INICIAR SESIÓNLori
My heart started beating louder and faster against my ribcage the exact second Lucas pulled his truck over in front of my dorm building. My hands grew clammy, and a cold sweat broke out across the back of my neck as I stared up at the familiar brick facade.“I’m really not sure if I can do this,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. I shook my head in a vigorous no, pulling my hands tight against my chest.Lucas heard my whispered protest and chLoriI remained standing entirely frozen in the dimly lit hallway outside Jessica's bedroom door, my fingers hovering inches above the cool handle. My mind spiraled in confusion, contemplating whether I should just throw the door wide open and confront her on the spot. Or simply turn on my heel, walk back to my room, and forget she even existed.“Lor? Are you still there, babe?” Lucas’s voice suddenly rang out through the tiny speaker of my phone, cutting through the suffocating silence of the corridor and distracting me from my spiraling thoughts.I took a fast, shallow breath, pressing the receiver closer to my ear. “Hey, Lu? Please confirm something for me real quick, will you?”“Yeah? What is it, Lor?” he replied without a single second of hesitation, his deep tone laced with effortless affection. “You know I will do absolutely anything for you, babe. Just name it.”“Are you currently answering another call right now w
LoriThe rest of the day passed painfully slowly. I spent nearly an hour on my hands and knees refolding and reorganizing every single delicate fabric that Angel had scattered across the floor. All while my mind wildly wrestled with the agonizing decision of whether to quit both the internship and the fashion competition altogether.I really didn't think I could continue living like this. Not with Jessica turning into my bitter enemy and vowing to frustrate every single area of my life. If only I hadn’t suffered that terrible leg injury months ago during cheerleading, maybe my spot on the squad would still be fine and Jessica wouldn’t be able to act as if she held my entire future career in her hands.The very second dismissal time finally arrived, I let out a heavy breath I didn’t even realize I had been holding. Wanting to avoid any more public humiliation, I quickly snuck out of the building through the quiet back exit.
LoriA new week was supposed to represent a fresh start. But in my shattered world, it felt like nothing more than a continuation of the same endless nightmare. The sudden phone call from the fashion competition panel over the weekend had managed to briefly distract me from my self destructive thoughts, but now that Monday morning had arrived, the paralyzing anxiety was right back in full force.I didn't have any early morning classes scheduled, so I decided to head straight to the fashion house for my internship shift. Truthfully, I would have handed in my resignation and quit the position days ago just to avoid the tension, if not for the fact that I desperately needed the practical hours to score higher points for the final round of the showcase.As I approached the glass front doors of the sleek building, I paused to whisper a silent prayer under my breath. I prayed that Jessica hadn't poisoned her mother’s mind against me yet. Or demanded that my internship placement be revoked
LucasNo matter how many times I was forced to sit on the sidelines, I knew in my gut that I would never, ever get used to being benched. My real home was out there on the ice, gliding through the freezing air with my stick in hand, tracking the black puck as it skidded across the surface.Still, despite the restless agitation clawing at my chest, I was here on the bench to cheer for my boys. Their success was my success. We needed this crucial win to seal our official spot in the state finals, and I was going to support them with everything I had.So, while the rest of my teammates aggressively fought for control, chasing and passing the puck back and forth across the rink, I cheered loudly from the sidelines. I whistled through my teeth when someone made a clean hit and shouted harsh words of encouragement to keep their energy high.I watched intently as Alex expertly tackled the puck away from the opposing team's winger using a swift stick check. A proud smile spread across my face
LoriLater that night, after a quiet dinner and a movie with my mom that I barely managed to focus on, I retreated to my childhood bedroom and dialed Lucas’s phone number. I could no longer hold back the anxious knot in my chest for another second. If he was really going to pull away from me, he owed it to me to say it directly to my face rather than leaving me to drown in my own thoughts.He picked up on the second ring, his voice sounding deep and slightly groggy over the line.“Hey,” I whispered, holding my breath as I waited for his reaction.“Hey…” he replied simply, his tone completely lacking its usual warm, excited energy whenever he heard from me.Damn Jessica. A sharp pang of resentment flared in my chest. I genuinely hoped we could resolve this nightmare soon so I wouldn't be forced to start fighting dirty right back to protect what was mine.“You left the dorm earlier today wi
LoriI remained rooted to the exact same spot on the kitchen floor, the entire world spinning around me at a terrifying speed. It took several minutes for my brain to process the cruel reality of her words before my heavy legs finally forced my body to move back toward the safety of my bedroom.The moment I stepped inside, I slammed the door shut, turned the lock, and slid straight down against the wood until I hit the floor. The floodgates broke completely, tears spilling rapidly from my swollen eyes and dropping onto my laps.This couldn't truly be happening to me. It felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. Jessica had somehow succeeded in convincing Lucas that I was a horrible, untrustworthy friend. Her manipulation must have been so seamless, her persuasion so deep, that he had actually gone ahead and invited her out on a lunch date for tomorrow.My eyes stared blankly into the empty space of my room as m
Lori’s POV Without waiting to see what he is about to do next, I took my car keys and ran out of the room. I rushed past Jessica and Ann in the hallway. Their worried voices shouted my name. However, I ignored them and plunged out of the apartment and into the cold night air. I knew how reck
LoriIt was not just because of Lucas. It was because of the person sitting on the opposite side of the stadium.I looked up at the special seating section reserved for the varsity athletes. Travis sat right in the middle of his fraternity brothers, wearing his black football jacket. He looked good
Lori’s POV My eyes snapped shut. I couldn't tell them about Lucas. Not yet. I couldn't even process it myself."Travis cheated on me," I croaked. My voice sounded raw, completely ruined. "With Elena. On my freaking bed."Jessica’s jaw dropped. She gasped so loud it filled the quiet space. "That a
Lori’s POVTonight wasn’t just my twentieth birthday. It was the night the secrecy ended.For six long months, Travis kept us hidden. He wanted our relationship away from the campus gossip. But tonight, he had promised to tell everyone about us. I smoothed my sweaty hands down my emerald silk dre







