"You have to go to the library with me. Now," Lily uttered. Her tone was unusually urgent.I raised an eyebrow. "The library? Why?""I don't know," she muttered while already pulling me toward the path. "I feel like I've seen that mark before. Maybe in a book or something my mom showed me. We might find something if we check the school archives, girl."I didn't argue.Part of me didn't want to chase down the mystery, not today, not when I already felt emotionally exhausted and had another major exam in less than an hour. But a larger part of me needed to understand. I needed to know why both Ethan and Tyler reacted so strongly. I needed to know what made my birthmark so strange.When we arrived at the library, I heaved a deep sigh. Lily and I might probably find something here today and I didn’t know if I would be glad or scared. Either way, I needed to do this.Lily walked over to the far section of the second floor, where the oldest books were stacked. Some dusty history books, loc
The next morning, I gently blinked my eyes open slowly, but after a few seconds, I remembered what happened between Tyler and me and the weight in my chest hadn't lifted with the dawn.I sighed.Last night's memory clung to me like a cold mist. Tyler's eyes, the way he pushed me against the wall with the look of confusion and guilt on his face when he touched my mark. For a few moments, he didn't feel like Tyler anymore. He reminded me of Ethan who was cold, distant, and fierce. And that scared me, because I knew Tyler. He wasn't supposed to be like that. He was soft, patient, always smiling at me like I was a little sunbeam that somehow roamed into their world.But something changed.I gently sat up in bed and rubbed my temples. No. I didn't want to stick around on it. Not now. It was the first day of final exams. I needed to start it right. I needed to do something normal, something comforting. Maybe... A good breakfast?I immediately lurched out of bed and headed to the kitchen. I
The clinking of utensils, the gentle sound of classical music playing in the background, and the low, golden lighting made the restaurant feel like something out of a dream. Somehow, I had ended up seated beside Marianne Blackstone, the current Luna of their pack and I couldn't believe how easy she was to talk to."And you're a Biology major, right, Sarah?" she asked as she sipped her wine."Yes, ma'am," I replied while feeling a little nervous. "I mean, yes, Marianne. Sorry, I keep forgetting."She faintly laughed. "You're too polite, dear. But I like that. So, what are your plans for the summer? Any big goals before the next semester begins?"I smiled. "Honestly? I haven't thought much about it yet. But with this new student council position, I think I'll be spending most of it preparing for the upcoming school year. Organizing events, planning orientations, helping with enrollment duties... It's going to be busy, I guess."Jason chimed in from across the table while popping a piece
My footsteps echoed along the pavement as the orange haze of the setting sun stretched long shadows in front of me. I hugged my arms to my chest, my mind caught in the limbo of two conflicting emotions—joy and sadness. I'd just been inducted into the student council. The student council. I should've been ecstatic. It was a big deal. And yet, that accomplishment was dulled, clouded by the coldness in Ethan's voice, the distance in his eyes."Stay away from me."Those words repeated in my head like a cruel echo, over and over, until they started to bury the pride I felt earlier. Still, I held my chin up and pushed the thoughts away as I reached the condo door.The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the cozy hum of the living room lights and the sound of someone tapping away on a phone. Tyler was lounging on the couch, legs stretched out, a lazy smile on his face. He looked up the second I closed the door behind me."Well, well, look who it is." He grinned. "Congratulations, Miss
Our last class ended around 3:40 in the afternoon. Lily and I immediately left the room and wandered in the hallway."Oh. My. God. I still can't believe it, girl!” Lily chuckled while hugging my arm like I had just won a championship. "Sarah Evans, the student council secretary of the biology department! Who would've thought?"I laughed while feeling half-embarrassed and half-overwhelmed. "Okay, calm down. It's not that big of a deal.""It is a big deal! You literally got picked out of all the students in our section. Do you know how rare that is?"I shrugged, but I was still smiling. "Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I didn't think they'd pick me. Especially now, when the semester's ending.""Pfft, well they did," Lily replied. “And it's about time. You've been working your butt off since the start of the semester. You deserve this."I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, we reached the hallway leading to the faculty office."Alright. I’m here,” I said
The next few days passed in a blur of textbooks, flashcards, and caffeine-fueled nights. My final exams were only a week away, and every student at Blackfield Academy was buried in notes and last-minute revisions. Usually, I would practically moved into the library with how much time I was spending there.But even with all the mess, I couldn't ignore the elephant in the condo, or rather, the silent presence that used to sit across from me during breakfast. It was obviously Ethan. He was avoiding me.It started subtly like missing breakfast, coming home later than usual, disappearing into his room and locking the door behind him. At first, I thought I was just imagining it. But now? It was obvious.And today was no different.I sat at the kitchen island with Tyler to my left and Jason across from us while we were eating eggs and garlic rice that Tyler and I had cooked together. We had finally ditched the ridiculous "no-sharing" food rule and decided to start cooking on a schedule. It w