Unwilling

Sammi’s POV

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to leave. Staying here felt wrong—everything about it was suffocating me. Yet, of course, Zade appeared, right on cue, just as I was walking out of my room, my bag slung over my shoulder, and refused to let me go.

I stood there, torn between two impossible decisions. One part of me knew I was acting out, that maybe I was overreacting, like a child throwing a tantrum. But the other part—the louder part—felt like I hadn’t even begun to express just how messed up everything was. I hadn’t made enough

noise, hadn’t shown everyone the depth of my pain, my frustration, my anger.

And then, there was Grayson. He was the only thing tethering me here. Leaving would mean I wouldn’t see him, wouldn’t feel the comfort of his presence. And with how tense everything had become lately, if anyone found out the truth about Grayson and me... I couldn’t even imagine the fallout. It wouldn’t end well, for either of us.

A knock on the door pulls me from m