Novels by Farida

THE BRACELET 1The atmosphere inside the classroom was suffocating.It wasn't loud.It wasn't chaotic.If anything, it was the silence that made it unbearable.Flora hadn't spoken to either of them since the first period.Whenever a teacher called on her, she answered politely before returning her attention to the front of the classroom. She never once looked in Asher's direction.Or Brian's.It was as though they had both become invisible.Asher found himself glancing at her more often than he should have, hoping she'd eventually meet his eyes.She never did.The distance between them hurt more than he wanted to admit.By the time the lunch bell rang, the weight pressing against his chest had only grown heavier.Students poured out into the hallways, their laughter echoing through the corridors as they rushed toward the cafeteria.Asher picked up his tray and instinctively headed toward their usual table.At almost the exact same moment, Brian approached from the opposite side.Flora

WATCHED Monday's final bell echoed through the halls. Asher found Eleanor waiting beneath the old oak tree outside the school gate, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. She looked up as he approached. "You're late." "Sorry." She slipped her phone into her handbag. "So, boyfriend," she teased. "What's your first question?" Asher ignored the nickname. "I need you to answer honestly." "I said I would." He nodded. "Have you ever sent me an anonymous email?" Eleanor frowned. "...What email?" "The anonymous emails." She looked genuinely confused. "I don't know what you're talking about." Asher let out a nervous laugh. "I've... been getting anonymous emails." A smile spread across Eleanor's face. "Ooh." "What?" "Sounds like you've got yourself a secret admirer." Asher forced a laugh. "...Maybe." "Well, it wasn't me." She shrugged. "I've never sent you an email." Asher studied her carefully. There wasn't the slightest flicker of recognition. No guilt. N

THE DEAL That evening, Asher sat beside his mother on the couch, trying to convince her to contact Eleanor through her parents. "You've been asking to talk to this girl all week," Mrs. Miguel observed. "Did something happen between you two?" Asher hesitated. "...We had a misunderstanding." His mother studied him for a moment before sighing and reaching for her phone. "Let me see if her mother is available." Fifteen minutes later, she ended the call with a smile. "Eleanor agreed to come over this Saturday." Relief washed over Asher. "Thank you, Mum." She smiled before giving him a curious look. "I didn't see Tyler come for lessons this week. I hope he's alright." Asher forced a smile. "I think he's a little sick... probably down with the flu." Mrs. Miguel nodded sympathetically. "Poor boy. He's always alone whenever his parents travel. They've been away for days." Asher blinked. "They left him alone?" "Yes. I almost invited him over for dinner yesterday." Asher frow

SQUARE ONE The front door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the house. Asher remained seated at his desk, staring at the doorway long after Tyler had left. "...What the hell was that about?" He replayed the tutoring session in his head. Had he said something wrong? All he had done was tease Tyler. You're worried about me. You actually care. Asher frowned. "...Did I push too far?" He reached for his phone and scrolled until he found Jane's contact. She answered almost immediately. "Hey, Ashy." "I think I messed up." Jane paused. "...What happened?" Asher sighed. "Tyler stormed out." "What?" "He just... exploded." Jane sat up straighter. "Start from the beginning." Asher recounted everything. How distracted Tyler had been throughout the lesson. How he'd asked about Brian. How he'd asked if another anonymous email had arrived. Then... "I told him he cared about me." Jane was quiet. "And?" "I kept teasing him about it."

WEIRD DREAM The room was pitch-black. Tyler could barely make out anything around him. All he knew was that someone was standing close. Very close. A soft hand brushed against his cheek. He didn't move. The touch felt strangely familiar. "Who are you?" he whispered. There was no answer. Instead, the stranger stepped closer. Tyler's heart began to pound. Every instinct told him to step away. He didn't. Besides, he couldn't even see. Gentle fingers slipped around the back of his neck, drawing him closer. His breath caught. Then their lips met. Briefly at first. Tyler pulled away instinctively. "Tyler... don't," a familiar female voice pleaded softly before pulling him in again. The kiss didn't linger, but was warm enough to make his knees weak. A faint scent of dried cinnamon drifted into his senses. It was oddly comforting. Without thinking, Tyler's hand found the stranger's waist, pulling them even closer. For one fleeting moment, everything

The Bracelet The three of them remained silent, staring at the photograph displayed on their screens. The bracelet was small, but there was no mistaking it. "I know that's Eleanor's," Asher finally said. Tyler leaned back in his chair. "I agree." Jane rolled her eyes in frustration. "Then let's just ask her. It's possible she's our guy." "No." Tyler's answer came immediately. Asher nodded. "Yeah. Why would she want to sabotage me? I didn't do anything to her." Jane frowned. "She probably has something against you. You had a fallout with her, didn't you?" "It's not enough," Asher replied. "Besides, how did she even get the bracelet? It's not possible she was there that night." "How would you know that if you decided to keep your mouth shut?" Jane shot back. "Why are you guys so scared to confront her?" Neither boy answered. They both knew why. Eleanor was the last person either of them wanted to deal with. Tyler had already had enough of the mess su