Curvy and Off-limits

Harper’s POVI cannot get over what Declan has said to me this morning for the life of me. I tried so hard by lifting heavier at the gym and even overdid cardio because of his words. I have always been confident about my body because it took a while for me to get around the fact that this is who I am. Nothing shakes my confidence but that bastard’s words. I have one more class before everything is over and I can go home and eat my fucking cupcakes. The mere reminder of my cupcakes has me salivating but also angry. Declan started calling me Cupcake when he saw me wolfing them down at lunch and hasn’t stopped ever since. Doesn’t matter though. I have allowed him to ruin most of my day but there must be a stop for it. Today is my birthday and I have promised to make myself happy. Nineteen years in this awful universe is not for the weak and even though everybody has forgotten my birthday, I’ll be fine. Mom hasn’t wished me this morning because she is busy as usual. She was more busy

Harper’s POVThe gates slid open without a sound. I stared out the passenger window as our SUV rolled through them, deeper into Kings Manor. Calling it a house would be an insult.It looked more like a luxury hotel hidden behind towering hedges and iron gates. A fountain sat in the middle of the circular driveway, water glistening beneath the afternoon sun. The mansion itself stretched wider than I could see from where I was sitting, all white stone, floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies that overlooked perfectly trimmed gardens.“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Mom sighed staring at our new ‘home’ that isn’t a hellhole. I hummed neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Beautiful wasn’t the word I’ll use for this place. It looks expensive and cold and untouchable. The car came to a stop. Before the driver could open my door, I was already climbing out because I don’t like the formalities. The air smelled cleaner here somehow.My eyes fell to the line of house staff standing neatly by the entrance

Harper’s POVBlair was late again. I dropped my bag onto the desk she’d claimed for us on the first day of the semester and pulled out my notebook. Five minutes until class started.“Mind if I sit here until your friend gets back?”I looked up. The guy standing beside my desk was tall, broad-shouldered and wearing the Westwood Wolves football jacket. He has sand brown hair, warm brown eyes and familiar face. “Go ahead.” nodded toward the empty chair.“I’m Mason.” He slid into the seat, setting his backpack on the floor.“I know.” I said and one of his brows lifted.“You know me?”“You’re always getting suspended with Declan.” I smiled despite myself.“Fair enough.” A laugh escaped him.“I don’t actually know what you study. I just know whenever there’s a fight on campus, your names somehow end up together.”“I’d like to blame him but that’d only be half true.” He gave a cheeky shrug. “So you’re admitting you’re the problem?” I raised a brow at that. He is charming. “I’m admitting w

Harper’s POV My phone buzzed on the desk during econ, screen lighting up before I could flip it face down. Mason: still owe you that coffee. tomorrow? I stared at it longer than I needed to. Blair caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and leaned across the aisle, her pen abandoned mid-note. "Who's that?" "Nobody." "Harper Carter." She drew my name out like a warning. "Your ears are doing the thing." "What thing?" "The red thing. They only do that for embarrassment or crushes and you're not embarrassed right now." I turned my phone over so the screen pressed flat against the desk. "It's Mason. He's just following up about coffee." "Just following up." She repeated it back to me with a smile spreading slow across her face. "Right. Because guys text girls three days in a row about coffee that means nothing." "It's been two days." "Even worse." I shot her a look and she raised both hands like she was surrendering, though the grin never left her face. Th

Harper’s POVBy Wednesday, I had successfully gone three days without speaking to Declan Kings which might not sound like an achievement to anyone else. But considering I had spent the last few years arguing with that man over everything from cafeteria seats to the last slice of pizza, I considered it a personal record. I was also beginning to enjoy it too. There was something surprisingly peaceful about not having to prepare a comeback every time I walked into a room. My brain had finally stopped running a twelve-hour shift dedicated entirely to one irritating man and honestly, it deserved the vacation.I had gone back to work too. I took a short break after everything with Mom and the move because I needed time to adjust but I couldn’t stay away forever. The coffee shop had been mine long before Theodore Kings came along with his mansion and army of staff and I liked having somewhere that didn’t feel like it belonged to somebody else. I liked the familiar smell of coffee in the m