Novels by Jewella

Alex~Seth finally texted back yesterday.Just one line: ‘hang in there, okay? holidays don’t last forever.’Then another, a few minutes later, when I didn’t reply fast enough.‘Try not to let them get to you. call if it gets too bad.He’s probably sprawled across his bed right now, headphones in, scrolling through some brain rotting content. I can almost see him.Him with a lazy grin on his face as he scrolls, I can picture him stretching his arm over his head. I want to call him and hear his voice, but my house feels wired with invisible alarms, so I keep my phone face-down beside the plate of toast I can’t finish.The air smells like cinnamon and lemon cleaner. My mother is humming somewhere in the kitchen, and every few seconds, I hear the creak of the oven door. It’s the day before the neighborhood turkey roast, our family’s annual excuse to invite everyone they vaguely like. Which means I’m supposed to smile, help carry trays, and look “presentable.”Dad has this habit of tu

Alex~I arrived a little past noon, It wasn’t even properly cold yet, but the winter air still hit harder than campus air. I threw my bag in the back of an Uber and watched the city roll by, same cracked billboards, same gas stations, same quiet neighborhoods with half-decorated lawns. It didn’t look like anything had changed in since I left. The streets, the light, even the same damned stray dog trotting near the old pharmacy. It’s the same when I get home, the half bent mail box, cracked pavement near the gate that dad always promised to fix, nothing ever changes here.The Uber slows to a stop in front of the house. Beige walls, familiar curtains and a patch of grass that’s more yellow than green. My chest tightens, I don’t know if it’s from nostalgia or dread, it’s probably both.Mum’s already at the doorway when I step out, her arms are folded like she’s been standing there a while. She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.“You’ve grown thinner,” she says as I come closer.I l

Alex~I can’t believe the day to go home has come, it’s ridiculous how final it feels.My bag’s open on the floor, half full, like even my clothes don’t want to leave. Seth’s sitting cross-legged on the bed behind me, watching me pack up my shit, he has one elbow propped on his knee, chin in his hand.“You know,” he says, “you could just… not go.”I glance back at him. “And tell my mom what? That I decided to stay on campus because my roommate stroke boyfriend has abandonment issues?”He grins. “Exactly that.”“You’re impossible,” I mutter, folding a hoodie and shoving it in.He hums in mock agreement. “I know. But admit it part of you likes that about me.”I throw him a look. “There are some weird ass things about you that i like for sure.” He laughs quietly and warmth spreads in my chest soothing the ache I’ve had all morning since i woke up.The silence that follows is comfortable, and u can tell he knows I’m stalling. Every time I reach for something, I hesitate, like I’m packing

Alex~“You keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna think you’re in love.”“I am.” “Say that again.”I do and this time I mean it in the simplest way because it’s a truth that exists between us now.He laughs softly leans in and kisses my neck, “Good. Saves me from being the only one.” He says.We don’t get up right away and allow the morning to stretch but eventually he rolls out of bed, tugging on sweatpants, and says, “I’m making breakfast. You coming, or you gonna keep pretending to be asleep so I’ll bring it to you?”“Depends,” I say, sitting up. “What’s on the menu?”“Chef’s surprise.”“Which means what, ramen again?”He gives me a look over his shoulder. “You wound me.”I follow him anyway. The floor’s cold, and I pull on a hoodie while he rummages through the fridge. The kitchen smells faintly of takeouts. He finds eggs, leftover rice and some vegetables that look like they’re barely holding on.“Gonna make fried rice,” he declares.“Of course you are.”He starts chopping, h

Alex~I’m tracing idle shapes on Seth’s forearm when my phone starts buzzing from the counter. The name flashing across the screen makes my chest seize up.Mom.I freeze.Seth glances up, voice still drowsy. “You’re not gonna get that?”“I should,” I say, but my hand feels heavy as I reach for it. I swipe before I can think.“Hey, Mom.”“Alex!” Her voice bursts through, bright and forced. “You sound so tired, are you eating enough?”“Yeah,” I say, sitting up straighter. “I’m fine.”She laughs too loud. “Good. You know, it’s been forever since we heard from you. Your father keeps saying you’ve forgotten your family.”“Did he now?” My voice cracks on the edge of a sigh.“You know how he is.” Her tone softens, then shifts to something careful. “Anyway, we were just talking about Christmas. You’re coming home, right?”I pause. The warmth from moments ago drains out of my chest. “I don’t know yet. I have…”“Alex.” The smile drops from her voice. “Please don’t make this hard. Your father

Seth~ The sunlight slides through the blinds, waking me up, I lift my face careful not to stir Alex, and watch him curled up beside me, face half-buried in the pillow, hair tousled from sleep. His hand is draped over mine, fingers still curled around my own, and there’s a faint scent of his shampoo lingering in the room. I don’t move. I just breathe and listen to him. The slow, steady rise and fall of his chest feels grounding, and I realize that for the first time in days, the tight coil in my chest has softened. I press a gentle kiss to his temple, careful not to wake him, and he hums, stretching against me in a small, sleepy gesture that makes my chest ache. “Morning,” I whisper, and his eyes flutter open, blinking at me in the sunlight. “Morning,” he says, voice thick with sleep. He smiles softly, the corners of his mouth tugging up just enough that I forget how tired I am. “Morning,” I whisper. “Mmm…” he hums, stretching, one arm draped over my chest. “Did you sleep

Marcus MatthewsThe pen swirls between my fingers coming to rest between my index and thumb in rapid succession, One might say I was bored, but in reality, it was all I could do to still myself as the thoughts ran their wild course through my mind. My fingers jerk each time I think of Orion and the gun.“Take care of him” My brother Dane had requested simply.Giving him a 44 magnum pistol had not been part of what he requested and I’m pretty sure he’d have my balls on a stick flying high over his pool-house if he found out, but then again the crazed look in his eyes had been something I’d recongized. It was the same fire that had been in Dane’s eyes for Miranda all those years ago before he became a money conscious prick.The door bursts open as I oblige myself to a taste of scotch, and a burly looking guard I frankly don’t remember hiring walks in.“Sir,” he says simply waiting for my signal before he continues, I raise my glass to him and he steps back “The quarry has arrived and he

Paloma“You sure you don’t want to stay?” Casey asks for the billionth time that morning “I could as well just tell my parents to come at a later date or we could-"“It’s fine Casey” I reassure her again. “Besides you haven’t seen them in God knows how long, it would be selfish of me to let you pass up the opportunity.”“But-” she opens her mouth to raise another argument.My hands are faster and I raise it to silence her.“Enough Casey” I say, blowing my sweaty hair out of my face as I haul my suitcase from my room “I swear if you ask me one more time I’ll shove this suitcase so far up your arse you’ll sneeze bra, if you really want to help, then help me bring the luggage to the door.”She smiles and obliges me and I heave a breath as she takes the box off my hands.“It’s a two week stay,” she says huffing “Why do you need so much and how do you even have so much stuff, are you moving?”“Its stuff I need” I tell her “Just help me get it to the door would you.” Certain strings of exp

OrionIt had been a week since she was discharged and still my fingers has not learnt to uncoil the gun, I wonder how she will react if she found that I had been sleeping right outside her apartment with a revolver in my hands like some crazed paw patrol squad. I counted down the time until Casey’s parents would arrive, then she would have to stay with me for awhile and then maybe I’d finally get some shut-eye.It has been quite unmemorable this past week with some days leaving a bitter taste trailing down my throat like when I had to grovel back to join the team, the all too enthusiastic glint in the coach’s eyes made me want to vomit. I hated that he got to win like that but in the end I’d grovel before a thousand worlds if it will keep her safe.The night was awfully quiet save for the occasional hooting of the owl and the constant ticking of my watch, I should sleep even if it’s a little but I cannot bring myself to do so, even if she has begun to notice it, there’s too much on my

PalomaA string of expletives escapes from my lips and he winced, with a strength I did not know I possess I leap from the confines of my bed and rushed headfirst towards him, my fists raised high up in the air, he did not stop me but he sure did not expect as my arms wraps around him, crushing myself into his chest.“Thought you weren’t coming back.” I whisper into him, “why the fuck didn’t you come back, you had left, I could not-”In that moment he lifts my face up placing a deep kiss on my lips and silencing me, it was right, something I was hoping for, like an addictive drug that I had gone too fucking long without, it was relief, we finally break away from our kiss, his hands still cupping my face as we stare into the endlessness of each other, he opens his mouth to say something but a deep clearing of someone’s throat kills off whatever words were to come out.“Orion in love.” A deep voice says from behind him. “Never thought I’d see it come, your father must be absolutely livi

PalomaWe have lived almost everywhere before, from shanty houses to trailer parks, things kind of got awry when dad left and having little next to nothing.Didn't seem to help matters. I vaguely remember her now but for all the mystical things in the world, things didn’t come close to Mama Lupé.It was a dark time for me with dad gone, I was nine and Mom’s habit of drugs and drinking had begun to become less of a hobby and more of a daily routine, it was expected that without a job that we would be kicked out and the landlord had been lenient enough, mom was not picking up her act and soon the need for money had us out on our backs and into the streets.This was perfect scene for Mom anyway and I only remember him as Luca but he was one of the worst moments of my life but still I had nowhere to go, stuck in a trailer park with Mom’s dealer and new love interest, it was in the next trailer I met one of the most interesting women.Her skin was what drew me to her in the first place, I’

Chapter Twenty SevenOrionFocus on her smile.Focus on her smile.Focus on her smile.My eyes betray me once again and my gaze drifts over her, I wince annoyance and a gain the cloud of annoyance falls so much so that her voice seems far off, drifting off with the cold air that blew from the air conditioning."Orion,” she calls to me. “You seem off, I'm fine you know, you really don't have to-"She stops when she catches my gaze and for a moment our eyes linger telling the truths that our lips were afraid to say, I knew her enough to know when she put up the fake facade, that show of strength when when really it was all jelly underneath the iron facade, it didn't make feel better, it made me feel worse and I feel her cold hands against mine, she notices my looks and squeezes my hand, looking up to the ceiling, she blows a breath."Fine, it's stupid to say I'm fine," she says. “Any idiot can see I'm not fine, is it your fault? Could this have been avoided? Maybe.” I grunt interruptin