Novel-novel oleh author.davinam

Viana’s POVHe grabbed me and pulled me to his chest, holding my waist tightly before suddenly letting me go. I stabilised myself and looked up to see Alvin staring at me.My heart was racing, and I could tell that my face was flushed. I felt happy that he was fine but at the same time, I felt angry. Why hadn't he told me that he wouldn't be coming to help? Why did he tell those guys to do it instead of telling me? Where had he been all day?“Hello? Earth to Viana?” He called out and I snapped out of my thoughts.“W-what—?”“I kept calling your name but you were not paying attention to me.”“Oh,” I said.“What are you doing at a party that's clearly for cool kids?” he teased with that annoying smirk on his face and every ounce of worry I had in me about his well-being vanished.I stepped closer to him and whacked his arm.“Ouch.” He fake winced and burst out laughing rubbing where I had hit him as if it hurt.“Where were you all day?”“Wouldn't you like to know. What are you now? Some

VIANA.“Open your eyes,” Emily instructed and I peeled them open, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked… I was beautiful.My hair was thrown in a bun with a few strands let down to cup my face and she had done the smoky makeup on me, making my eyes pop with glossy pink lip gloss.“That'll be two hundred dollars,” Emily said in a high-pitched, fake French accent.I giggled and swatted her hand again.“This is a free service for me, pitying you and being your friend.”She slapped her hand to her chest and let out a gasp before we both burst out laughing.“Come on, we have to drive over to your place so you can get ready too.”She nodded and went to get her bag, carrying my jacket in her other hand and walking out of the room.I stared at myself one last time, grabbed my phone and hurried out of the room and down the stairs.My mother was still in the kitchen when I attempted to sneak by but I was unsuccessful.“And where might you be going?” She asked and I turned to her with

VIANA“I don't think it'll be a good idea for me to go to the party. I mean, I still have to help my mum with something, I'm sure she'll need me.” I whined, trying to get out of attending the party with Emily.She rolled her eyes as we walked up the stairs in the direction of my room.“Tell me one thing that your mum would need you for.” She asked and I looked at her, short of words.“Exactly. Now, you're going to stop complaining about this and get yourself dressed up for the party. Is that clear?”“Yes, ma'am.” I saluted her and we burst out laughing as we walked into my room.Emily rushed over to my wardrobe and began ransacking all I had for clothes that she could pick out for me.“We'll go over to mine from here so I can get changed too. I have someone coming over to pick us up when it's time.” She said but her voice was a bit faint. My mind was occupied with thoughts of Alvin.“I'll be right back,” I said to her, cutting her rambling off and she just stared at me for a second be

VIANA. When I woke up that morning, the first thing I did was reach for my phone. No message. I blinked at the ceiling for a few seconds, hoping maybe my eyes were still blurry and I had missed something. But no. There was nothing from Alvin. I sat up slowly. He had said he would text me early when he was ready for school so we could go together for the community service at Southside Park. He had said it so clearly, with that half-smile he always wore when he was trying to be serious. “Seven-thirty sharp, Viana. Don’t oversleep.” And I had rolled my eyes. “I don’t oversleep.” Now it was almost eight. I got ready quickly, my movements sharper than usual. When I stepped outside, I looked around instinctively, expecting to see him leaning on his car or standing with his hands in his pockets. Nothing. The street felt too quiet. I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed. “Seriously?” I muttered to myself. “He stood me up? So much for trying to make amends.” The thought stung m

ALVIN. My father had a way of making a room feel smaller than it was. It didn’t matter the size of the space he stood in, or that this living room was big enough to accommodate as much as twenty people without feeling stuffy. The tall glass windows, the polished wooden shelves lined with awards, the faint scent of expensive cologne and wine—none of it made the place feel grand. Not when he was standing there with his jaw tight and his eyes boring into me like I was a project he regretted investing in. Investors. Just thinking about them made my mood sour. The thing about investors was simple—they made players’ lives easier. Brand deals, endorsements, bonuses, better gear, better facilities. Everything looked shiny on the outside. But what people didn’t see was how they loved to stick their noses into every tiny detail of your life. Who you dated. Who you talked to. How you trained. How you slept. What you posted. They didn’t just fund you. They owned a piece of you. And my fat

ALVIN. I had to beg Jenna longer than I expected. “You’re not drinking,” she said for the third time, her car keys hanging from her fingers as she stared at me like I was fifteen again. “I’m not,” I promised. “I just need to catch up with these guys. That’s it. I’ll be back before midnight.” She narrowed her eyes. “Alvin.” “I swear, Jen. No alcohol. Not even a sip.” She studied my face like she was searching for cracks in it. Finally, she sighed and dropped the keys into my palm. “If I get one call—” “You won’t,” I cut in quickly. As I walked out, she called after me, “Be safe!” I didn’t answer that part. By the time I pulled up to the house, it was almost eleven. The gates slid open slowly after the guards recognized me. We exchanged small greetings. “Long time, sir,” one of them said with a polite nod. “Yeah,” I replied, forcing a small smile. “Been busy.” Busy wasn’t the word. Avoiding was more like it. When I stepped inside the compound, something in my chest tightene