Love Wasn’t Part Of The Plan

I wish I could say mornings in my house start with something good—like the smell of pancakes or my mom humming while she gets ready for work. But they don’t. Most mornings start with my parents arguing. If it’s not about rent, it’s about food. If it’s not about food, it’s about my school fees.I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, listening to their voices bouncing through the thin walls. I don’t even flinch anymore. It’s almost background noise at this point, like traffic or rain. I know every line of the fight before it’s spoken. Dad says he’s doing everything he can, Mom says it’s not enough, then they circle back to me. How much my school expenses costs. How many shifts Dad has to pick up. To the extent of him saying I should drop out and “just work.”The words hit hard, even when I pretend they don’t. Because I know it’s true—we barely make it. Our apartment is small, the paint chipped, the fridge always close to empty. I’ve been working shifts at the diner down the street since l

The bell for break rang, but I didn’t move. My stomach twisted, and my hands fidgeted with the edges of my uniform. The memory of class—Mr. Hale’s glare, Adrian’s sneer, the snickering students—was still burning in my chest. I couldn’t face the cafeteria yet, couldn’t face people.“Hey… you’re not going?” a familiar voice asked.I looked up to see Asher, his hands tucked casually in his pockets, eyes soft with concern. “I… I don’t know,” I muttered. “I just… want to stay here for a minute.”He crouched slightly to meet my eyes, a small, reassuring smile tugging at his lips. “Come on, it’s break. Let’s get something to eat. Trust me, you’ll feel better.”I hesitated, my pride warring with my stomach growling. Finally, I nodded, letting him lead me down the quiet hallway. Even without the usual swarm of students, the school felt huge and intimidating. Every step reminded me that I didn’t belong here.The cafeteria smelled warm and familiar—fried eggs, toast, coffee—but the sight of doze

I dragged myself toward the bus stop, the weight of the day pressing against my shoulders like a physical force. I hadn’t expected Preston High to hit me this hard on the first day, and now, as if the universe had a sick sense of humor, I had to head straight to work.The restaurant smelled of fried oil and spiced chicken the moment I stepped in, the clatter of plates and shouts from the kitchen filling the air. I forced a smile at the manager and started setting tables, trying to ignore the throbbing ache behind my eyes.“Hey,” Alice, my co-worker, leaned against the counter, giving me a pointed look. “You okay? You’ve been off all afternoon.”I shook my head, tugging at the edge of my uniform. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine. Just a long day, that’s all.”Her eyes softened, but she didn’t push further. She knew better than to pry when I didn’t want to talk. Still, a small part of me wanted to tell someone what happened, to let someone in on the mess of my first day. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

I yanked my gaze away from Asher at the last second, my heart pounding in a chaotic rhythm that made it hard to think. He didn’t say anything, didn’t push. He simply opened the car door and gestured for me to go inside. I stumbled onto the parking lot, heels clicking against the floor, my pulse thrumming in my ears.“Wait… I—I need to—” I started, but he shook his head, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips.“You’ll see me later,” he murmured, his voice low, intimate, carrying that teasing tone I already couldn’t resist.I stepped out and walked toward the school gates, each step heavy with nerves and anticipation. The morning’s chaos seemed distant now, but the weight of yesterday’s misunderstandings lingered, especially with Zoe. I spotted her near the entrance, sitting on the steps and flipping through her notebook. I swallowed, nerves coiling in my stomach, and approached.“Zoe…” I began tentatively.She looked up, eyebrows slightly raised. “Ivy?”“I—about yester

The night air hit me like fire as I stormed away from the party, my chest tight, pulses thrumming with a mix of anger and embarrassment. I didn’t even hear the engine pull up until the door swung open beside me.“Ivy,” Asher’s voice was low, urgent, almost commanding. “Wait.”I whirled, anger flaring. “This is your fault! You dragged me into that mess!”He stepped closer, and the intensity in his eyes made my knees weaken. “I didn’t want that. I just… wanted you here, with me.”My heart jerked, torn between fury and longing. My hands clenched at my sides, then hesitated as his jacket brushed against me. “Take this,” he said softly. “Let’s go somewhere… just us.”I shivered as his warmth pressed against me. Slowly, I nodded, and he draped the jacket over my shoulders, his fingers lingering on my arms. The closeness was magnetic, pulling me toward him despite the chaos still raging in my mind.“Get in,” he murmured, voice low, almost a whisper.Once inside the car, silence enveloped us—