Nobela ni Linton

ROWAN Saturday sunlight filtered through the blinds like a promise. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed quiet mornings until this one — no chaos, no rumors, no meetings at the head teacher’s office. Just peace. And Clara.It had been months since everything fell apart and came back together again. The MVP game, the apologies, the gradual healing. Life felt... lighter now. Maybe because I’d stopped carrying guilt that was never mine to bear. Or maybe because, somewhere along the way, I learned that forgiveness could set you free.I was meeting Clara today — she’d said yes when I asked if we could talk. My hands shouldn’t have been trembling, but they were. I’d faced crowds chanting my name, stood beneath stadium lights, yet somehow, facing Clara was the one thing that made me nervous.The café where we met was quiet, tucked between a bookstore and a flower shop. She was already there when I walked in, wearing a cream sweater and light jeans, a notebook beside her half-finished cup o

CLARASome mornings, I still wake up and forget who I am now. For a few seconds, I expect to hear my alarm blaring, my mom calling from the kitchen, and the sound of Caleb’s car leaving for school. But instead, it’s the quiet hum of my dorm room, the soft ping of new notifications lighting up my phone, and the faint morning breeze brushing against my curtains.I stretch and roll over, squinting at the screen. Messages, emails, mentions. All for me.“Hi Clara, your words saved me.”“Thank you for helping me love myself again.”“You’re the reason I stopped hiding.”I smile before I can stop myself. Sometimes it still feels unreal — that people know my name, that they see me. A few months ago, I was just another girl with her head down, writing in secret because I was too afraid to be seen. Now, Curves and Courage isn’t just a magazine anymore. It’s a movement.I started it as a safe space for fat girls like me — for anyone who had ever been told they were “too much” or “not enough.” Ba

ROWANThe morning sunlight sliced through my blinds, landing squarely on my face, waking me earlier than I expected. I groaned, shifting under the sheets, but something heavier than sleep weighed on me. The MVP competition. Today wasn’t just any game—it was the culmination of weeks, months, maybe even a lifetime of pushing myself, recovering from suspension, and trying to regain footing after everything that had happened. My pulse picked up as I thought about it.I sat on the edge of my bed, letting my hands fall to my knees, staring at the floor. Two weeks ago, I would have been curled in a ball, uncertain, terrified of what awaited me if I stepped onto the field. But now… now I had purpose, a reason beyond personal glory. And that reason had a name: Clara.Clara.I had replayed her expressions in my mind countless times. The day I returned from suspension, the way her eyes lingered on me, a mixture of concern and caution. How she had encouraged me without pushing too hard, giving

AARONI haven’t left my room in hours, not that I have anywhere to go. The world outside seems louder than it has any right to be, but in here, everything feels suffocatingly still. Of course, I could hear the faint hum of the ceiling fan spinning lazily above me, the distant muffled laughter of students passing the windows down the street, and the soft creaks of the house settling. Each sound reminds me of how fragile my situation has become, how easily everything I’ve done could unravel and leave me exposed.I lean back against my chair, staring at the wall, trying to make sense of it all. Every memory of the past few days gnaws at me. The gathering where Clara revealed everything, the look on her face when I confessed—her shock, her hurt, the way she had trembled slightly, unable to mask the tears threatening to fall. That moment replays endlessly in my mind, a haunting loop I cannot stop. I thought I had control, thought I could manipulate a situation to my advantage, and yet her

CALEBI collapsed onto my bed, dragging the mattress slightly with me as if the weight of my own body couldn’t be contained. The room felt smaller than usual, corners pressing in like the walls themselves were judging me. Sunlight filtered through the curtains in pale strips, but it didn’t bring warmth, only awareness—awareness of how trapped I felt in the aftermath of everything. A few days had passed since the storm at school, but the chaos hadn’t faded; it had only nested itself deeper into my chest, a gnawing, relentless weight that pressed on my ribs.The house was quiet except for the distant hum of traffic outside. I could almost hear the pulse of the city beyond, people moving, laughing, living—while I sat, suspended in guilt, frustration, and anger at myself. My chest ached from the knowledge that every choice I had made had consequences I wasn’t ready to face. I wanted Clara. I wanted Rowan gone. I wanted control. And now all I had was shame, guilt, and a deep, unrelenting

CALEB I didn’t know why I had been called. My stomach churned the entire way to the office, my hands clammy, my heart hammering. Something about this felt… different. Dangerous.As I pushed the door open, the room slammed into me like a wave. Clara sat there, her eyes fixed on me, sharp and accusing, and yet… something deeper flickered in them. Rowan was there too, standing tall, his jaw tight, and I could feel the coiled anger just beneath his skin. And Aaron… guilt radiated off him like heat, and I knew we were all trapped in the same storm, just on different sides.I froze, my legs heavy, every step forward seeming impossible. The head teacher’s calm, measured voice cut through my panic.“Caleb,” she said, gesturing toward the chair, “please sit.”I obeyed, though it felt like sinking into quicksand. I couldn’t stop my mind from racing: Why me? What have they found out? I could already feel the walls closing in, the weight of my own lies pressing on me.The head teacher didn’t

Maddie “Where are we going?”“Nowhere in particular."“Do you want to go somewhere?” I thought for a while about any place having fun, but I shook my head."No."“Ok, we can grab something at the shop ahead."I nod; the street smells differently. Love in the air. Restaurants and shops have taken their time to do a little decoration with red and white ribbons with flickers and love images.Couples walk hand in hand, whispering to each other. I enjoyed the scene and I love it. They were young and old in the streets.Carlson stops the car right in front of a shopping mob.“Do you want anything I need to grab?”He asked after he got off his seat belt.“Umh…nothing really." But seriously, I don't need anything; having him by my side is enough already.I walk out, and I admire his features, the way he walks, the way he is so picture-perfect.Why am I singing praises to him like he never hurt me before?What if he does it again? How am I going to know it is just a prank?Probably we should

Maddie What could possibly be the worst thing that can happen?I asked myself over and over again. My ego is bruised. Being humiliated in front of everyone and finding myself on live videos.I could possibly call that the most embarrassing day of my life, but there are more days worse than that.So what could possibly be the worst thing that can happen if I accept this invitation?Even though I know I have to swallow my pride, my ego, which has formed with time.My fingers are tapping on my lap, biting down on my lower lip while Carlson applies body lotion on my back.If I could possibly stand up from here, he would notice how wet I am.My towel is doing the good job of soaking it all up for the meantime, but my core clenches more, and I know I might not survive this not having Carlson always around.I might not have the privacy to release myself after I have destroyed my room.“Maddie, I'm done. Let me get your food while you dress up."I stared at him so helplessly with pretty eye

Maddie Carlson stands and then leaves.I panicked. He promised he wasn't going to leave. Did I say anything wrong? I thought for a second. The thought of being alone scares me, often—not often lately.I have always had those weird thoughts. I'm an Icelander. I hardly have friends, nor do I have one at home except for Jamie, so the little affection he shows to me feels like love and a world to me.I will say I was stupid and vulnerable for believing all his lies; he was a friend I could talk to. We shared the same window that happened to face each other, so every night after my father had tucked me into bed.I patiently wait at the window for him; sometimes he never shows up, and I feel so sad that night, but whenever he shows up, then I have someone who is willing to listen to my rant.We were super duper close, and that built up a feeling I never expected.But this one right now feels different. It feels I'm safe. It feels I'm with the right one. I don't have to act in a certain

Maddie Sometimes the pain we feel feels like it's about to consume us.The grief.The heaviness of our chest and the sadness.Sometimes I want to wake up normally without so much pain. This is the reality. Everything dearest to my heart has a way of hurting me, and the people closest to me make it even worse.The pain when it surfaced again. Acting like it wasn't there and won't be there is like lying to myself.Being lied to, especially about part of your existence, is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone.Now I know what to do with the truth: stop loving, confront the person I have loved all my life, or wait patiently for the next that will unfold.Recently my brain has slowly been trained to accept pain. I want to be happy, but I don't know how. Even if Carlson is trying his best to make me cheer up, that doesn't justify my fear.What if he leaves me one day? What if he wakes up one morning and tells me he doesn't have feelings for me anymore? How am I supposed to liv

Maddie Do you know the best feeling? Having someone by your side during tough moments. Those times in life have to measure you and throw you off balance.Last night's kiss means a world to me; it is not the regular kind of kiss, but the kind of kiss that comes with assurance, the promise of "I will always be here for you in every step of the way." That reassuring promise is what is keeping me sane.My lips curled into a smile, a smile of gratitude. A smile that says thank you for always being here for me no matter the tantrums and no matter what happens.I stared at him; the silence of our hearts spoke it all. His hand cradles my face, and it was the best feeling ever. I knelt down and didn't know when I fell asleep.I didn't want to wake up because I don't want to face whatever that is ahead of me. I can't face my mom; she has her reasons for whatever went wrong, but that bad decision gave birth to me, but the problem is her hiding it from me this long.When was she planning to

Carlson Her hand moves underneath my clothes, blushing my chest like a girl who knows what she wants.Not breaking eye contact with me, it feels like we see each other now. It feels like she is staring deeply into my soul.I see vulnerability.I see a girl who wants to run from her pains.I see a girl who wants to forget her pains.She wasn't ready yet, not one she would blame me for. I want our first to not be an escape from pain.I don't want her to wake up the next morning regretting everything or telling me to my face that it means nothing.It's nothing; it's so easy to say, and that will come with a perpetual pain and rejection I didn't budget for, so instead I grip her hand to a stop.Turning her over before she can even say a word. I'm on top of her, and her breast is so perky.I could see her standing nibbles underneath her nightie begging to be fuddled and sucked.It's so tempting that I lick my bottom lip. I want her so badly. I admit to that, but not this way.Not a night d