LOGINJUNE; I spun around quickly at the sound of the vibration. Of all the names that could have appeared on my screen right now, it was Mary’s name glowing brightly. My heart did a crazy little flip, like it was reminding me just how far apart we had grown. The friendship that once felt so solid-"we were sisters"-now had deep cracks running through it. I gulped hard and ignored the ringing, turning back to face Ronan instead. “You’re not picking that?” Ronan asked. He slid his hands into his pockets, watching me carefully. “Isn’t she the one you were with at the coffee shop that day?” “Yeah,” I answered slowly, leaning back against the dresser for support. The call had already gone silent. “But it’s not necessary right now.” I tried to hide my eyes, looking down at the floor instead of meeting his gaze. Ronan had always been good at reading me, sometimes too good at it. I didn’t want him to see the storm of hurt and confusion swirling inside my chest. I remembered Matthew’s
JUNE;It was the night before the statistics exam, and I sat on the low stool in front of my dresser. Textbooks, notebooks, and my calculator covered almost every inch of the desk. I had lost track of how long I had been sitting there. My eyes felt tired and heavy, but I could tell I had made good progress with my studies tonight. The soft drizzle tapping on the roof created a gentle rhythm that made focusing easier. It felt cozy and calm. I folded my hands into the pockets of my gray sweater, as I looked at the sketches I had made in my sketchbook.Then came a knock on my door. It was too late to be Mariah or any of the maids. Maybe Mom. “Coming,” I called out, my voice sounding clearer than I expected. I shuffled over to the door in my slippers and pulled it open. There he stood… Ronan Grayson… practically leaning against the door frame with that easy smile that always made my stomach flip, when he should be studying.“Ronan,” I said, reaching up to rub my hand roughly through hi
JUNE;She walked right into the cafeteria, but something about her steps looked off. Selene headed straight to the counter, dug through her bag with quick, nervous hands, and pulled out a card. She handed it over to the cashier without looking up much.Romy leaned in closer to me across the table. “Now she’s acting like she’s on fire. What actually happened between you two? How did you figure out she’s broke now?”“Romy,” I cautioned again, keeping my voice low.“What!” she snapped back, not caring who heard. “Don’t tell me you really feel pity for someone who wouldn’t spare you for any reason?”I shook my head slowly. I grabbed my glass and took a long sip, letting the cold drink slide down my throat. Romy’s eyes drifted back toward the counter where Selene stood.“Oh, she looks rather lost in all that designer wear today,” Romy said, kissing her teeth in disapproval.Romy was being impossible, but I couldn’t deny what I saw. Selene really did look lost, like the weight of the whole
JUNE;I sat at the cafeteria table, my blood boiling inside. My feet tapped restlessly against the tiled floor in a ragged rhythm I couldn’t stop. My jaw stayed clenched tight, trying to hold back the wave of betrayal that kept crashing through me like poison. Romy sat right across from me. Her hand rubbed gently over mine on the table, trying to soothe me, but it barely helped.I didn’t know what hurt worse… Mary’s betrayal or the fact that she thought I was too stupid to notice what was going on right under my nose. She had played me like I was dumb, and that part stung even deeper than the cheating itself. The other night, she lured me to the club only to disappear, positioning Matthew for me. Their plans had almost come to fruition that night until Ronan showed up.“You should let it go,” Romy said softly, still rubbing my hand. “At least the hypocrite’s mask is finally off now, let's see what he would play by now.”I let out a sharp scoff. “Let it go? There’s more to this, Romy
JUNE; It was the first day of exams and the big hall felt like a pressure cooker. The air was quiet except for the soft tapping of keyboards and the occasional cough, but underneath it all, heavy tension sat between me, Ronan, and Selene. Only the three of us knew what really went down at the Arkwrights’ villa mansion over the weekend. Every time I shifted a little in my seat and glanced sideways, I caught Selene’s eyes locked on me. They were red and glaring, burning holes into my side. It forced me to remember Matthew’s warning words when he visited the library last weekend. Selene looked like a ghost of her old self. Dark bags hung under her eyes, her face was all puffy and swollen like she had cried endlessly, and her usual bright eyes looked dull and bloodshot. She kept staring, but I forced myself to look away and stare at the questions glowing on my computer screen. I needed to focus. Matthew sat away at the far end of the hall like he always did, keeping his distance.
“Ronan, how did you..” Selene’s words hitched. She spun around fast, her bare feet sliding a little on the smooth floor. On her dresser sat a pack of wet wipes. She snatched one out and wiped her sticky fingers clean, her hands shaking the whole time. She shivered hard when her eyes landed on Ronan standing there, tall and angry in the middle of her room.Ronan took one slow step forward. His jaw tightened until the muscles stood out like ropes under his skin. “Start talking!” he yelled. The loud boom of his voice made Selene stumble back. She nearly lost her balance and grabbed the edge of the dresser to stay upright.Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She let them fall on purpose, knowing how Ronan had always jumped in to protect her before. He used to shield his friends, family, and anyone he cared about. But this Ronan looked different… cold and determined to pull every secret out of her.His hand shot out quickly. He grabbed her chin hard, fingers digging
JUNE; The sun poured through the light curtains as if it had been waiting for hours to wake me up. I blinked against the brightness, my eyes heavy and sticky, and rolled over in the huge bed. My body sank deeper into the mattress, all soft and fluffy like a cloud had decided to hug me all night
JUNE; I took the stairs, one at a time, hand tight on the railings. They were already seated, Mom, Mr. Grayson, and that boy, but their cutlery still lay perfectly, glasses remained untouched. The aroma of different delicacies wafted through the air into my nostrils. But I still hated the idea o
JUNE. Warm water still clung to my skin as I stepped out of the shower. The bathroom was nothing like the one I was used to. I grabbed a towel, wrapping it tightly around my body, my mind drifted back to an hour ago. How was it possible? The worst person I had met in school, was my step-brother
RONAN.I couldn't believe it. I almost couldn't believe Dad was thinking about wife-ing that lady he met just a few months ago. The thought had kept me up most nights. He had broken the news like it was something I should jubilate over. Was he expecting me to applaud him after I had seen how much







