chapter 27
"I want to see you smile and giggle like you always do," Luke expressed, observing the visible surprise in Tanya's eyes and the blush that spread across her tanned cheeks. As the sun hid behind the clouds once again, allowing cold winds to enter through the open windows, Luke assumed it was the reason for her change in demeanor. "You see, I have this impression of you. A hyperactive teenager who never stops talking and is constantly all over the classroom," Luke continued, his ears picking up the sound of teeth grinding together, likely coming from the person sitting beside him. He carried on, disregarding any warning signs, "You throw insults randomly and call people by nicknames. What else...?" Luke pondered for a moment, and that's when Olivia's fist came down hard on the desk, grabbing his full attention. The coldness in Olivia's voice was chilling, even compared to the winds blowing into the classroom. "You seem to have a death wish," she retorted sharply. Luke let out a heav
Reckless Hearts Chapter 28
"There are only thirty files here. There are thirty-five students in the class," Mrs. Cooper remarked, counting the submitted assignments with a discerning eye. Ruby stood before her desk, feeling her heart race as she desperately searched for a plausible excuse. Lying was never her strong suit, and the pressure of the situation intensified her nervousness. A chill ran through Ruby's body, causing her to shiver. In her rush that morning, she had forgotten her jacket at home. Now, with the cold air seeping into the classroom, her bare arms were left vulnerable to its nibbling touch. Despite her repeated attempts to hush the noise, the class continued to buzz behind her. The role of class representative was proving to be more challenging than she had anticipated, and she longed for the day when she could relinquish the responsibility. From her elevated platform, Mrs. Cooper gazed down at Ruby, her expression expectant. "Ruby?" she called, prompting Ruby to look up abruptly, her shoulde
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Reckless Hearts Chapter 62
Ruby woke up to the persistent buzz of her phone vibrating on her nightstand. She groaned, annoyed by the interruption to her sleep, and reached out to silence it. Her vision was blurred from sleep, and her mind was still foggy. As she squinted at the screen, she saw a flurry of texts and missed calls from various contacts. Her heart rate quickened with an undefined sense of dread, but her groggy mind couldn’t piece together what might have caused such urgency.Before she could delve into the messages, her bedroom door creaked open. The sound was eerily loud in the early morning silence, and Ruby looked up to see her sister, Riley, standing in the doorway. Riley's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.“Ruby… are you up?” asked Riley, her voice too quiet, too held back.“Yeah, just,” Ruby answered hesitantly, dread filling the air. Ruby knew everything wasn't okay but she still put forward the question, “Is everything okay?” “Something bad has happened,” Riley revealed, her voice tre
Reckless Hearts Chapter 61
An hour later, Caden drove Ruby to Florence's house, the car humming softly beneath the weight of their shared silence. They had spent the past hour talking about everything and nothing at the same time. After their kiss, they had wandered through Willowbrook High, finding a quiet park bench where they sat. Caden had even shared stories from his childhood, making Ruby laugh more than she had in days. Caden told Ruby about the time he had gotten detention for sneaking a frog into the teacher's lounge as a prank. Ruby recounted her own mischief, like the time she accidentally set off the fire alarm trying to make popcorn in the science lab microwave.Every now and then, there was a comfortable silence where they simply enjoyed each other's company. As they pulled up outside Florence's house, Ruby turned to Caden. “Do you want to come in?” she asked, her voice soft.Caden shook his head gently. “I think it’s best not to overwhelm her. Besides, I have to go to a party hosted by one of my
Reckless Hearts Chapter 60
“Break her heart and you’re dead, grumpy boy,” Olivia told Caden, jabbing a finger at his chest before she walked away.For what seemed like a whole minute Ruby stood in her place, her heart pounding in her chest. She had her eyes glued on Caden who had his back to her as he watched Olivia walk away, out of their sight. What did Olivia mean? Why would she say that to Caden? Did Caden plan on asking her out?Ruby shook her head slowly, exhaling. This was not real. She subtly pinched herself, hissing as the pain reverberated through her arm. This was real. Caden Miller was here in front of her and he had sent Olivia away so he could talk to her. “Ruby?” Caden called out her name, nudging her arm gently. “Where did you get lost?” he asked as she shook herself back to reality. “No. Nowhere,” she answered, fumbling. “Walk with me?” he prompted, his voice careful. Was he nervous?Ruby nodded, gulping. As Ruby retraced her path, falling in footsteps beside Caden, she thought of how they
Reckless Hearts Chapter 59
Olivia had done her best to maintain her giggly, I-am-absolutely-okay-now facade. But the more she looked at Luke, the harder she found it to keep herself from breaking apart. He had outright rejected her. He hadn’t given her a chance to explain herself, although she was sure there was no explanation she could have given him. There’s never an explanation for crushing on someone. But whatever she felt for him had been more than just infatuation. Luke had been nice to her; he had been playful. He had made her so happy in such a short time. Maybe her subconscious couldn’t let her be that way and decided to ruin it. She wasn’t even sure how he had figured it out. Was that how obvious it was? Did she have it tattooed on her forehead? It had hurt so much when he’d said that it would never work. That she and him couldn’t be together. He wasn’t even ready to give it a chance. He had already made up his mind. And here Olivia was, begging to God to let him give her a single glance. As the d
Reckless Hearts Chapter 58
Ruby was a different person—she knew it the moment she stepped inside her classroom after the long-term break. Or maybe that was an exaggeration. Arguably, at least one-sixteenth of her was different. She had not given much thought to who had spiked her fruit punch at Florence’s house party over the break. She had spent it reasonably—mending her sistership with Riley over TV shows, hanging out at Olivia’s to help her with babysitting/the daycare, and, of course, daydreaming of being with Caden. That guy was always there, in some way. In some corner of her mind, he had found a place and he liked to remind her of it every now and then. But now, feeling the first wave of her classmates’ chatter pass through her, she suddenly found herself trying to discover who among them had done that to her. It could’ve ended horribly. Ruby wasn’t stupid. She knew why people spike drinks at a party. But to think it was random and not carefully selected was not something she could wrap her head around.
Reckless Hearts Chapter 57
Olivia was cheering, her voice piercing through the chilly evening air like a beacon. Her hands were raised high as she screamed, “Come on, Caden!” just as the football soared toward him. He was distracted—momentarily—but then, in the blink of an eye, his focus was back on the field.Luke sprinted forward, their eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds. Caden noticed the slightest nod from him. It was the signal. And he did exactly as they had planned.Anyone who blinked missed it—a clever maneuver they had practiced countless times. It was a strategy to confuse the opponent, and it worked perfectly. The ball was passed with precision, a deceptive flick to the side that sent the defenders scrambling. After two seconds, the sound of the whistle resounded across the field.Willowbrook had just kicked in the winning goal.The next few minutes were a blur for Caden. It wasn’t just him screaming for their victory but likely everyone else. The roar of the crowd, the crush of jubilant teammat
Reckless Hearts Chapter 56
Daniel’s mother opened the front door of the house. Her eyes widened the moment she saw Florence’s distraught face, but she quickly bit her lip and offered a smile. “Oh, hello, dear. Come inside. Dinner’s ready.”Florence tried her best to stretch her lips into a smile, but she failed terribly and could only cry. Daniel was supportive, guiding her in, his arm still protectively wrapped around her. He told his mom, “Can you bring our food upstairs?”“Of course,” his mother said, nodding. “Give me just a minute.”He guided Florence up the stairs, although she didn’t need it. Florence had been frequently visiting Daniel’s house ever since she was a baby. They had been playschool mates because their mothers had been childhood friends. However, the stark change in Florence’s mother’s behavior over the last few years had clearly affected her relationship with Daniel’s mother as well. The moment Florence stepped inside Daniel’s room, a question struck her mind. “Does your mom know that we’r
Reckless Hearts Chapter 55
Florence smiled against Daniel’s lips as he leaned in across his seat to kiss her. Something that started off as a soft peck on her lips made her heart flutter in a way that she found herself, pulling him closer by grabbing the collar of his shirt. “Woah,” he voiced, giving into the kiss. When Florence pulled apart, she was just fine, but Daniel was breathing hard. He blinked slowly twice, and from the look on his face, Florence knew she had sent him back to heaven and brought him right back into her car. They had been on their way back from Willowbrook’s second football match in the inter school championship. This one had ended on a high note—everyone had been holding their breath up until the last few seconds when Luke had thrown in the winning goal. Somewhere along the way, she had found herself unable to hold back—Daniel had been looking way too cute lately and all she wanted to do was kiss his face all day. Now as they sat staring at each other, the night quiet outside, an exci
Reckless Hearts Chapter 54
Six days into the term break, Ruby had started to feel restless. She had never spent so much of her time inside the house, not since she had first left for her boarding school. Riley had kept her company in the evenings upon returning from work. They watched teen dramas together, getting stuffed on popcorn as Riley gossiped about her co-workers. While Ruby’s days were spent immersed in the pile of books she owned—reading about bad boys that turned good for the girls they fell in love with; grey characters that struggled with making decisions; and why the stars were something to be fascinated about endlessly. The feeling was odd because she had always believed she enjoyed her own company. She’d never felt the need to be around other humans. It was because she missed school. She missed being on her toes with all the homework and classwork and assignments and presentations. She missed being surrounded by Olivia, Luke, Florence… and Caden. Although she had made up her mind to speak to C
