MasukAURORAThe afternoon heat hums over the pavement as I lean against the side of Jayden’s car, my arms crossed over my chest, my eyes glued to the double doors of the academic building.Minutes drag like hours. My pulse ticks against my throat, every tick a nervous reminder of the party waiting on the other side of town. I know for certain I can't trust those rowdy guys. I mean... what if someone dropped the cake? What if Duke accidentally spoiled it? What if Tank ate all the appetizers before we even got there?Finally, the doors open and Jayden steps out. His hair is slightly disheveled, the top buttons of his shirt undone, and his eyes look thoroughly exhausted from hours of grueling aptitude tests and finals. But the second his eyes sweep the steps and find me, call me stupid but it's like seeing tension in his shoulders visibly melt.I don't even give him time to walk down the steps. I rush up to meet him, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tight."How was it?" I ask
AURORA The buzz of the alarm is what pierces through the heavy fog of sleep in my eyes. I blink my eyes open, welcoming the morning light.My body feels soft, blissfully heavy, and thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly used. Every muscle in my thighs carries a dull, sweet ache from last night’s antics.I shift slightly, turning my head toward the back of Jayden's neck."Baby," I murmur, my voice raspy with sleep."Hmm?" he grunts, his voice deep and completely submerged in sleep, not moving a single inch."I set the alarm," I say, nudging my nose against his shoulder."Yes," he mutters, pulling the blanket higher over his bare shoulder."Your aptitude exam is today, plus you have finals," I remind him, pushing against his chest to sit up. "Come on, get up."I try to swing my legs over the edge of the bed, but Jayden’s arm wraps firmly around my waist like a steel band, his entire weight anchoring me to the mattress.I burst out laughing, tugging uselessly against his grip. "Com
JAYDENAurora fidgets restlessly on the bed, her short dress riding up her thighs. I notice the movement and smile to himself. It's more like she's anticipating what's to come. But then she already has an idea so it's funny how she's fidgeting.Without wasting further time, I push her dress higher still until the lacy edge of her cream-colored panties come into view. I can already smell her arousal and the damp spot is clearly visible and gives me a good idea what she's feeling."So wet," I murmur, running my nose along her slit through the damp fabric. She whimpers, her hips lifting slightly in silent invitation. Hooking my fingers into the sides of her panties, I pull them tight, creating a tented effect around her clit. Leaning forward, I seal my mouth over her mound, sucking the bundle of nerves through the lace. Aurora gasps, her head falling back as her thighs fall farther apart, granting me better access. I hum against her, the vibrations making her jerk. Slowly, deliberately
AURORA The celebratory dinner at the restaurant downtown is unhinged according to how the parents view it. It's also chaotic if my own opinion is needed.Plates of gourmet food are scattered across the long wooden table, glasses of champagne are clinking every five seconds, and my family is in peak form. Julian and Jayden are deep into a loud talk about grease and oil, my mom is showing everyone on her phone the blurry video of my spin sequence, and Arabella is actively trying to steal maraschino cherries out of the cocktail glasses.Through all of it, Jayden’s hand hasn't left mine once.Underneath the table, his thick, fingers are laced tightly through mine, his thumb slowly tracing circles over my knuckles. Every time I try to reach for my water or use my napkin, he’ll tighten his grip just enough to keep me anchored right beside him. Not that I'm complaining... I'm so glued to his side my hip is bruised against his thigh."Seriously, do you guys need to be stitched together at th
AURORA Two years.Twenty-four months, one hundred and four weeks, or approximately seven hundred and thirty days of living through an iPhone screen, listening to spotty FaceTime audio, and staring at a countdown widget on my lock screen that feels like it's actively moving backward."Aurora, if you bounce your leg one more time, I am going to personally duct-tape your thigh to that bench," I hear Malia say.I snap my head toward her. She's leaning against the metal locker bank, dressed in a cream-colored trench coat, her hair slicked back into a flawless bun. Even in the damp, freezing air of the arena backstage, she looks like she’s just walked off a runway, while I sit here in my mesh-and-rhinestone competition dress, shivering in my warm-up jacket."I can't help it," I mutter. I pull my knees up, digging the heels of my sneakers into the floor. "My stomach is doing backflips. Actual, literal backflips.""That’s just the four shots of espresso you chugged at six in the morning catc
AURORA One, two, three, four...I count the muffled, repeated thuds of heavy dress shoes marching past my bedroom door, followed by the heavy clack-click of the doors opening and closing.My eyes snap open. The mid-morning sunlight filters through the curtains, burning straight into my eyes. It's too bright and way too harsh. I squint, gritting my teeth and shaking my head to clear the stubborn brain fog. I pull the heavy down duvet higher up over my shoulders.It’s been what? Six weeks since the whole saga blew up? Honest to God, I'm not even sure anymore... the days have a way of bleeding into one another like watercolor under a running tap. I just know that within those six weeks, a whole lot of things have shifted beneath my feet. Most for the better, a little part for the worst.For starters, I'm no longer staying in my university dorm room, nor am I staying at Jayden’s dorm. Neither are we living together at the Hockey House.Now, I live with my family.And by family, I mean..
005DATING 101AURORAI stare at my phone after the call ends, my reflection blurry through the tears still clinging to my lashes.Typical.Even from miles away, my mother still somehow manages to comfort me and bully me at the same time.A watery laugh escapes me before I wipe at my face again. Go
004BONDING?AURORAI can't believe how much things have changed in just one night. I don't want to think about Brian. I don't want to think about the kiss. I don't even want to think about anything.Because if I do, I'll lose it. And what better way to show a bunch of jocks that I'm vulnerable if
003HEARTBREAK HIGHJAYDENI hate days like this, man. Days where I attend all classes, show up to the gym for practice, pushing my body to its limits, and all I want to do is crash when I'm in my room, sinking into the mattress and disappear for a few hours. But then something morbid comes up and
002RULESAURORA "You're the figure skater."I stare at him. Then I narrow my eyes. "You say that like that's a bad thing.""Oh, it is," he says dryly. "When she's apparently going to be staying in my room."Excuse me? I fold my arms across my chest. "Your room?" He legs out a humorless laugh bef







