Sage I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Which meant I didn’t sleep well. As much as I tried to bury it deep in my head, it just kept surfacing. I tossed and turned all night, my mind replaying everything that had happened over and over again. The fight, the way I lashed out, the way I said something I didn’t mean, something I could never take back. The look on his face when I said it. I just hoped he would be able to forgive me. It was a damn carousel of regret spinning in my head, refusing to stop. By the time morning came, I felt like I hadn’t slept at all. Still, I forced myself out of bed, moving through the motions like I wasn’t falling apart inside. I dressed, grabbed my things, and left for school, convincing myself that today would be normal. That I’d focus, keep my head down, and act like everything was fine. If I see him, I would apologize from my heart and everything would go back to normal. I should have known better. The second I walked into my first c
SageFor three days, he was nowhere.No calls. No texts. No class.Nothing.I was beginning to lose my mind so much that he was all I thought of whenever I closed my eyes.I asked myself if he was okay, if he needed someone by his side.I told myself I wouldn’t care. That I shouldn’t care. That I didn’t need to see him.But my body betrayed me the second I stepped onto campus that morning.It was the fourth day.And there he was.I saw him standing near the entrance of the lecture hall, talking to a student. He was laughing, his head tilted back slightly, his hands moving in animated gestures as if he had no worries in the world.Like he hadn’t just disappeared. Like he hadn’t ignored me for days.Like I didn’t exist.Did I mean so little to him that he would just ignore me comfortably? Erase me from every aspect of his life and just show up like nothing ever happened?I stood there, frozen, watching the easy way he clapped the guy on the back before turning to head toward his office.
SageI stood there, my back pressed against the door, staring at the empty space where the professor had just been. His footsteps had barely faded when the weight of his words settled on me. "I could never be with anyone that hated me."My chest tightened. His words echoed like a broken record in my head. I couldn't move. My limbs felt heavy, like I was frozen in time. He was gone. I had been such a fool. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight, couldn’t... fix this. The door slammed behind him with such finality that it felt like it had shattered something inside me.It felt like the end.It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be more than this. I wanted us to be more. But I had pushed too hard. I was the one who fucked up.The professor was gone, and it felt like my world had come crashing down around me. I wanted to scream, to throw something, to break something. Instead, I stood there in silence, a sick feeling churning in my gut. How did I get here? How di
SageI didn’t take Kaiden’s advice.Why the hell should I?He wasn’t an expert on relationships. Hell, he wasn’t even in one. It was easy for him to sit there and tell me to move on like this wasn’t eating me alive, like I could just flip a switch and suddenly not care. But I did care. Too much. And it was killing me.The professor had succeeded in erasing me from his life.Anytime I tried to speak to him, he walked away or ignored me like I was nothing more than a rash in his life.It hurt.I watched from a distance as he went about his day, speaking to everyone except me. I saw him laughing with students, exchanging easy words with colleagues, his life untouched by the wreckage he left me in. It was humiliating. It was painful.I couldn’t do it anymore.I couldn’t keep going to class and pretending like I was okay when I hadn’t slept properly in days. When every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was him walking away, slamming the door in my face like I was nothing. Like we were nothi
SageI didn’t think. I couldn’t think.The second he disappeared into his room, something in me snapped.I stormed after him, my anger burning hot and unchecked. I shoved the door open without knocking, barely registering the surprised look on his face before my fists connected with his chest.Again. And again.I hit him, my hands landing with no real force, but he didn’t stop me. He didn’t flinch, didn’t push me away. He just stood there. Taking it.That only made me angrier.“Why are you doing this to me?!” My voice broke, my throat burning from the sheer force of my emotions. Tears streamed down my face, and I hated it. Hated how weak I felt, how desperate I had become.He made me this way.He still didn’t say anything, just stood there while I pounded weakly at his chest. I wasn’t even trying to hurt him, I just wanted something. A reaction. Anything to prove that this wasn’t as easy for him as he made it seem.But he gave me nothing.I let out a broken sob and, before I could sto
SageI got the message just as I was leaving campus."Come see me. Wear something good."It wasn’t much, it was just a simple text. But my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.For three days, I had waited, my phone sitting untouched, willing myself not to text him first. I told myself that if he wanted me, really wanted me, then he would have to be the one to make the next move.And now he had.A slow smile crept onto my face as I read the message again, barely resisting the urge to do a ridiculous little happy dance in the middle of the hallway.I wasn’t naive enough to believe everything was fixed just because of one dinner and one text. But it was a step in the right direction. My direction. And I wasn’t about to let it slip through my fingers.After I went home to my place that night, I cringed at the thought of what I did. I snuck to his house, made dinner like a psychopath and hit him. It only dawned on me that I didn’t act appropriately and if I were him, I wouldn’t want to see
SageI had spent hours picking the perfect outfit. I wanted to look good, no, I wanted to look stunning. If the professor was asking me to see him and had specifically told me to wear something nice, then I needed to make an impression.You would think I was a girl getting ready for her first prom date. I was so excited and anxious at the same time because I had no idea what he was planning or what we were doing.But still, I didn’t want to disappoint him by not dressing up to standard.When I finally settled on a sleek black shirt with matching slacks that hugged my body just right, I took one last glance in the mirror, smoothed down my hair, and grabbed my jacket. My hands were trembling slightly as I walked out the door.By the time I arrived at his house, my heart was practically hammering against my ribs.I knocked, and within seconds, he opened the door.He was already dressed, looking effortlessly perfect as always. His crisp white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his da
SageLondon was the best experience I have ever gotten. I was grinning and blushing till we were ready to go home.Seeing the private plane waiting for us even after the three days we spent here was even more exciting.By the time we got back home, I was already half-asleep in the car. The long hours of travel, the excitement, and the emotional rollercoaster had drained every bit of energy from my body. I barely registered when the professor unbuckled my seatbelt and lifted me into his arms.I might have stirred slightly, but exhaustion pulled me right back under.The next thing I knew, I was in his bed. His scent surrounded me and it comforted me. I didn't move. I couldn't.I was jet-lagged, and my body refused to cooperate.I felt the warmth of his arms as he settled in beside me, pulling me close. His fingers traced soothing circles on my back, and I melted into him, letting sleep consume me once more.When I woke up, the bed beside me was empty.The absence of his warmth made me f
SageHe was downtairs waiting for me when I finished packing. I took only the necessities and zipped up the bag.I hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, gripping my bag tightly. He leaned against his car, arms crossed, watching me with a bored expression. His patience was wearing thin, I could see it from the thin vein bulging on his forehead.“Get in the car,” he said in a firm voice.I knew arguing was pointless, but I still stood there, shifting on my feet. “Are you sure about this?”“No,” he replied dryly, opening the passenger door for me. “I could just leave you here, see how long you last before someone else decides to put you in the hospital.”I sighed, shoulders slumping. With one last glance at my apartment, I slid into the car. He shut the door and got in the driver’s seat, starting the engine without another word.The drive was silent. I kept my eyes on the road ahead, my thoughts racing. I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to deal with Kaiden. I didn’t want to need h
SageI was in awe. I knew the professor wasn’t one to be messed with but seeing it first hand made me feel warm inside.He single handedly knocked them down like their were baby tree roots. I was damn scared for my life thinking I would end up in the hospital again.This time, the doctor would actually call the cops on whoever visits me. I was more than grateful that the professor didn’t leave.He snarled at the man, “don’t make me ask again, I have little or no patience for idiots like you.”“My name….my name is Micheal.”“Is that so?”“Is there a reason why you are an asshole, Micheal? I can’t imagine it’s everyday my students and I get assaulted by the same guy thrice. Is it a mere coincidence or do you have business with them?”The man in front of him, Micheal as apparently tried to hold his ground, but it was clear he was shaken. The professor didn't even have to say anything; he just stood there, staring Micheal down like he was nothing more than an insect beneath his shoe.He
SageI wore my clothes and wrinkled my nose when the antiseptic smell still clung to my clothes as I walked out, my body sore from injuries that hadn’t fully healed. The dull ache in my ribs reminded me of the attack, the pounding of fists and boots, the weight of helplessness crushing down on me. The bruises would fade, but the bitterness in my chest would remain because it was now obvious to me that Kaiden was the reason I had been attacked twice now.He couldn’t even come to see me after they had called him. He is a very ruthless bastard and I hate him with every fiber of my being now.The professor was waiting for me outside, leaning against his car like he hadn’t just berated me in there. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable, as always.The warmth I had glimpsed in there was long gone now.I stopped in front of him, adjusting the hospital bag slung over my shoulder. "Are we going to your place?"He barely spared me a glance before unlocking the car. "No. I’m taking y
SageI woke up the next day having rested my body. The first person I saw was the kind doctor who had treated me the last time. “We have got to stop meeting like this,”I looked at him, he was young and extremely handsome, I smiled. “I am sorry, I can’t help it.”His face turned serious, “what happened this time, Sage?”I sighed, how would I even explain it so he would hear it? That I was a klutz or this was the second time someone intentionally put me in the hospital? I couldn’t say anything that wouldn’t put me in trouble. I had no idea what I was even dealing with.“You have to be more careful from now. The bruises you got this time were much worse. You cannot keep coming back here.”“I understand, doctor.” I said.There was nothing else to say but that. He must think that I am an idiot. Coming into the hospital like a bruised punching bag. I brought this upon myself.He was still crossing things off his record when the professor entered. He took one look at me and frowned.“What
KaidenA dull, throbbing pain spread through my skull as I came to. My limbs felt like lead, my throat dry and sore. The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant, and the bed beneath me was softer than I expected.Where the hell was I?I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh light spilling in from a nearby window. The room was familiar, too familiar. Clean, precise, without a single thing out of place. My stomach twisted.The professor’s house.How did I even end up back here? I thought I made the big show of packing up and leaving?Memories crashed into me. The party. The drink. The dizziness. The attack. A hit to the back of my head.Fuck, I should call Martin and ask him what the party was all about. Did he even properly investigate before putting me there?Fuck!I shot up, a sharp pain lancing through my skull. My vision swam, and I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples.The world was still spinning around in circles and I held my head to try and steady it. It f
KaidenThe phone hung up and I stared at it in fury.“What the hell was that?” He asked.“It’s nothing,” I shrugged.“That didn’t sound like nothing. What was that?” He asked again through gritted teeth.“Okay, long story short. The people that attacked us earlier, they attacked Sage when he was in my house and he had to be rushed to the hospital. He is fine now and he went back home but he is back in the hospital. That was them over the phone.”I heard nothing, just the faint sound of movement. I expected him to make a huge deal of it but he said nothing so I looked up.The professor’s eyes burned with fury as he stood in front of me, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His usual calm, composed demeanor had shattered, and what remained was a man filled with contempt—for me.“What the fuck? Sage was attacked?”I nodded.“Take me to him.”I wanted to argue but something told me he wasn’t in the mood to play the checkers game with me. I could argue with him and end up with a bruised ch
SageI had days to myself in my house, barely gotten used to the quiet of my apartment. I keep having nightmares about the same people coming for me in my own house. But when I remind myself that I have nothing to do with them and they didn’t know where I lived.So I attended school, avoided the professor with care by the way and went back home. The typical life of a loner which I was sometimes okay with.The other times, I cried when I remembered that I was all alone with nobody to talk to. It really was like he didn’t care about me.Yes, I was still thinking about the professor. I had hoped he would try to corner me again to talk to me. I would have given him a listening ear this time.I shook my head with a smile and just rested my head when the peace shattered.It started with a knock at the door, and I froze. A warning bell went off in my head, but I ignored it. I wasn’t expecting anyone, but after the week I’d had, I figured it was someone from school or even my dad checking i
Sage For the first time in years, I felt like I was truly alone. Kaiden didn’t come. Not when I woke up in the hospital, not when I was struggling to sit up without wincing in pain, not even when the doctor signed my discharge papers. Three days had passed, and he hadn’t so much as texted. I tried calling him but he didn’t pick neither did he return my calls which seem to be a usual thing for him since he fucked up. I guess I got my answer. He was done with me. I should have expected it, but the finality of it still left a hollow ache in my chest. It is something I struggled to accept but I couldn’t. Whenever Kaiden and I fight, I always imagine that it wouldn’t last. We would get back to bickering after a day or two, latest three days. But this blowout made us grow further apart like we had been fighting for decades. I was dead to him. Instead of going back to his place, where everything reminded me of him, I went home. My real home. The apartment was too quiet
Kaiden Walking into my apartment felt like stepping into a crime scene. The door creaked open, revealing a space that had been utterly torn apart. My couch was flipped over, my shelves emptied, their contents shattered across the floor. The kitchen drawers were pulled out, their contents spilled as if someone had been searching for something specific. A muscle ticked in my jaw as I stepped inside, the crunch of broken glass beneath my boots making my stomach tighten. It was as if they were looking for something. I was ticked. I hated it when people went through my stuff like they had every right to. I hated it in every sense of the word. I have never acted rashly with anyone and I doubt it anyone was out for me seeing as I didn’t have the time to go around looking for trouble. I clenched my fists, my breath coming out in sharp exhales as I forced myself to calm down. Getting angry wouldn’t fix anything. I needed to clean up. I didn’t even know where to start. I left the hous