BLAIR’S POVThe basketball court was filled with people who had come to watch the game. The crowd were vibrant, with students from our school and Velmora packed into the bleachers, shouting, stomping, and hyped for the first game of the season. “Kade!!!” I screamed, cupping my hands around my mouth. My voice barely cut through the noise, but he heard me. He turned, his dark hair damp with sweat and a small smile stretched across his face when his eyes found me. He made a heart sign with his fingers and that alone sent a thrill through me. My eyes traveled to the ink on the chest part of his jersey and I smiled, feeling proud of myself. I had signed his shirt just before the game, a little ritual for good luck.“Jaxon!!!” Harper’s sudden scream made me flinch. I glanced at her, noticing how close she was sitting to me. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at her. She had been quiet this whole time, but the second I cheered, she had to do the same too. Copycat. Rolling my ey
BLAIR’S POVI couldn’t help but listen to Harper and I felt embarrassed for her. What was she? Twelve? Why was she acting like that?One of the girls she was talking to finally shrugged. “Yeah, I guess he’s handsome in his own way, but that No 7 guy looks like he was pulled out of my fantasies.”The girl next to her giggled. “Just what I wanted to say. I’d take him over the Jaxon guy any day.” Harper’s jaw clenched so tight and she glared at the girls as if they had personally insulted her. I folded my lips into my mouth, stifling a laugh.I tried. I really tried to keep my laughter in, but it burst out before I could stop it. She turned sharply toward me, her eyes filled with rage, but that only made me laugh harder. She was acting ridiculously. Ignoring her, I focused on the game. The final minute was absolute chaos. Everyone was anxious and Harper was tapping her foot on the floor, making the pressure around me almost suffocating. My nails dug into my palms as I did a quick
BLAIR’S POVI sat quietly on my bed, staring at the ceiling as my mind raced with questions. What had Kade been accused of? That guy, Axel, knew Kade and it was so obvious despite him pretending he didn’t. The way Kade had tensed, the way he’d slammed the boy against the wall before he could finish his sentence, it all pointed to something secret. Something Kade didn’t want me, or anyone, to know. Or something he didn’t want to address.I exhaled, dragging a hand through my hair. Kade never talked about Northbridge. Ever. Now that I thought about it, it was like his life before here didn’t exist. The most I knew was that he had transferred, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t know many things about him and his past, especially one that he was hiding. My chest tightened at the thought.. “Here.” I blinked out of my thoughts, turning toward Kade. He was standing beside my bed, holding out a cold can of beer. He was smiling, but I noticed how his eyes searched mine, like he was tr
BLAIR’S POVAs I got ready for school, Kade came out of the bathroom. I continued what I was doing without sparing him a single glance. The fight from last night was still fresh in my mind and I wasn’t in the mood to talk. I picked out a pair of jeans, a cropped sweater and applied a quick swipe of mascara before checking myself in the mirror. I could feel his eyes on me but I don’t turn to look at him. I didn’t want to. Grabbing my purse, I checked my phone even though there were no new messages. Just as I turned to leave, his voice stopped me.“Blair,” he called and I stopped in my tracks, my hand on the doorknob. “I’m sorry for yelling at you yesterday,” He said in a tone that was softer than that last night, but it didn’t make me feel better. I finally turned to look at him. He was standing near the bathroom with damp hair, wearing only sweatpants that hung low on his hips. Any other time, I might’ve admired the view. But right now, all I could think about was how easily he h
BLAIR’S POVI sat stiffly in the chair, my foot tapping against the tiled floor as I waited for Professor Martley who asked me to see him after class. I sighed, glancing towards the door and wondering when he was going to join me. His office smelled like old books and fresh coffee, and the blinds were half-closed.The silence didn’t help my thoughts as it drifted to Kade and Natalie. Just when I pulled my phone out of my bag to continue my little digging, the door creaked open, and Professor Martley walked in, adjusting the sleeves of his navy-blue blazer. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Thorne.” He said. “Good afternoon, sir,” I greeted, staring at the stack of papers on his desk instead of his face. This was one of those professors who took special interest in me when I did very well in my first year. But right now, he looked disappointed.The man exhaled, settling into his chair and adjusting before folding his hands in front of him. “I’ll get straight to the point. I called yo
BLAIR’S POVI exhaled sharply, picking up the paper to stare at it. “Will?” I asked flatly. “Yes. He’s an excellent student, one of the best in your year. He’ll help you catch up quickly.” I glanced at the paper once more, forcing myself to accept this reality. It was clear there was no way out of this, and honestly, I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. Instead, I picked up my bag, ready to get out. “Can I go now?” I asked him.“Of course.” He replied. I got up from my seat and was already heading for the door when he called out to me again. “Blair,” he said and I turned, barely masking my irritation. “You know this is for your own good, right?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.I swallowed the sharp response sitting on my tongue and gave him a small nod.“Yes, Sir.” I said. “You may go.” He responded and I immediately left his office. The second the door closed behind me, I let out a heavy breath, raising the paper I’d been handed to take a better look at it.As I walked
KADE’S POVThe door creaked open, and Blair stepped inside. I glanced at my phone and noticed that she came back a little late today but I said nothing. I hadn’t gone to school… because I didn’t want to. I couldn’t stop thinking about how she refused to ride with me this morning and that just plunged me into a bad mood that made me decide to stay back. I watched as she let out a long sigh before dropping her bag on her bed, completely ignoring me. Was she still mad about yesterday?Without so much as a glance in my direction, she walked straight to her desk, grabbing her water bottle and took a sip.I watched her, noting the stiffness in her movements and that answered my question. She was still pissed. Not that I blamed her. I had yelled at her, walked out and come back really late at night. I needed to make this right.“How was school today?” I asked, keeping my tone light. “Fine,” she replied flatly, setting the bottle down and returning to her bed.Not much of a conversation
BLAIR’S POVI woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring and I pulled my pillow over my ears to block off the shrill noise but even that didn’t help. Groaning, I rolled over, smacking my phone until it shut up. When the noise stopped, I sighed, knowing I could no longer go back to sleep. Pulling up myself from bed was so tiring like I’d been wrestling with my own thoughts in my sleep. I stared at the wall for a while before my gaze shifted to the other side of the room and landed on Kade’s bed. It was still empty and I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t come home last night. Again. I looked away, telling myself that I shouldn’t care. He was an adult. He could do whatever he wanted. He could stay out late, get a hotel, or even sleep in his damn car for all I knew. But that gnawing unease in my stomach wasn’t listening to reason. With a frustrated sigh, I reached for my phone, my fingers hesitating over the screen that just lit up.Where the hell did he go? I shook my head,
BLAIR’S POV Kade’s jaw clenched hard and I could feel the war waging inside him. His instinct to protect me was louder than any logic. But he also knew the kind of shit storm we’d be dragging ourselves into if he got in the way. Besides, I knew I was innocent and he knew that too. So after a long, burning second, he gave a stiff nod. He didn’t say anything, just let his hand fall from my hand. I gave him a small smile and followed the officers out of the dining hall, keeping my head high. Everyone watched with wide eyes and the whispers only grew wider, like I was already wearing the stain of guilt. The men led me into an office that smelled like old paper and something faintly acidic. I was taken to the drug investigation officer who was a bulky man with a sour face. He motioned for me to raise my arms and I did. Wordlessly, he and another woman searched me thoroughly but not invasively, probably disappointed they didn’t find pills sewn into my bra strap or something. Then
Blair’s POV I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. So this was Mrs Priscilla’s grand plan? A psychologist? When she said we would be working with delinquents, I thought we would suffer through punishments. I definitely did not expect to sit through a therapy session. Community service, they said. Not group therapy. I didn’t sign up for this nonsense. And yet, here I was, perched awkwardly on a hard chair while the psychologist with her tightly pinned hair and gentle, annoying smile tried to pick apart my brain. What did they even expect to achieve with this? Make us hold hands with delinquents and sing songs about teamwork? Did Mrs Priscilla really think I would open up about myself? And even if I did, what next? Lock us up with criminals? “Tell me, Blair,” the psychologist cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. I’d been expertly avoiding her gaze, like maybe if I ignored her long enough, she’d give up. I didn’t get such luck as she went on with her question. “How
BLAIR’S POV Harper didn’t answer right away. She looked down, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her dress, pulling at a loose thread, perhaps buying herself time. Then she shrugged. “I was never jealous of you when you started dating Jaxon, Blair.” she started and I scoffed. “Is that so?” “I was actually happy for you,” she said in her own defense. “You were my friend and I never looked at Jaxon in a romantic way or anything like that until he started texting me.” “Hmm,” I mumbled, crossing my arms. “So he made the first move, huh?” “You were the one who gave him my number,” she said, her voice rising. “That was because you were my best friend!” I shot back, matching her tone. “Fine, I was naive but you knew exactly what you were doing when you fucked him.” She shook her head like I got it all wrong and I decided to stay quiet so that she would explain. “Jaxon texted me first,” she repeated in a quiet voice. “It was just friendly at first. Until he began flirting with
BLAIR’S POV The screech of the door opening was the first thing I heard from my sleep, followed immediately by that painfully familiar voice that irritated me, coming through the quiet like a trumpet. “Get up, all of you!” I groaned and buried my face deeper into the pillow, but it was useless. I was starting to believe that Mrs. Priscilla’s voice could wake the dead. I forced my eyes open and there she was, towering by the door like a villain straight out of a bad dream. I squinted at the still-dark sky outside the window. The sun wasn’t even out yet. Couldn’t the moon goddess strike this woman with a temporary cold or something? Just long enough for us to get a full night’s sleep? “If your back is still on the bed in the next thirty seconds, you’ll be assigned more responsibilities today,” she snapped and I groaned loudly, pushing myself up. “We’re going hiking,” she announced with way too much energy for someone who clearly fed off our misery. “You’ve got twenty minutes to
BLAIR’S POV I tugged my jacket tighter around me, hating how the cold wind kept sneaking past the fabric like it was on a personal mission to freeze my bones. Winter wasn’t here yet, but it sure as hell was announcing itself like an unwanted guest. I blew air into my palms for warmth, glancing at my phone. It was already two minutes past eight. Seriously? Mrs Priscilla had barked at us about being here at eight sharp. Where was she now? “This is all your fault, Blair,” Harper snapped and I turned to her. Her arms were crossed like a spoiled brat who’d just been told no for the first time in her life. “We wouldn’t be here freezing if it wasn’t for you.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Of course, she’d find a way to twist this around. God forbid Harper takes any responsibility for her miserable life. Apart from freezing my ass off, being dragged away from the comfort of my room, my warm bed, and decent food, forced to spend two hellish weeks around criminals… yeah, the ch
BLAIR’S POV I tugged my jacket tighter around me, hating how the cold wind kept sneaking past the fabric like it was on a personal mission to freeze my bones. Winter wasn’t here yet, but it sure as hell was announcing itself like an unwanted guest. I blew air into my palms for warmth, glancing at my phone. It was already two minutes past eight. Seriously? Mrs Priscilla had barked at us about being here at eight sharp. Where was she now? “This is all your fault, Blair,” Harper snapped and I turned to her. Her arms were crossed like a spoiled brat who’d just been told no for the first time in her life. “We wouldn’t be here freezing if it wasn’t for you.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Of course, she’d find a way to twist this around. God forbid Harper takes any responsibility for her miserable life. Apart from freezing my ass off, being dragged away from the comfort of my room, my warm bed, and decent food, forced to spend two hellish weeks around criminals… yeah, the ch
BLAIR’S POV I scratched my nails into the skin of my palms as I waited. I had named Sherry as Harper’s accomplice and now, we were waiting for her to be brought here. The door opened and Sherry was marched inside, her eyes darting around like she already knew she was in trouble. My heart thudded so hard against my ribs, but I managed to keep my face cold. I had to pull this off. I just had to. Across the room, Harper shifted in her seat. She was trying too hard to look calm, but her body betrayed her. She kept trying to make eye contact with Sherry but I caught her gaze and didn’t bother hiding my glare. I hoped she was smart enough to realize her little plan had exploded right in her face. The leader turned to me. “Alright. Over to you, Blair. You asked for Sherry to be brought in. Well, here she is.” I nodded and then got on my feet. I felt the eyes in the room hook on me, but I only looked at Sherry. “I asked for Sherry,” I started in a clear voice, “Because she’s the one
Chapter 91Blair’s POVThe car barely rolled to a stop when we got to school before the driver turned to us, his tone unusually stiff. “Your father asked me to take you both straight to the administrative wing. He’s expecting you both in the dean’s office.”My brows pulled together. “Now?”He nodded, and I glanced at Kade. His brows lifted, and we shared a look. This could not be good.We were just getting out of a roller coaster ride and I was already bracing myself for the storm from Robert and my mom. I could already imagine the raised voices, long-winded lectures, the kind of dressing-down reserved for kids who didn’t know any better. I wasn’t in the mood to be treated like some clueless teenager who had stumbled into trouble. Not after everything. But we couldn’t refuse.When we got to the administrative building, we stepped out of the car and I let out a sharp breath. My skin was already prickling with tension but Kade took my hand in his and held it tightly.“We’ll be fine,” h
Blair’s POVAfter leaving the drug enforcement office, I decided to visit Beth at the clinic inside the detention center. Being at a hospital reminded me of the time when Kade was unconscious and hospitalized due to poisoning. Walking down hallways while trying to locate Beth’s ward, I remembered how disoriented I was at the time. After he recovered, I prayed to never have to visit a hospital again. Well, here I was. Finally finding the ward, I walked over to Beth’s bedside, barely breathing myself. I looked around, taking in the soft hiss of the machines connected to her. I also took note of the slow rising and falling of her chest. She looked so small tucked under the hospital sheets and I wiped at my cheeks roughly, furious that I was crying again.“You’re a good girl,” I whispered, running a finger over her smooth cheek. “The only good thing about this place.”I swallowed the lump in my throat. Beth had dreams—big ones which she told me about. She wanted out of the detention c