All Chapters of Let's be Together: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Sixteen.Sixteen is this damn weird age—you're not a kid anymore, but being an adult feels like putting on a suit three sizes too big. It’s that awkward stage where you're still getting the hang of it, stumbling around, pretending to have shit figured out when, really, you’re as clueless as ever. Friendships get messier, crushes get more complicated, and everything feels like it’s got hidden layers. Suddenly, nothing’s innocent anymore. Take the cafeteria at Halloway High, where Shawn Jones, king of the shallow end of the gene pool, is strutting around like he owns the place. He’s got this cocky smirk plastered on his face, basking in all the attention he’s raking in. Today, he’s bragging about his latest “accomplishment”—some sleazy, fucked-up story about sleeping with a teacher. The second he starts talking, the whole place erupts with laughter, like it’s some twisted badge of honor. And everyone’s feeding into it, grinning and high-fiving like it’s the coolest thing in the worl

Have you ever been scared to tell someone something important because you know their reaction will hit you like Newton’s third law? I’m not talking about my parents. I’m talking about Millie.She knows me better than anyone else, probably even better than I know myself sometimes, so whenever something big comes up, I can almost feel her judgment before I even tell her.I glance at her through the edge of the cards I’m holding, wondering how on earth I’m going to sneak out without telling her. She knows me too well—if I try to lie, she’ll pick up on it immediately. “You’re gonna bore holes through my face if you keep staring at me like that,” she quips, pulling me out of my thoughts with that familiar smirk of hers. She flips her cards over, revealing her hand with a flourish, letting me know she’s won this round too. I sigh, revealing my losing hand and setting it on the bed. She raises an eyebrow, clearly concerned. “You’ve lost twice now,” she notes, leaning in with a look of moc

Three missed calls. Six unread texts. My stomach clenches as I stare down at my screen, feeling my pulse in my fingertips. It’s Millie, obviously freaking out, and I’m not about to give her more reasons to keep blowing up my phone. So, without a second thought, I switch it off, shove it deep into my back pocket, and try to shove any thoughts of Millie right down with it. I can’t let myself imagine her bursting in here, scowling at me.I’m sitting on the stairs, everything around me a chaotic mess of dim lights and blurry faces moving in sync to the heavy beat. People are dancing, laughing, and occasionally tripping over themselves, completely lost in the night. I nibble on the skin of my lip, nervous energy rattling through me. The buzz I’d felt earlier is gone now, replaced by a dull, guilty tension.“Gracie!” A loud voice yanks me out of my daze, and I jolt so hard I nearly tumble down the steps. Jugyoung’s laugh rings out as she stumbles up to me, clearly entertained by my re

The basketball team makes their way over to us, and Millie’s eyes are practically glued to mine, sharp and piercing, like she’s inspecting every inch of my face for some kind of guilt. I don’t know why the hell I feel so busted right now, like I just got caught red-handed doing something actually wrong. Seriously, so what if I lied a little? It was harmless! But here I am, squirming, feeling like I cheated on her or something.Daniel, being his usual loud self, is quick to fill in the team on what’s happening. “So, we’re playing beer pong, and Gracie here was just about to kiss the guy she thinks is hottest,” he announces, pointing right at me, a mischievous grin on his face. Great, thanks for that, Daniel. His tone’s playful, but it feels like a spotlight just got shoved onto me, and every set of eyes turns in my direction.Millie raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh really?” she says, staring right at me. “So, you were gonna kiss some rando

After forcing down my fifth cup of coffee, my stomach feels like it’s filled with hot water and regret. The caffeine is buzzing through me, but I can’t ignore the queasy churn anymore. I grab my stuff and head to my next class, Algebra. Skipping it is not an option—not just because it’s a favorite of mine, but missing even one class could mean getting benched for our next game. It’s only a five-minute walk from the cafeteria to the classrooms, but it feels longer with the crowd streaming out into the halls between periods.Halloway High’s hallways are beautiful in a way that you don’t usually see in schools—the kind of architecture people actually notice. The place is all sleek, polished wood and bright, airy windows. They even won an award last year for “Best School in Autumn Lane,” which they display proudly in the main office.As I cut through the crowd, I check the time. The bell hasn’t rung yet, and I figure I’ll just go take my seat rather than waiting in the hallway. My p