Suddenly, I felt this strange pull. My gaze shifted towards the entrance of the cafeteria to see Dante and a group of tall, muscular guys walking in. His eyes once again immediately locked with mine, as if he, too, sensed the peculiar connection. Butterflies danced wildly in my stomach as I blushed and quickly looked away. Crossing my fingers underneath the table, I hoped they weren't headed in our direction.My breath caught in my throat as I watch all of them strolling across the room and settling down at our table. Dante positioned himself directly across from me. I subtly shifted in an unnatural position, intentionally avoiding eye contact with him, even though, if given the chance, I could have stared into his beautiful eyes all day. They reminded me of spring—a blend of fresh earth and leaves on a tree. "Hey Dante," Peach purred, her voice carrying a hint of seduction. Uncertain if it was my imagination, I observed the exchange.He doesn't even look in her direction. "Peach," he
Dante stared at me with intensity as he settled back into his seat. I averted my gaze, desperately hoping that Jasmine would dismiss the incident. The last thing I wanted was for her to assume I was hitting on her brother, especially not in front of her.Maybe it would help if he would stop staring at me like that! I exclaimed in my head.After a prolonged and awkward silence, Jasmine suddenly burst into giggles. "Bestie, be careful next time. You could've caught an STD or something.""Jasmine," he warned in a low voice, his tone stern.She put her hands up innocently, and Peach and Mya silently returned to their seats beside her. "Sorry, bro, I was just kidding," Jasmine apologized with a playful smile.I frowned. I recognized her jest, yet there was an underlying truth to it; she was hinting at the long list of girls he had been with. The idea of him desiring someone else and being in past relationships unexpectedly tugged at my heartstrings for some inexplicable reason.I shook my
Once we got to class, we sat at the same large, wooden table. My eyes remained glued to the clock as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the class. Ms. James, the first teacher to ever make me introduce myself, called me to my feet. I awkwardly announced my name, giving a hesitant wave, desperately wishing to disappear off the face of the planet as everyone stared at me. Returning to my seat, I listened as she went over the details of the paper we were required to complete on our laptops.It was a pretty simple assignment, identifying lobes of the brain and their functions. I could easily finish it before I left for my special trip to the bathroom. Exactly twenty minutes later, I submitted my work, and with excitement coursing through me, I informed Ms. Jones that I needed to use the bathroom. Her peculiar look made me want to die of embarrassment again, especially when she advised me that next time, I could just go. Thankfully, no one seemed to hear or care about the awkward co
For the remainder of the school day, I remained silent. Jasmine asked me once if I was okay, but other than that, she spent the entire class gossiping with Peach and Mya. It didn't bother me at all, as I was busy pondering what happened with Dante. When the last bell of the day rang, I walked outside with the girls and waved goodbye to them before waiting by the curb for my dad to come pick me up. After fifteen minutes of feeling like an idiot, standing around as the school cleared out, I sent a text: Dad, did you forget what time I get out of school? I'm waiting on you... He replied after ten agonizing minutes: Oh shit. Sorry honey, I can't pick you up today. Super busy. Hope you can find another ride. I stared at my phone in disbelief. Was he fucking serious? After he guilted me into letting him drive me to school this morning? I texted back a simple "K" and put my phone back in my pocket. Anything else I said to him wouldn't come out nice. I sighed deeply, glancing arou
I continued to gnaw on my lip, the metallic tang of blood hitting my taste buds. I had never been in a guy's car, and certainly didn't expect it to be Dante's. A pang of anxiety struck me, imagining how livid Jasmine would be about this. Although I was lowkey freaking out, a comfortable silence filled the car as he maneuvered through traffic. I hadn't even shared my address, so I was uncertain where Dante was driving. Breaking the quiet, he asked, "Were you really going to walk home?" His voice carried a subtle edge, as if he were trying to contain his anger. "Yeah... my dad was supposed to pick me up, but he bailed." I sighed, the weight of frustration evident in my voice. Tensing his jaw, he asks sternly, "You have my number, why didn't you text me?" My eyes widened at his question. "We just met, there's no way I would've done that. I'd rather walk than become someone's else's burden-" "Burden? You'd never be a burden to me, Princess," he grits out. "You said we could
I spent the rest of the day consumed by thoughts of Dante. He seemed perfect in every way, yet the harsh reality loomed—he was Jasmine's brother. The fear of jeopardizing my friendship with her and the unspoken bond between siblings kept us apart. It felt as though avoiding each other was the only solution, but that seemed impossible. I longed for more than just friendship; I wanted to be everything to him.As midnight approached, there was still no sign of my dad. A simple text about his late return was the only communication. Worries gnawed at me, hoping he was safe. What kind of mechanic shop stayed open this late anyway?I was exhausted, but I refused to go to bed until I knew he was home safe. Restlessness consumed me, and in an attempt to distract myself, I succumbed to the alluring call of the wooded area behind our house. It might have been a reckless idea, but the mysterious woods had beckoned to me since the day we moved here. Surely, it couldn't be that dangerous. With hous
"I know what you're thinking... I should be home right now, and you're right, but my dad hasn't come back yet. I'm pretty sure I have abandonment issues because I can't sleep unless I know he's in the house. I guess it's because my mom left when I was around four...I hardly remember her face anymore. My dad's always making these irresponsible, immature decisions and I just want him to be safe, you know?" My voice caught in my throat. "He's all I have now. My own mother walked out on me. I feel like that pretty much shows how worthless I am. If something happens to him, I'll be all alone. It's like he doesn't even consider that in his decision making, but that's all I can think about...that's my biggest fear." Tears began to stream down my face. I buried my face into the wolf's soft fur as its snout nuzzled against my chest. After crying out all the sadness and frustration I had been holding in for a long time, I found myself laying against the wolf's warm body, my breath slowing into
The next day of school flew by. Dad was less annoying and overprotective today, so he actually let me take my car. I got up early, picked myself up some breakfast from the local diner, and listened to my favorite jams on the way to school. With plans to hang out with Jasmine in the afternoon, I was looking forward to a taste of normal teenage life.I didn't spot Dante in English class or anywhere in school, but I hesitated to inquire about it from Jasmine. Texting him seemed intrusive; after all, who was I to pry into his business? Still, a part of me genuinely wanted to make sure he was okay.After the last bell, Jasmine invited me to meet her at the mall. Peach and Mya were tagging along, so it felt like an opportunity to get to know them better. Nervous but excited, I embraced the chance to spend time with the whole group.I approached the food court and spotted them sitting at a round table. Jasmine noticed me and ran over, pulling me in for a tight hug. Her excitement was contagi