CHAPTER 7
MIRA The day was cold ,I guess the rain made it happen, normally you wake up to a sunny warm day in crescent Ave,but today it was cold ,I felt it and shivered while standing in front of the balcony.I wondered how it was going to be today in school, awkward maybe . "Mira "I heard dad call out my name pulling me out of my complicated illusion "Hey dad "i replied faking a smile "You ready ? I gotta drop you off at school and then make a next stop at pops to grab something"he said smiling and coming into the car where I was already in. "Gotcha pa " I replied understanding what he meant ,I knew he wanted me to understand he was going to be late if we didn't get moving . He drove off. **** The road was quiet ,me and Pa were the only sound I heard ,then the car stopped . "I think it broke down amor ,lemme check on em" pa said and left the car . Its been minutes and It was getting late "Why don't I walk pa ,besides my school is over there "I said pointing at the direction leading to my school "Are you sure mi vida ?" Pa asked looking worried "Sure pa ,I will be fine "I replied and started walking "Bye Pa "i waved and he waved back at me . Just as I was about leaving a car stopped close to that of my dad's ,a woman stepped out ,she was a skinny hot cake with blonde hair and huge boobs ,she was wearing a red short gown ,a pair of black hills and expensive jewelries,she was so cool and sexy . "Need some help ?"she asked "No I think I got it "mr Dennis replied "Oh am sorry Mr ....?"she said waiting for my dad to reply before she continues "Dennis,mr Dennis"pa replied "Ok Mr dennis I am sorry but this is crescent Ave,we help each other ok? So move aside and let me help you fix that "she smiled and walked to the car front ,after some minutes she was done "Done Mr Dennis,go try it "she said holding both hands on her waist "Oh ok"pa replied I watched him walk into the car and start the engine of the car and I could see him smiling "Wow it worked "he said smiling and looking happy "I knew it would "she replied PA was so happy that he hugged her unexpectedly "Am sorry ..I ...I ..I didn't mean to ..I was just..um" pa was still talking when she Interrupted him "Mr Dennis it's ok ,I was just helping and hugging is normal,dont make it a big deal "she replied and started walking to her car She started her car and drove off. "Damn I didn't even get to know her name "mr Dennis said pulling his hair not noticing his daughter who was standing there smiling at him. "Pa" I said smiling and for no reason I started laughing "Princess,you were suppose to be in school"mr Dennis said trying to be bold "I was until I saw what happened" Mira replied "She was cool miha "mr Dennis said and walked into the car "Hop in miha "mr Dennis added "Ok papi" Mira replied and walked into the car . ***** MIRA The hallway was empty ,I walked straight to my locker and I brought out some book , after locking it I turned only to meet max staring at me ,his hands over my head pressed on my locker. "You scared me "I said "I wasn't expecting you to be scared "max replied and bent towards her He was so close to her ,not too far from her lips ,Mira felt a shiver run down her spine,they both locked eyes ,he was sweating and his buttons were open revealing his bare chest ,the sweat drop made it look so tempting. So tempting that you would want to lick it off his bare chest . I watched him while he spoke ,I couldn't hear a word he uttered ,I was cold and he was hot . He came closer to me ,this time using one hand to rub my chin ,he looked at me with hunger in his eyes as if he wanted to eat me ,I was calm ,I was lost and fuck I felt it, I WAS WET!! I didn't know when I bit my lower lips "You want me ,Mira "max whispered very close to my left ear I felt weird,I wanted him to touch me ,I wanted him more than anything that moment. "Say it Mira "I heard him say in a demanding tone I looked away , feeling ashamed "Get off me max "i pushed him away,I knew I would regret it but fuck I cant let him get to me that easy. "I know you don't mean that "he replied "She said get off her max"I heard a familiar voice I turned and there was Ethan with a folded fist "Or what ?bro what's up with you ?"max replied then bent to forcefully kiss me while staring at his brother I kept pushing and pushing and God I wanted him but I also didn't want to hurt Ethans feelings. I heard a sound ,it was Ethan's first landing on Max face "Fuck bro" "She said get off" Ethan repeated then turned to me "are you ok Mira?" He asked looking at me with worries in his eyes I started crying,I knew I was not crying cause of the situation,I was crying because I knew what was happening I was in love with both of them and I couldn't face it. Max left us. Ethan tried to console me. "Am sorry mira "he said wiping off my tear. Sofia and Rachel rushed to the Scene "We heard some sound and decided to check in and know what happened" Sofia said rushing over to me and hugging me "Bro I hope you didn't hurt my baby "Rachel asked Ethan "No I didn't ,it's complicated "Ethan said then stood up to leave "I should go meet up with Max "he added. I watched Ethan leave then turned to the girls "Am fucked "I said ***** Sofia looked at me , waiting for me to say something,I just sat down facing downwards . "Girl you gotta speak up "Rachel said breaking the silence "Ok I was getting bored anyway "Sofia added looking at me I looked up at them "Ok I know it sounds stupid but firstly I think ....I think I have feelings for Ethan and max at the same time I don't wanna face that shit "I said finally coming out "Damn , hitting on two of em is a badass move bitch "Rachel said lighting a smoke "Common Rachel,she tryna be plain with us ,and you actin' all unserious,you should be more supportive babe"Sofia replied then she grabbed my hands and looked at me "Babe..its normal to hit on two niggas k? But...two brothers with the same face ain't a good thing ,I think you gotta talk about em ,I mean explain how you feel for em both,is there anything different?" Sofia asked looking at me wearing a smile "I mean...I like being around Ethan ,I like his smile ,his personality,his everything and fuck he's caring girl...I feel like he is perfect and gentle you know...but ....max...."I stopped and looked at her ,she was listening attentively "Max feels different,he feels like desire ,I feel hot and....wet when am around him,I love his body ,his voice ,his sweat.."i was still talking when they interrupted me "His sweat!!!!!!" They both said in unison "Yea...I just...I just like the way he is around me "I said looking down and touching my hair in a shy way "Wait...Mira what exactly do you think about when he is around you?" Racheal asked "I donno..I think sex "Mira replied "Definitely lust"Rachel said "I agree with Rachel,I think you love Ethan but still want max to warm your bed "Sofia teased "I guess I do "Mira replied her "Look Mira ,you gotta choose one person ok ,just take your time while doing it baby "Sofia said holding her hands and looking at her face "I will "Mira said smiling back at her "Just make sure you fuck max and then dump him before dating Ethan "Rachel said putting her smoke off and standing up to leave "Rachael" Sofia called her "What!?"she replied "I was stating fact baby"Rachel added "You know what let's go back to class am tired "Mira replied and they walked back . ****** MIRA "Dear diary, I know it's crazy,but I think am crushing on two brothers,crazy right,well Sofia and Rachel made sure I explained it to them and also made me understand that I was gonna have to choose one of em ,I feel peaceful with Ethan but with Max it's different,I hope I make the right choice Bye diary. I dropped my pen and closed my book ,then looked at my window hoping to see Max but I didn't ,I sighed and just as I was about to turn away I saw him staring right back at me was max ,shirtless and dripping like someome who just came out of the water. "Mira"I heard him say.CHAPTER 31MIRAMira sat cross-legged on the living room couch, her sketchbook open on her lap, pencil hovering over a half-finished drawing of her mom’s old garden. The house was quiet, the afternoon light filtering through the curtains, casting soft patterns on the hardwood floor. Dad was at work, and Miss Katy was out running errands, leaving Mira alone with her thoughts—a dangerous place to be these days. The latest anonymous message, “Family time won’t save you. I’m closer than you think,” had kept her up half the night, her mind spinning with images of the guy in the black hoodie—Jake—lurking outside her window. The pizza outing with Dad and Katy last night had been a brief escape, their laughter a warm shield, but the message had shattered that fragile sense of normalcy.She traced the outline of a rose in her sketch, her hand trembling slightly. The party last summer, Sofia’s sweet drink, the blur of The guys shadow—it all felt like a weight she couldn’t shake. She’d promised
CHAPTER 30MIRAThe pizzeria was alive with the hum of conversation, the clatter of plates, and the warm smell of melted cheese and fresh dough. Mira sat in a corner booth, her dad across from her, his grin wide as he slid a slice of pepperoni pizza onto her plate. Miss Katy sat beside him, her laughter mixing with the jukebox’s soft rock tune as she recounted a story about burning her first attempt at homemade pizza. For a moment, Mira felt like she could breathe, the weight of the anonymous messages and the guy in the black hoodie fading under the glow of the neon signs.“Let’s make a rule,” Dad said, raising his soda glass. “No heavy stuff tonight. Just us, pizza, and maybe a debate about whether pineapple belongs on a pie.”Katy laughed, nudging him playfully. “You’re not starting that argument again, Dennis. Mira, back me up—pineapple’s a crime, right?”Mira managed a smile, her first real one all day. “Team no pineapple,” she said, clinking her glass against theirs. The normalcy
CHAPTER 29MIRAMira’s hands shook as she sat across from Ethan in his bedroom, the glow of his laptop casting shadows on the walls. The latest message—“Y N J F 167—burned in her mind, a taunt that made her question everything. She’d shown Ethan the code as soon as they’d left school, her resolve to uncover the truth overriding the fear that had kept her quiet. The guy in the black hoodie, was still out there, and Sofia’s apology felt more like a puzzle piece than a resolution.“Okay, let’s look at this again,” Ethan said, his voice steady as he pulled up the message on Mira’s phone, connected to his laptop. “These messages always feel like they’re hiding something—a pattern, a code. Like the sender’s trying to tell us more than the words say.”Mira nodded, leaning closer, her shoulder brushing his. “What kind of code? Like, a secret message in the letters?”“Maybe,” Ethan said, his fingers flying over the keyboard. “Or it could be in the metadata—timestamps, phone number patterns. I
CHAPTER 28MIRAThe classroom hummed with the low chatter of students waiting for the bell, sunlight streaming through the windows and casting long rectangles across the desks. Mira sat beside Rachel, her notebook open but untouched, her mind still spinning from the past few days. Ethan, freshly discharged from the hospital, leaned against her desk, his arm no longer bandaged but his face still a shade too pale. He was joking about the hospital food being worse than school cafeteria pizza, and Rachel’s laughter was a welcome sound, a brief escape from the weight Mira carried.The decision to stop chasing the guy in the black hoodie—and the anonymous messages had felt like a relief in the hospital, a way to protect Ethan and find normalcy. But normalcy was a fragile thing, and the creak outside her window last night had reminded her that the sender wasn’t done. Mira’s fingers tightened around her pencil, her resolve hardening. She couldn’t just let it go, not when the truth about that
CHAPTHER 27It's been days now and Ethan was still at the hospital ,Mira had been worried sick hoping that he recovers very fast,she blamed herself for Ethan's pain and cried herself to sleep every night.Mr Dennis noticed she had been skipping meals and decided to talk with her ,he assured her that Ethan would be fine "He will be fine pumpkin"he assured her"I hope dad ,I feel so bad I feel like it happened because of me "Mira sobbed "I understand baby,but you only feel that way cause he is so dear to you ok "mr Dennis told her He hugged her and assured her Ethan will be fine."Okay dad , goodnight"Mira said after hugging him Mr Dennis knew she wanted alone time and left her.Few minutes later Mira heard a sound on her window ,she stood up and grabbed something incase it was the guy on the black hoodie,she went close to the window and tried to peep ,then she saw max trying to climb the window "Open up princess"he said Mira rushed and opened the window then max came in ,she ran
CHAPTER 26MIRAMira sat at her desk, her fingers tracing the edge of the photo from her locker—the one of her lying lifeless in the pool. The latest message, “You’re digging too deep, Mira. Stop, or Ethan pays the price,” burned in her mind, a constant reminder that the sender was watching, waiting. She’d told Dad and Miss Katy about the messages last night, and their promise to keep her safe had eased some of her fear, but the threat against Ethan felt like a knife to her heart. She couldn’t lose him, not when he’d been her rock through all of this.Her phone buzzed with a text from Rachel: Found something. Want to check it out tomorrow? Mira’s pulse quickened. the guy Sofia had mentioned, the one who’d followed her upstairs at the party. The guy in the black hoodie. If he was the sender—or worse, the one who’d hurt her that night—she needed to know.A knock at the front door jolted her from her thoughts. She glanced out her window, expecting Ethan or Rachel, but instead saw a fami