[ A love story ]

Chapter 1

Selene p.o.v 

Theme: betrayal, forbidden desire, love triangle, dark romance, age gap, billionaire love and heartbreak. 

[A love story] 

“Selene! Your turn.”

“Truth or dare?” Jaden asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I wasn’t sure why I came here, but I knew I needed a break. We were done with our semester exams, so we planned this party for ourselves. The table was filled with old classmates and people I barely knew.

The place was neat, and it smelled of alcohol and orange peel.

The sound of the music pressed on me, heavy and loud. And the lights blurred faces into shadows.

“Truth,” I said, my voice coming out low and careful. I promised myself I wasn’t taking any risks. I only came here because of my friends, Jace and Julie.

“Have you kissed before?” Jaden asked with a grin.

I gave him an irritated look, then said, “No,” without thinking.

What was the point of lying? I asked myself.

I could still hear some gasps and murmurs from the table. I knew some wouldn’t believe it, but I didn’t care. I wanted to try something new. I liked Jace, but I always kept it surface level. “It was just a tiny little crush,” I said, trying to convince myself.

“I don’t buy it, Selene. So you’ve never had a boyfriend?” Jaden said, his smirk deepening. I rolled my eyes, ignoring him.

“What, are you going to tell me to kiss you next?” I said with a scoff. I tried my best, but he was getting on my nerves. I don’t even like him like that. He flirted too easily to be taken seriously.

I took a glance at Jace, and he was sitting calmly, like the noise didn’t bother him, like the alcohol didn’t sting. His posture was straight, almost controlled. My eyes always wandered, but this time they didn’t drift. They held.

His jawline was straight, his nose sharp, like it could break through glass. He didn’t flinch, didn’t waver, like the man who owned it. His glasses clung to his face, and I hated how good he looked in them. Even his casual clothes made him look like he could be modeling. It made me wonder how much training it took to get a body like that. I told myself it didn’t matter. But did it?

The glass sat on his table, half full, waiting, almost staring at me. His lips were thick and pressed shut, full and pink. His eyes were dim and calm, like he didn’t see the women making advances at him, like the neon lights didn’t blind him. He blinked slowly, lashes moving deliberately.

I didn’t want to stare. I refused to stare. But my body was winning.

He turned to me, watching, memorizing. His brown eyes finally looked like they saw something worth looking at. He blinked, and his lips curved into a smile, it was warm and flashy.

My chest sank, heavy. My cheeks heated, my breathing seized. I felt like I was about to lose control, but I didn’t. I looked away. I hated that I couldn’t hold his gaze. I didn’t even smile. I just sat there, trembling under it.

The game continued, and Julie seemed to be having so much fun. She was making out with Patrick, one of the guys on the baseball team. She had been talking nonstop about him since we got here, and I could finally let my ears breathe. Julie smirked at me mid-kiss, and I rolled my eyes. I put my hands on my chest, pretending to vomit from disgust. “How did we become friends?” I joked. The kiss was so intense, it felt like they would rip each other’s clothes off any minute.

After some time, the bottle spun toward Jace. Jaden’s face broke into a sly grin. Classic Jaden, his eyes lit up when he saw it was his friend. He wouldn’t hold back.

“Truth or dare?” he asked, keeping a smug look.

Jace chuckled, then said without hesitation, “Dare,” his voice loud. He wore a smile that screamed like he had won something, and then he stared back at me. I didn’t get a chance to react before he turned back to Jaden.

Jaden’s smirk widened, then he whispered, “Kiss the most beautiful girl here,” he said cockily.

The table quieted down. The stares were intense, heavy, and anticipating.

I was startled, but I recovered quickly. I knew this game was always extreme. But since he wanted a dare, I guessed I’d see if he would drink or kiss someone. I didn’t know why he would pick dare, but I felt my skin burn. “Why does it bother me so much?” I thought.

“Take five sips if you can’t,” Jaden muttered.

Jace looked around like he was searching for something, or maybe someone. I scoffed. He stood up and walked slowly. I wanted to watch who he was going to kiss, but I felt sick in my stomach. I heard footsteps coming—quiet, slow, deliberate. Inside felt like hell; the screams from people and the lights seemed to trigger me. My fists clenched and unclenched. I bit my lip slowly, suppressing the feeling. My mind was racing, and my eyes were blurry.

But suddenly, the footsteps stopped. I looked up and saw Jace standing above me. I shivered; he was staring at me with a small smile. His body towered over me, and I could see his veiny arm clearly. Before I could process what was happening, he bent to my size and seized my lips.

“Wait—what is happening?”

“Did Jace just kiss Selene?!” I heard a girl from the table ask.

My whole body went numb.

I couldn't think straight. His lips. They were soft and warm. Wet, working on my mouth. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I didn’t want him to stop. I froze, sweat breaking out. He leaned in, deepening the kiss. I could hear gasps and cheers from the table. They were chanting our names, and I could hear the flickers of their cameras.

“This is going to be talked about tomorrow.” My heart fluttered as he ravished my lips slowly. I was trembling until he pulled away, slowly licking his lips. He stared at me, and this time I didn’t see that smug look. His eyes softened, and it held affection.

I stared in disbelief. My cheeks were so flushed. I looked around and saw Julia’s stunned expression with a slight grin. I sighed, knowing that look, but I didn’t have time for that.

Jace tried reaching me, but I ran out. I needed fresh air, I needed space, and mostly I needed to breathe. Even with so many people, I managed to squeeze through and leave. When I reached outside, I clung to my dress, calming my racing heart. I slowly moved my hands to my lips. Shock was written all over my face, yet I managed to blush.

Do I really like him that much? I asked myself. But why did he do that? I wondered if I should have heard him out. I didn’t even know what to think at this point.

Just then, I heard his familiar voice. “Selene…” he called, faint but close. He was right in front of me now, standing tall, his height and shoulders looming over me. I felt so small under him. We stood there in silence for a while.

“I’m sorry… if what I did hurt you,” he whispered.

“Why?” I asked, my voice strained, clutching my bag.

“Because I can’t keep pretending that you don’t affect me.”

“I… I can’t think straight anymore, Selene. You’re driving me crazy,” he admitted, staring into my eyes. My cheeks flushed at his confession. I tried to find words, but my voice failed me. My legs trembled, and I couldn’t look away.

As if noticing, he wrapped his hands around my waist and used the other to cup my cheeks. He leaned in and captured my lips again. I trembled, but I didn’t pull away. The kiss was deeper, and more passionate. His hands roamed over my body.

I gasped, giving him access to my tongue. He kept devouring my lips like he was starving. I felt my throat burn from being breathless. Soon, he pulled away, a smile on his face. My stomach sank. He pulled me close, hugging me tightly. I stayed in his arms, hearing the steady beat of his heart as a rush of thoughts swamped me. Then he asked,

“Do friends kiss like this?” My breath hitched, and I buried my head against his chest at his question.

“I didn’t know you were this shy,” he said with a chuckle.

We stood there, and silence engulfed us.

“I love you, Selene,” he said suddenly, his voice faint. His eyes were on me as he caressed my hair. I shivered badly. He cupped my cheeks, looking into my eyes. He whispered, “I want to be your boyfriend.”

I looked at him, seeing only sincerity. His eyes were soft and genuine. I didn’t see the friend who teased me anymore. I saw someone who loved me for me. I saw restraint and yearning. Then I knew—I loved him too. I couldn’t see him the same way again.