LOGINNina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
Nina Even though I would have much preferred to be going to the dance with Enzo, I agreed to go with Justin — but only as friends. As long as I knew that Enzo could still be out there somewhere, I couldn’t bring myself to let things go any further with Justin. Even if something did happen to Enzo a
Nina I woke up that night with a start. My back and forehead were both caked in sweat, and my entire body was shaking as I sat up in bed. That night, I had had a dream about Enzo; a horrible dream, at that. I was searching for him, running through the forest as fast as I could and calling his name
There was a small hatch on the water tank. I kneeled next to it and pried the hatch open, then began dumping the contents of each vial in. Just in case it didn’t work, I saved several vials and stuffed them into my backpack before closing the hatch back up and making my way back out. Enzo and I did
Enzo I woke up to the sun streaming through my window and the sound of the birds chirping outside. There was a soft smile on my face as I held the love of my life in my arms, and as I listened to her gentle breathing, I couldn’t help but bend down and kiss the dark hair on top of her head. “Mmm… E






