All Chapters of Unconditional Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

HADES The woman looks at me with pity in her eyes, and it makes my skin crawl. I don’t want her pity. Is it a crime not to know how to tie a damn tie? I’ve already got a pounding headache from everything this morning—being uprooted from my old life, shoved into this pretentious school, and now this? A tie? As if the uniform isn’t suffocating enough. Walking through the hallways earlier, surrounded by kids in designer everything, made me feel like an alien. Now I have to pretend I fit in with them? It’s utter bullshit. “There. All done,” the woman—Madam Kingsley, I guess—says, stepping back with a smile. She tilts her head slightly, admiring her handiwork like tying a tie was some monumental achievement. “Now you look like a proper Rockwell student.” Her cheeriness grates on me, but I nod, forcing a tight smile. “Thanks,” I mumble, tugging at the collar of my shirt. The tie feels like a noose, and I can’t help but imagine myself yanking it off the second I leave. “Now I just need

HADESI adjusted the tie around my neck for what felt like the hundredth time. The material pressed against my throat, suffocating, like a noose rather than part of a uniform. I stalked through the pristine hallways of Rockwell Academy, my jaw clenched, and my expression set in stone. Everything about this place screamed “too much.” The polished marble floors gleamed so brightly I could see my reflection in them. The walls were adorned with plaques and framed photos of past students, each one looking more accomplished than the last. The air smelled faintly of expensive cologne and freshly polished wood. It was suffocating. I shoved my hands into my pockets, my eyes darting around as I tried to make sense of this labyrinth of a building. The school map I’d been handed earlier was crumpled in my back pocket, completely ignored. I wasn’t about to walk around with a map in my hand like some lost tourist. I’d figure it out on my own, even if it took all day. Students milled about, their

HADESI stormed out of the lounge, my fists still clenched, the anger burning hotter than ever. Hector’s words replayed in my head, over and over again, like a broken record. Every mocking syllable. Every piece of humiliation he had thrown my way. And all in front of the whole damn school. My heart was racing, my skin crawling with the sting of embarrassment. I had never felt more out of place than I did in that moment.It wasn’t like I cared what people thought, but Hector was different. He was the type who liked to grind people down, and I wasn’t used to being on the receiving end. The last thing I needed was his attention, especially not in front of the whole damn lounge. The last thing I wanted was for everyone to see me as the new kid they could walk all over.I shoved through the hallways, barely registering the looks of students as they parted for me. I had to get out. Had to find some space to breathe before I did something stupid.The gardens were the perfect escape. I wasn’t

HADES I watched as Lara and Gianna turned to leave, their steps light on the gravel path. Gianna was laughing at something, her voice carefree, but I could see that Lara was still distracted, her mind clearly elsewhere. I didn’t know why it bothered me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. There was something about her that made me feel like she was the only person in this school who wasn’t pretending. I leaned back against the stone bench, hands shoved deep into my pockets, the faint smell of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. It did little to calm the nerves crawling under my skin. My thoughts were all over the place. I didn’t do well with people, and yet every time Lara glanced in my direction, something shifted in me that I couldn’t explain. It wasn’t like I wanted her attention, but I couldn't stop wondering why she made me feel so... uneasy. I exhaled sharply, trying to shake off the feeling. I didn’t need to be worrying about this. I didn’t need to be worrying about her. Bu

HADESThe first day at Rockwell Academy had been exactly what I expected—nothing. A class from 12 to 1 pm, some lame icebreakers, and a lot of fake smiles. The whole thing felt like a waste of time. I wasn’t here to make friends, and I wasn’t here to play nice. I was just getting through it, like always.Marcus and I didn’t bother pretending we cared about the class. We kept to ourselves, barely participating, letting the time drag by until it was finally over. I figured I’d leave and go find a quiet spot to think, but Marcus had other plans.“Wanna ditch?” he asked, his voice casual, like he didn’t care about anything but getting out of there.I didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” I muttered, already moving toward the door.We slipped out of the classroom together, the noise of the school behind us fading into nothing. We made our way through the hallways, with Marcus leading the way. His indifference to everything around him was oddly comforting. I didn’t have to pretend with him, and I didn’t