LOGINRiver Wilson has her entire life planned: earn top grades, avoid distractions, and graduate as valedictorian. Love? Boys? Drama? Not on the schedule. But her perfect plan unravels the moment she steps into her new university apartment… and finds Taylor DeLuca shirtless, tattooed, and infuriatingly smug, standing in her kitchen. Thanks to a university housing glitch and a name too ambiguous to question, River ends up living with the one thing she promised to avoid: a boy who looks like trouble and acts like he invented it. Now she’s armed with a list of house rules, a schedule tighter than her ponytail, and one unbreakable boundary: no flirting. But Taylor has a smirk that makes her forget her rules… and a past that’s more complicated than his cocky charm lets on. What happens when the girl who has everything under control is forced to live with the boy who thrives on chaos? Let’s just say... Rule Number Eight is about to get broken.
View More"Ngh ...."
Laura Hartley mengerang pelan ketika merasakan sentuhan basah di lehernya. Deru napas seorang pria menggelitik indra pendengarannya.‘Siapa …?’ batin Laura seiring matanya terbuka untuk mencari tahu identitas sosok di sisinya. Namun, pandangannya buyar akibat efek alkohol yang mendera."Ah!"Lenguhan keras terlontar dari bibir Laura, merasakan sesuatu milik sang pria mulai mendorong dari bawah."Tidak ... jangan …," rintih Laura, tahu bahwa hal ini tidak boleh terjadi.Pria itu sempat menghentikan gerakan, seolah ragu. Namun, desakan gairah yang tak tertahankan menuntutnya untuk kembali beraksi."Hentikan ...." Laura mendorong dada pria itu. Akan tetapi, tenaganya terlalu lemah.Penolakan Laura membuat pria itu mengunci kedua tangannya di atas kepala."Maaf ... aku tidak bisa menahannya lagi." Suara berat dan dalam pria itu begitu menggoda, membuat bulu kuduk Laura meremang."Ahh ...." Mata Laura membesar saat inti tubuhnya menerima serangan yang begitu menyakitkan.Manik biru indah milik gadis itu berair. 'Tidak … tidak boleh seperti ini ….'Bulir bening mengalir menuruni wajah Laura. Dia tidak tahu siapa pria di hadapan, apakah pria itu tunangannya? Akan tetapi, pertanyaan itu tidak bisa terjawab karena otak Laura langsung kosong kala pria itu mulai memacu gerakannya."Ah!" erangan penuh kenikmatan tak bisa Laura tahan untuk kabur dari bibirnya. "Tidak … tidak!"Lenguhan saling beradu dalam ruangan tersebut, terus sampai akhirnya puncak kepuasan tercapai.Saat itu juga, sentuhan lembut diberikan sang pria pada wajah Laura, mengusap air matanya yang luruh."Aku …," bisikan pria itu mulai terdengar, "... akan bertanggung jawab …."***"Hah ... hah!"Laura terbangun dengan napas terengah. Dia mendudukkan diri dan mengusap dahinya yang berkeringat.'Mimpi?' batin Laura bertanya.Namun, saat Laura menyingkap selimut yang menutup tubuhnya, matanya seketika terbelalak. Dia tidak mengenakan apa pun!'Di mana baju–'Belum sempat ucapan batinnya selesai, mata Laura menangkap gaun merah muda selutut miliknya teronggok di lantai. Dalamannya pun tercecer di sana-sini!Ketika dia sibuk memerhatikan pakaiannya yang berantakan, sebuah lenguhan dalam terdengar. "Ngh …."Tubuh Laura langsung membeku. Itu jelas bukan suaranya.Perlahan, wanita itu menoleh ke sampingnya, hanya untuk berakhir terkesiap ketika mendapati seorang pria asing tidur memunggunginya. Sama sepertinya, pria itu tidak mengenakan busana!'Apa … apa yang terjadi?!''Apa aku tidur dengannya?!'Dengan wajah ngeri, Laura berusaha mengingat kembali apa yang semalam dia lakukan.Tadi malam, Laura diajak oleh Nora, adiknya, untuk merayakan pesta pelepasan status lajangnya di sebuah bar hotel karena dirinya akan menikah dalam dua minggu. Tidak pernah pergi ke tempat-tempat seperti itu, Laura awalnya menolak. Namun, Nora merengek dan membuatnya terpaksa menerima.Di bar hotel tersebut, Laura menenggak alkohol untuk pertama kali dan berakhir mabuk berat. Sempat dirinya meminta untuk pulang, tapi Nora menolak dan lanjut berpesta.Demi menyadarkan dirinya kembali, Laura berniat mencuci wajahnya di toilet. Namun, sesaat sebelum dia masuk ke dalam toilet, kesadarannya menghilang.Sekarang, dirinya malah berakhir di sebuah kamar hotel bersama seorang pria asing yang tidak dia kenal!'Ini … ini tidak boleh terjadi!' pekik Laura dalam hati, merasakan ketakutan mendalam kalau-kalau ada orang lain yang tahu perihal kejadian ini.Laura akan menikah dalam dua minggu dengan Noah Myers, cinta pertama Laura sekaligus pria yang dijodohkan sang nenek untuknya. Kalau ada yang tahu tentang apa yang terjadi di ruangan ini, Noah akan kecewa, ayahnya akan marah, dan pernikahannya akan dibatalkan!Tidak ... Laura tidak mau! Laura ingin menikah dengan Noah! Teman masa kecil sekaligus pria pujaannya!Dengan pemikiran itu, Laura pun mengambil satu keputusan.'Aku … aku harus pergi!'Dengan sigap, Laura langsung turun dari tempat tidur dan mengenakan pakaiannya yang berserakan di lantai. Dia sama sekali tidak peduli dengan rasa sakit yang menyerang area sensitifnya setiap kali dia bergerak.Selesai mengenakan seluruh pakaiannya, Laura bergegas lari meninggalkan hotel dan pulang menggunakan taksi. Sejumlah pertanyaan kembali melambung di benaknya.Kenapa bisa seperti ini? Kenapa dia tak ingat sama sekali perihal apa yang terjadi setelah dirinya tiba di depan toilet?!Yang terpenting adalah … di mana Nora saat hal itu terjadi? Adiknya itu sudah berjanji untuk memastikan semuanya akan baik-baik saja!Laura terisak-isak sepanjang perjalanan, mengabaikan kekhawatiran sopir yang terus bertanya perihal keadaannya. Pikiran Laura hanya terpusat pada ketakutan menghadapi keluarga dan calon suaminya.Mengingat wajah Noah membuat air mata Laura semakin deras mengalir. Rasa bersalah menghantam dada."Noah ... maafkan aku," gumam Laura lirih.Noah begitu baik padanya, tapi ... Laura malah mengkhianatinya.Ketika taksi berhenti tepat di depan pagar rumahnya yang menjulang tinggi, Laura diam-diam masuk melalui pintu belakang. Dia tak ingin ada yang mengetahui kenyataan dirinya tidak pulang semalaman.Hanya saja, tepat ketika Laura mendorong terbuka pintu itu, Simon Hartley, ayah Laura … telah berdiri di depannya."P-Papa?" Laura memanggil sang ayah dengan tergagap. "Papa, belum berangkat ke–"PLAK!Belum sempat Laura mengatakan apa pun, sebuah tamparan dihadiahkan Simon kepadanya.Kerutan di sekitar mata Simon menunjukkan ketegangan dan kekecewaan mendalam. "Beraninya kau kembali ke rumah ini setelah semua yang terjadi!"RIVERMy fingers were itching to see what Taylor had written in his letter, but I waited until the seatbelt sign went off and the plane was not cruising at the altitude he intended for me to read it. I pulled it out with shaky hands and began to read each folded line with pain and subtle understanding. Each word felt like a tribute to a part of us that we lost during that ridiculous fight. He dated every time he penned down a few words. Every word he couldnt say because i was too busy trying to pay him back to even see how much he was hurtingIt felt like I was peering into his soul and a timeline or diary where he recorded every single emotion he felt and why he felt it. ‘I don't want to stand on stage if she won't be clapping for me.’ I read those words over and over again. I reached out to him across the armrest and intertwined our fingers. He was pretending to be engrossed in the flight magazine, but I could feel his trembling hands against mine and how he tried not to look up
TAYLORThe wrap-up party was not a party like the team had expected. The director had a line of people who were ready to scout us, and I already had a few offers waiting for me after the vacation. River was eager and insisted that we spend the holidays getting ready for the auditions, so I did extremely well, and as much as I appreciated the gesture, I was not ready for that at all. “I don't want to spend my summer break working," I grumbled after her speech on why it was best for us to stay back and practise. "It's not working …" “I am going to spend the rest of my life working. I just want to spend fourteen days with you and you alone," I whispered and kissed her lips gently. She couldn't hide how much she was blushing and just hit me in the chest gently. “You don't get to do that." “I am going to live the rest of my life doing that." The house is a mess, with all of our things scattered on the floor in a mess. River had tried to convince me that she had it under control, but
RIVERThe high-end restaurant that Taylor's father had reserved. The kind that required you to have a membership to get in. Yet Noah and Hendrix stack three tables together and put chairs around them. I had never thought that I would find such a big family when I came to school here. I was sure I would be a nobody who would do well in school and give the valedictorian speech on graduation day, while thinking every other person who didn't have a good enough grade was just not good enough. I found friends, a family and even a super-perfect boyfriend. Taylor was seated between his mother and me, but still he couldn't take his eyes off his father, who was seated next to mine. My father was suddenly a chatterbox who knew quite a lot about Taylor and was ready to share with him. “I tell you the boy is a star," he bragged while taking a sip from his wine glass. At the end of the table, Elise and Hendrix are seated beside each other, engrossed in a more serious conversation than the on
TAYLOR‘Super proud of you, Taylor! I would be watching from the crowd, Dad.’ River is still holding the card, and her mouth is slightly open as she looks at me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to act as if it didn't matter, but she already looked worried. “I am sure he is just here to see your showcase," she said. It sounded like she was the one who needed the convincing because I could hear all of the things she wanted to say, but couldn't. "Yeah," I nodded. I wanted to tell her not to worry, but before I could even make a word out, a loud voice cut through the air. "We go live in ten minutes, people," the director shouted, and the frantic energy backstage intensified. The thought of my father’s words was suddenly replaced by the reality of having to step on stage in ten minutes. Everyone was moving faster because in ten minutes the play had to start. And like me, everyone was panicking in the best way they knew how to."Here," I held the brooch up to her face. “
RIVERWe are all still rooted in the spot, but Taylor had stormed away angrily. The silk tie is in the middle of the table, and my father is staring at me as if he were hoping for some kind of explanation. I was supposed to explain, but I had no idea what to say because the grainy image of Cale le
TAYLOR“Let’s do what's best for us.” River’s words linger after she is gone. I should have done something, said something, or even forced her to listen to me, but I couldn't. I didn't know the right things to do or say. I am sitting on my bed and listening to notification chimes from her room. T
RIVERWatching the interview was exactly the kind of torture I thought it was going to be, and I couldn't stop. Taylor was focused on the camera while Vanessa was all over him. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but why did he keep letting her go off on him like that? Was he trying to
TAYLORThe house is quiet, too quiet. I walked up to River’s room and knocked once. I pressed my ear against the door for any form of movement or noise, but nothing came. I knocked once more before twisting the door handle and opening it. The coldness of the room hit me first, almost as if she had
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