Tara's POVTwo Weeks LaterI practically bounced out of bed this morning, my heart racing with excitement. Jake_fitness23 had been treating me like absolute royalty for the past two weeks, and yesterday he'd promised to surprise me today. He'd even asked for my address, which made my stomach flutter with nervous excitement.I wasn't sure what he had planned, but God, I hoped I'd finally get to see him in person. The mystery was killing me, but in the best possible way.I dressed with extra care, making sure my hair looked perfect. I spent an extra ten minutes in front of the mirror, trying different hairstyles before settling on loose waves that framed my face just right. I ev
Xavier’s POV I wasn't sure if Tara had caught me because of the look on her face during the video call, and I refused to log in to the account. But I promised myself I would go back online if Tara was back from school.The look she had given me during that call kept replaying in my mind. Her eyes had widened, her mouth had opened slightly, like she had seen something that shocked her. Did she recognize something? Was there something in the background that gave me away? The uncertainty was driving me crazy.Jasper cursed, pacing around our room. "I hate the fact that we're not going to school," he said, frustration clear in his voice.I reasoned with him. "We'll start soon. It's just two weeks.""Two weeks too long," he muttered. "I'm going stir-crazy in this house." He added. "At least we don't have to deal with everyone staring at us," I said, but even as I said it, I knew it was a weak consolation.Jasper stopped pacing and looked at me. "Now that I'm feeling frustrated, I wish w
Tara’s POVI flung myself on my bed as the video call ended. I couldn't believe I had just seen a torso with my two eyes and not in a movie.I had just met this stranger, and my heart was already beating like crazy. The image of those abs was burned into my mind, defined, perfect, exactly the kind of body that made girls lose their minds. I couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't stop picturing what the rest of him looked like.I couldn't help but go to the bathroom to splash water on my face. My cheeks were flushed, my breathing was uneven. What was wrong with me? I was acting like some desperate teenager who had never seen a guy before. But there was something about him, something that made my pulse race.
Xavier’s POV This is bullshit. Why was I opening a new account just to follow Tara?I stared at my phone screen, my thumb hovering over the "Create Account" button. What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't believe what I was about to do. I knew I despised Tara. Tara also despised me; we were known for always pranking each other, always at each other's throats. Our whole relationship had been built on mutual hatred and competition. But now I was about to stalk her?My mind kept flashing back to the beach, to her body in that tiny bikini, to the way she moved in the water. The image was burned into my brain, the way the water droplets ran down her skin, how her wet hair clung to her shoulders, the curves of her body that I couldn't stop thinking about. I hated myself for it, but I couldn't get the images out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her.The really stupid fact was that earlier at the beach, I had gone to a corner to take a picture using a nose mask, making sure
Xavier’s POV I don’t know when I fell asleep, but the next thing I heard was a loud knock on the door. “Are you taking forever to come have breakfast?” Aunt Karen's voice boomed outside, followed by her retreating footsteps. I dragged myself out of bed, Jasper was already up, and we both trudged downstairs. But the moment I stepped into the kitchen, my body went completely insane.Tara was standing by the counter, and she was wearing the tiniest pair of shorts I'd ever seen, they barely covered her ass and a crop top that showed off her flat stomach and the curve of her breasts. My mouth went dry instantly, and I felt like every nerve in my body had been set on fire.I wanted to turn around and dart back upstairs, hide in my room until she left, but my feet wouldn't move. I was frozen, staring at her like an idiot while my body reacted in ways I couldn't control.Our parents were sitting at the table, chatting casually with Aunt Karen, completely oblivious to the awkward expressio
Xavier's POVThe entire drive home, I couldn't stop thinking about Tara's words. ‘You will pay.’ What the hell did she mean by that? My hands were clenched as I replayed the morning over and over in my head.Jasper sat beside me in complete silence, which was probably for the best. I was still trying to process everything that had happened. Finding Tara in his bed, the fight we'd had, and her overhearing our conversation about the drugs.Fuck! "Do you think she'll tell someone?" Jasper finally spoke as we pulled into our driveway.I didn't answer immediately. Would she? Tara wasn't the type to tell anyone about things that happened to her; instead, she would plan her revenge, but I’m not sure if that would apply to this. She’s annoyed and angry this time. "I don't know," I said finally.Our parents' cars were in the driveway, which immediately put me on edge. Dad and Mom should be at work by now. "Why are they both home?" Jasper asked, voicing my exact thoughts.My stomach dropped.