LOGINMorning came slowly, slipping through the curtains like it wasn’t sure it was welcome. I blinked awake to the faint chill of London winter seeping into the room, that sharp kind of cold that always made me feel both alive and tired at the same time.I sat up, stretched, and let myself breathe for a moment. Just a moment. Then I pushed off the bed and moved to get ready, because thinking too much this early was always a bad idea.My shower was quick—warm water, steam, a few seconds of pretending I wasn’t living in a mansion with strangers and ghosts of past mistakes still clinging to me. Afterward, I pulled on a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, and my leather jacket. Warm, simple, comfortable. Something that felt familiar in a world that didn’t.When I picked up my bag and phone, Adeline’s voice floated out from the room opposite mine.“Tee, are you ready?”I caught my reflection in the mirror, hair falling around my face until I tucked it behind my ear. I swallowed, forced a little steadi
BACK TO SCHOOL.By the time we reached the part of London where King’s College was located, the sun had already dipped behind the tall buildings, leaving everything washed in a soft gray glow. The car slowed as we turned down a quiet, upscale street lined with mansions that looked like they’d been plucked out of some billionaire magazine spread.I sat there, gripping the strap of my bag, feeling a little like the world had somehow mistaken me for someone who belonged here.Honestly, I had thought we were going to stay in a dorm. A normal student dorm. I had mentally prepared myself for tiny rooms, mismatched furniture, and girls arguing in hallways.But Mr. Gates told me last night that we wouldn’t be staying on campus.No — we were staying in a mansion.With the Ashford twins.Apparently, this was the same place Adeline and her twin sister stayed last year. A “friend-family” arrangement between the Gates and the Ashfords. Mr. Gates and Mr. Wolfe had bought the place together as a hal
I stepped out into the garden, letting the door fall shut behind me. The morning sun hadn’t fully warmed the air yet, so a soft chill wrapped around my arms. I didn’t mind it. The cold made it easier to feel grounded.I walked toward the swing in the garden. The chains clicked quietly as I lowered myself onto it, brushing my palms over the wooden seat. I let the swing move gently under my weight, not enough to rock—just enough to feel something steady beneath me. The garden was still, quiet except for a few birds in the distant trees.My thoughts hadn’t stopped circling since breakfast. School. My future. My past. The strange safety I felt around this family. All of it pulled at me in slow, uneven waves, like my brain was trying to sort itself out and couldn’t.I didn’t know how long I sat there, staring at nothing, wrapped in too many thoughts. But then I heard footsteps—soft ones. Adeline.She walked slowly toward me, her eyes softer than they were during breakfast. When she reache
It was the next morning after New Year. The house felt quieter than usual when I stepped out of my room, still drying my hair with a small towel. The air had that early-morning calm, the kind that made everything feel strangely soft. I walked downstairs after my bath, and Mabel and Mr. Gates were already sitting at the dining table.Their faces lit up the second they saw me. That small warmth in their eyes… I wasn’t used to it. But it made something in my chest loosen just a little. I walked over and sat down.Mabel smiled gently. “How was your night?”“Was good, thanks,” I answered, matching her smile even though my voice felt light and small.She gave me a reassuring nod, “Enjoy your breakfast.”I smiled again as one of the workers plated my food in front of me. The smell was warm and comforting—truffle and spiced chicken—but I wasn’t sure if my stomach was ready for anything.Then Adeline came downstairs, her hair still messy from sleep. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders fro
TESSAThe swing creaked beneath me as I shifted my weight, the cold air brushing against my skin like a quiet reminder that I was somewhere I didn’t belong. I stayed still anyway, letting the silence wrap around me and soften the pieces inside me that always felt sharp these days. The garden was dim, lit only by fairy lights hanging from the trees and the fading sparks of leftover fireworks drifting down from the sky. Everyone else was inside celebrating the new year, but I couldn’t bring myself to go back in. Not yet.The wind moved through the leaves, and for a second, it almost felt peaceful. Almost.Then footsteps crunched against the gravel.My eyes lifted, and of course. Of course, it had to be him.Adrian stepped into the garden as if the night itself had invited him. A cigarette hung from his lips, and he flicked a lighter open with one hand, shielding the flame from the breeze with the other. The fire kissed the end of the cigarette, glowing orange before he snapped the light
JAXSONIt has been rough these past few weeks. If I'm being honest, it's been rough for the past few months. Every day felt like dragging a weight behind me, something heavy and invisible that refused to leave me alone.Christmas was lonely and sad. The house felt too quiet, almost hollow. Not like how it used to be when Dad was alive. Back then, Christmas felt annoying but perfect—noise everywhere, music blasting, drunk laughter, Dad forcing everyone into dumb traditions he claimed made us “bond.” I used to roll my eyes at him, but now I’d give anything to hear him shouting again.This year, it was nothing like that.Cole and I drank and smoked the whole night, passing the bottle back and forth without saying much. Ryder was at the club handling things Dad used to take care of—money, alliances, settling disputes. Things that suddenly became his problem after Dad died. Nova… I didn’t even know what she did that night. She locked herself away, refused to talk, refused to come out. All







